Is there a oil pickup extender to go along with the oil pan spacer? Might explain why it only does it once in a while

Yes there's a pickup spacer that should be included in the kit if you're using an oil pan spacer.

A caveat to this is that the spacer included with my BP kit had a spacer for the pickup also. I've seen an AAM spacer kit at a local shop and it had the same spacer. It was cut to the same thickness as the pan spacer. I was considering buying it because it had ports cut for sensors.

I don't really understand this. Is this a different sensor than the pressure sensor that is located near the bottom of the front face of the motor?

If it is the same sensor, how could altering the height cause this glitch? My understanding is that the sensor is just a dumb pressure sensor that is after the oil pickup (after all, the oil pan is not pressurized....) so if it is reporting low oil pressure for a second.... it would seem to me that you have low oil pressure for that second.

I have a high capacity oil pan and there is a spacer on my oil pickup. I've never had my oil pressure light come on.

If anyone can shed more light on this, please do so!

:iagree:

Doesn't that light come on at ~3ish psi of pressure? That doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings about the build. Might want to have a local trusted shop give a second opinion.

There was probably some miscommunication, there is no reason the oil pan spacer would cause the oil pressure light to come on. (Unless there was a leak sealing the pickup tube spacer to the pump, rather unlikely but possible)

I suspect that the cause and effect might be reversed from your explanation... a dip in idle to the point that the engine almost stalls can cause the oil pressure light to activate. Since the oil pump is crankshaft driven, when the engine speed is too low it will not generate oil pressure.

Also, the post about a tech plugging in and measuring pressure.. they were not being honest with you. The 370z does not have an oil pressure sensor to check the pressure. It merely has an oil pressure switch, which only activates to turn on the oil pressure light when pressure is very low.

There's another thread with a similar issue: http://www.the370z.com/forced-induct...sure-idle.html

Regarding the oil pressure measurement, I am trying to figure out what exactly was being communicated to me about the pressure reading. I don't know if there is an aftermarket pressure sensor installed, or if the software reads or estimates pressure some other way. I should know more on Saturday. They intend to connect a diagnostic oil pressure gauge directly to try and find out exactly what's happening, and I'll post an update.

--ZOM

Adding an oil pressure gauge is the only way to check it. The software would have no way to read or estimate pressure using the factory installed oil pressure switch.

"I suspect that the cause and effect might be reversed from your explanation... a dip in idle to the point that the engine almost stalls can cause the oil pressure light to activate. Since the oil pump is crankshaft driven, when the engine speed is too low it will not generate oil pressure."

That actually sounds like what may be occurring, makes sense in my situation ( just a flash of oil light with momentary dip in idle).

I would still like to know why this is happening. The light doesn't flash in the stock setup.

If its from the idle dip, that would be a tuning issue to correct.

If you genuinely have low oil pressure, and it wasnt just from the engine almost stalling, then there are several possibilities.

I took some video showing the oil light flicker at idle, just before accelerating away from idle



So I followed up today at the shop. I was paranoid all week about the possibility of a bad oil pump, so they put a diagnostic gauge on it today (made sure the engine/oil was warmed up). This is the result:



Shows 14 psi at idle, right at factory spec. Worst case dips to 10 psi when lugging down to 500-600 RPM.

Not sure why the light goes on. I am thinking it could be several things:

• The pressure switch is going off when it gets < ~8-9 psi,
• Could be a problem with the switch,
• There's some kind of pressure drop in the tee where it’s attached; caused by a peculiarity in the configuration (turbos are fed from this point)
• Something else going on with AAM kit.

As for the latter, perhaps AAM is looking into it, since there are two of us now experiencing the same issue on a recent install. However, I'm much less concerned now that I saw the pressure reading directly from the gauge.


--ZOM

Just wanted to step in and say that what you are showing is not reflecting the situation I was posting to "alanforn" about. I would want to get to the bottom of what you are showing.

This is what alanforn said: "One thing that has occurred twice now is low oil pressure light (on the tach) has briefly lit up, once as I was letting the car cool down after a drive and today as I was braking and turning into my driveway. When the light comes on (second or so at the most) the idle dips briefly with the light almost to the point I think its going to stall." ( http://www.the370z.com/forced-induct...ml#post3577934 )

Mine appears to be doing exactly the same thing -- I braked, turned, and just as (or just before) I let out the clutch there was a slight dip in RPM, and light flickered. Only thing I noted is my light isn't on tach, it's on left fuel/temp/info display.

I never see the oil pressure light any time the RPM is over 1000.

Since my pressure was normal when analog gauge connected and RPM's dipped below 600, wouldn't you think it was something with the fitting or pressure switch, and not a serious problem?

Thanks,

--ZOM

I'll contact AAM this week and see if I can get a clear explanation and report back.
Alan

I dont think your video matches his description at all to be honest. Your RPM never dipped much if at all, and certainly did not appear to almost stall.

As for if your problem is a serious one... hard to say without knowing the cause. If there is a leak in the oil galley gaskets or a bad oil pump or something, it could certainly be a very serious concern. But if its just the switch, it wouldnt be a big concern other than to replace the switch. I dont see how the fittings would cause it unless they were very very restrictive and not allowing the switch to see the pressure accurately. You may want to confirm that the turbos are being oil restricted to their specification since over oiling the turbos could over tax the oil system and reduce pressure at all times, causing the light to go on at lower pump speeds, possibly.