[xj] low oil pressure - Reality Check Needed

XJ
1

Happy Friday,

This is a hot, humid day in Tennessee (90 degrees F) and whilst driving home
for lunch, noticed the oil pressure gauge was showing very low pressure –
about up to the first mark (20 pounds?).

This is an 87 XJ-6 VdP Fed with 91,000 miles, and in good running shape.

I noticed the temp gauge was running at about 90 degrees C, just the start
of the green. It never goes higher than this. (New radiator and all hoses
and all sensors in February.)

Air Conditioning was cranked full tilt boogey.

Got home, ate, checked oil after almost an hour’s wait. It was just shy of
the crosshatch pattern, added a quart of 20-50 High Mileage Pennsoil
(complete oil & filter change with this stuff about 500 miles ago).

On the way back to the office, same conditions, same reading on the oil
pressure gauge. No change.

I plan on driving a fair bit this weekend (four hour drive tonight) should I
have any concerns about the oil pressure?

Thanks
Joe
Chattanooga, TN_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/xjfaq.html
Archives: http://www.jag-lovers.org/lists/search.html

To remove yourself from this list, go to http://www.jag-lovers.org/cgi-bin/majordomo.

2

Joe, Jaguar specifies a minimum of 40 psi at 3000 rpm. At what rpm are you
getting your 20 psi reading ? Does the oil pressure increase as rpm
increases?

The safest and most correct answer would be “don’t go” until you determine
if the gauge is catty-wompus or if you really do have an oiling problem.
Having just 20 psi at highway speeds sounds like a “bad thing” for the
engine, IMHO.

What would I do if faced with the same dilemma ? Well, if there were no
awful noises from the engine room, I’d assume the meter is on the blink,
make my trip and not worry about it…

You decide !

(How’s that for a “non-answer” ?)

Doug Dwyer
Longview, Washington USA

This is a hot, humid day in Tennessee (90 degrees F) and whilst driving
home
for lunch, noticed the oil pressure gauge was showing very low pressure –
about up to the first mark (20 pounds?).

This is an 87 XJ-6 VdP Fed with 91,000 miles, and in good running shape.

I noticed the temp gauge was running at about 90 degrees C, just the start
of the green. It never goes higher than this. (New radiator and all hoses
and all sensors in February.)

Air Conditioning was cranked full tilt boogey.

Got home, ate, checked oil after almost an hour’s wait. It was just shy of
the crosshatch pattern, added a quart of 20-50 High Mileage Pennsoil
(complete oil & filter change with this stuff about 500 miles ago).

On the way back to the office, same conditions, same reading on the oil
pressure gauge. No change.

I plan on driving a fair bit this weekend (four hour drive tonight) should
I----- Original Message -----
From: “Joseph Sindorf” jsindorf@hotmail.com
have any concerns about the oil pressure?

===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/xjfaq.html
Archives: Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers

To remove yourself from this list, go to Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers.

3

Try adding two more quarts. Remember, the XJ6 takes 8-9 quarts. If this
does not help, let us know. you just want to make sure that you have enough
oil in the sump. By topping it up, this should rule out the possibility of
the oil pump sucking air. Also, does your low oil pressure dummy light come
on?

Jon Rhoad
Windsor, VT

1985 & 1986 Jaguar XJ 6s===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/xjfaq.html
Archives: http://www.jag-lovers.org/lists/search.html

To remove yourself from this list, go to http://www.jag-lovers.org/cgi-bin/majordomo.

4

I had a similar problem when I bought my 1986 XJ6. No indicated oil pressure
at all, but had no “idiot” light and no unusual noises, so drove the car as
suggested by Doug. I have since replaced the oil pressure sending unit and
the "idiot " light sender and now have a much better reading.

I have been using the Jaguar to commute about 175 miles each day for the
last 5 weeks with absolutely NO problems and it loves the 75-80 mph pace of
the morning commuter traffic.

I do have one related problem I have yet to look at - the oil pressure dips
to <20 psi when I approach a toll booth and slow down after extended periods
at high speed. Once, the low pressure light actually came on and I found I
was 2 qts low! The one thing I’m going to check this weekend with the oil
change I’ll be doing, is to pull the valve covers and check the oil returns
clear.

Matt Ross
1986 XJ6 - 126,000 miles
1960 MK2 3.8 Auto===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/xjfaq.html
Archives: http://www.jag-lovers.org/lists/search.html

To remove yourself from this list, go to http://www.jag-lovers.org/cgi-bin/majordomo.

5

Matt, while you’re messing about, check for oil leaks at the rear of the head
– the U rubber plug and the banjo connectors from the two oil feed lines for
the cam. These can drip oil continually while driving. There are replacement
washers from XKs Unlimited with built-in O rings for the banjo connnections
that solve their problem and if you’re taking the cam covers off, you should
consider changing the U plugs.–
Alex
79xj6L SII (BRG + wires)
86xj6 SIII (Black)
61 Sprite MkII (Red)
Menlo Park, Calif.

jag60mk2 wrote:

I had a similar problem when I bought my 1986 XJ6. No indicated oil pressure
at all, but had no “idiot” light and no unusual noises, so drove the car as
suggested by Doug. I have since replaced the oil pressure sending unit and
the "idiot " light sender and now have a much better reading.

I have been using the Jaguar to commute about 175 miles each day for the
last 5 weeks with absolutely NO problems and it loves the 75-80 mph pace of
the morning commuter traffic.

I do have one related problem I have yet to look at - the oil pressure dips
to <20 psi when I approach a toll booth and slow down after extended periods
at high speed. Once, the low pressure light actually came on and I found I
was 2 qts low! The one thing I’m going to check this weekend with the oil
change I’ll be doing, is to pull the valve covers and check the oil returns
clear.

Matt Ross
1986 XJ6 - 126,000 miles
1960 MK2 3.8 Auto

===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/xjfaq.html
Archives: Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers

To remove yourself from this list, go to Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers.

6

I would like to say that in our experience with these engines it is
EXTREMELY unusual to actually have an oil pressure problem, unless the
engine has a huge number of miles on it or has been abused in some way.

In the 2-1/2 years I was at our shop (when we had one) I can’t recall
ever seeing an XK engine with a true oil pressure problem. And we were
working on 25-30 XJ6s a week. We did replace a lot of oil pressure
transmitters.

Of course, these cars aren’t getting any younger, so that may be
changing a bit. Still, I’d always suspect the oil pressure sender first.

Best regards,

Gregory Wells
Coventry West, Inc., Atlanta, GA
New, Rebuilt, & Used Jaguar Parts
http://www.coventrywest.com
800-331-2193 x103

Doug Dwyer wrote:>

Joe, Jaguar specifies a minimum of 40 psi at 3000 rpm. At what rpm are you
getting your 20 psi reading ? Does the oil pressure increase as rpm
increases?

The safest and most correct answer would be “don’t go” until you determine
if the gauge is catty-wompus or if you really do have an oiling problem.
Having just 20 psi at highway speeds sounds like a “bad thing” for the
engine, IMHO.

What would I do if faced with the same dilemma ? Well, if there were no
awful noises from the engine room, I’d assume the meter is on the blink,
make my trip and not worry about it…

===================================================
The archives and FAQ will answer many queries on the XJ series…
FAQs: http://www.jag-lovers.org/xjlovers/xjfaq/xjfaq.html
Archives: Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers

To remove yourself from this list, go to Jag-lovers Forums - Jag-lovers.