Low Oil Pressure? Here’s What Might be Wrong

Posted by Henry Thomas on December 13th, 2019

The only fluid that is very necessary for your vehicle to function properly is motor oil. It lubricates the different components of the motor to minimize friction and helps the vehicle work smoothly.

This also prevents overheating. The proper level of motor oil keeps your car in good condition and protects the engine.

If you have low oil pressure, it might undermine your engine’s performance and possibly cause damage to its components. It can cause serious motor trouble in the long run.

Certain questions pop up in mind while discussing oil pressure in a car. Let's discuss them

Insufficient Amount of Motor Oil

An insufficient amount of motor oil is the major cause of low oil pressure. Some car owners completely forget about the periodic oil changes as part of normal vehicle maintenance. This decrease in oil levels causes some serious problems.

Another reason might be a leak in the oil supply. Due to this, some of the fluid may leak from tiny holes of the pipelines. This may wear out the oil seals and plugs. Old cars also consume a lot of oil, so if you own a car older than 10 years, you might face the problem of low oil pressure more frequently.

Wrong Oil Viscosity

Some times you may also get low oil reading because you might have used wrong motor oil. Low viscosity produces less resistance to flow. The pressure sensor in the vehicle can interpret this low resistance as low oil pressure.

Due to this, if the oil has high viscosity than what the manufacturer recommended, then it can generate greater resistance to flow. This results in inadequate lubrication of different components of an engine which may also cause low oil pressure.

Damaged Oil Pump

When the pump doesn’t work properly then also oil pressure goes down. The work of the pump is very necessary as it facilitates the movement of the motor lubricant throughout the system.

The pressure within the oil passages of the engine drops when the oil pump is damaged or when it fails to work at the optimum level.

A pump can be damaged or not function properly due to several reasons. It might not be installed properly when you had it replaced. Oil contamination and poor oil maintenance can also damage the oil pump.

Engine Wear 

As mentioned earlier, the older the car, the more oil it consumes. The older engine is more susceptible to low oil pressure. This is the reason why the frequency of oil changes increases with vehicle age.

The effects of friction and heat along with the chemicals released can lead to premature damage or wearing of engine parts.

Symptoms of Low Oil Pressure 

There are several symptoms that you might notice. 

1. Oil level warning light on the Instrument Panel

2. Unusual Clunking noise in the engine

3. The smell of burning oil

4. Poor engine performance

5. Engine Overheating

It is highly recommended that you get the problems related to low oil pressure fixed at the earliest, as they might lead to some serious issues. For any queries or assistance with oil change Harrow, contact us at Harrow Budget Tyres. Our professionals will be more than happy to help you out!