Very low oil pressure

[MrE]

Hi All,

A mate of mine has a 3.0 four runner? (UK surf) and the oil guage is showing very low pressure (just of the bottom of the lowest mark). Are the guages reliable? As the motor seems fine, and is the oil light also to do with pressure or is it oil level? The light comes on with the ignition then goes out when engine starts and doesn't flicker at all, even when you try to stall it.

Hope you can help.

Mark......

[BUSHWHACKER]

When was the oil/filter last changed?
And what type of oil, semi-synthetic will give a lower pressure reading than mineral oil.

[TonyN]

The light is oil level on 4Runners.

When you say under the lowest mark, is that when idling or driving, as idling oil pressure is from the bottom of the guage to the second mark, reving pressure (say 2000rpm-ish) is from first mark to third mark.

[MrE]

Thanks for the reply's,

The low pressure is at cruising speed & idle. He's using semi-synthetic with additives which was changed less than 1000 mls ago. The engine has had the head done 3 times that we know of! The truck drives fine with no nasty noises.

Mark.....

[stormforce]

My old 3.0 2nd gen use to run with the pressure needle just on the first mark and when hot just below and i never had a problem for about 2 years when i decided to service the truck.I put in new filters and oil and the engine blew up 2 weeks later on the way to Wales