Hi guys,
I've got a general question about oil pressure. In my 37 Chevy 1/2 ton I now have a 235 with new valve job, rings, etc. The oil pressure is great, somewhere above 50 lbs. I notice that after the engine gets warm, the pressure drops 10-20 lbs when I am at idle. In my new 1999 Jeep Cherokee with 35,000 miles, I notice that the pressure runs at about 50 consistently; but again, once the engine is warm it runs at about 30 at idle. On the other hand, my 1989 F**D 3/4 ton pickup has an oil pressure gauge showing L M and H and the needle consistently stays just above the M--even at idle. My question is whether the drop in pressure when hot and at idle witnessed in my 37 and in my 99 Jeep is acceptable and to be expected. If so, why doesn't the F**D do the same at idle--or is simply a matter of more accurate/sensitive gauges in the Chevy and the Jeep? Should I be concerned at all about the drop in pressure when at idle in these vehicles? Any insights/thoughts on this point would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Jim
