Given the recent threads about the inner timing gasket blow-out and low oil pressure I decided to have my trusty mechanics check the oil pressure for me. Report is that it was 52psi at start-up and 22psi once warmed up. They said the spec is 14psi so I'm well above that .... sound right?


Edit: Just answered my own question. Forgot we had a sticky here with PDF version of the service manual. Section LU and specifically LU-16 confirms that at idle the low spec is 14psi.

 

The important thing is that: 1) you at least meet the minimum spec at the specified temperature, since oil pressure varies greatly as it changes temperature, and 2) that your rpms are correct, since that also greatly influences pressures. The trouble is that the reference temp they use for the minimum pressures is not a temp that the oil will stabilize at; it will always increase past that, AND not all engines idle correctly (650rpm) nor can the oem tach be considered accurate beyond about a +/- 75 rpm range.

The good news is that this would only be of concern if you were right on the threshold of meeting the minimums. IF your car meets the minimums when the oil is fully warmed up, then you're golden because the oil pressure would only increase if the oil were cooled back down to the reference temperature noted in the FSM. Likewise, if your car still meets the minimums spec with the rpms clearly under the tach's margin of error, you're fine.

With the proper OBD-II scan tool, you can read the actual oil temp directly from the ECU, as well the the accurate rpms.