Hot idle oil pressure - should I be worried

[Hawklord]

My 300TDI is coming up to 213,000 miles and the oil pressure at hot idle is showing just over 1 bar on a mechanical gauge screwed in to the low pressure switch hole on the oil filter housing. This seems to be quite low to me but what are your thoughts on whether this is satisfactory or should I be adding this to my Land Rover worry list. 

[Northwards]

Thanks for posting this. I can’t answer your question, but I found myself with a similar thought recently.

My 300 has been rebuilt by Turners (about 2 or 3 years ago now). When cold the oil pressure is about 3.4bar, when hot it’s about 1.3 to 1.5 - taken from a Madman gauge and sender.

It occurred to me to look at the specs in the WSM but I haven’t got round to it since returning from the trip, so I’ll be following the replies.

[Sigi_H]

In my eyes absolutely OK, as long as it rises quickly with revs

 

[Snagger]

Book figures for the Tdis are the same as for the 2.25 and 2.5 predecessors - the 200Tdi uses the same pump and skew gear as them.  It says 25-55psi.

I rebuilt a 12J that gave those figures, a bit higher when cold and revved and cold idle gave about 45psi, but settled to the spec numbers once warm.  The 200Tdi I rebuilt to the same extent, however, only gives those values cold and once the oil is hot gives about 12-15 psi at idle and 50 at high revs.  I think it is not a fault or wear but the oil flow through the turbocharger and the oil cooler circuit - the more flow paths you add, the less the pump outlet restriction and so the lower the pressure.  My figures seem to be very common with other Tdi owners, though I think Ralph managed to get some higher values on the Tdi he rebuilt.

[fmmv]

One thing, is the idle speed high enough? Obviously if it's below spec the oil pressure may well be too.

[Northwards]

From my point of view, thanks very much. I didn’t really think I had anything to worry about, but it’s nice to have that confirmed.

[pat_pending]

200tdi

On 7/3/2024 at 6:20 AM, Snagger said:

Book figures for the Tdis are the same as for the 2.25 and 2.5 predecessors - the 200Tdi uses the same pump and skew gear as them.  It says 25-55psi.

I rebuilt a 12J that gave those figures, a bit higher when cold and revved and cold idle gave about 45psi, but settled to the spec numbers once warm.  The 200Tdi I rebuilt to the same extent, however, only gives those values cold and once the oil is hot gives about 12-15 psi at idle and 50 at high revs.  I think it is not a fault or wear but the oil flow through the turbocharger and the oil cooler circuit - the more flow paths you add, the less the pump outlet restriction and so the lower the pressure.  My figures seem to be very common with other Tdi owners, though I think Ralph managed to get some higher values on the Tdi he rebuilt.

I only recently bothered to fit an oil pressure gauge, no idea how many miles the 200 tdi in my 110 has done or it's history, I bought the engine second hand and I've since put 50-60,000 on it.

I was quite pleased to see I get an indicated 60+psi cold and about 25 psi hot at idle and back up to about 50psi @ 2000rpm.

[Hawklord]

Thanks for that. I get 50-55psi cold but lower than yours when hot, only about 25psi going at 60mph. As someone has told me if I hadn't fitted a gauge I wouldn't be fretting about it.