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low oil pressure

PMLviator

Active Member
Run up was fine. At rotation oil pressure gauge went to 7psi at 5150rpm at climb out. While in the pattern to return to the runway the gauge bounced between 12 and 25. Burped and checked oil level and it was fine. Any ideas of where to start looking, oil pressure valve, oil sender, loose wire ??? Thanks for any input.
 
I think the easiest thing to check first is the sender, by unscrewing it and connecting it to compressed air at 50-60 psi and then see what the gauge shows in the cockpit.

Another thorough test is to connect a separate pressure gauge to the engine and then run it to validate the actual oil pressure, though this is obviously a bit more involved.

Assuming oil level, grade etc. is all good...
 
I had issues similar to this, I found a loose crimp on the OP wiring from sending unit, re crimped, end of problem.
 
Thanks for the input. Paul, I never thought of connecting compressed air, I'll try to figure out a connector. Bob, I will start cutting tie wraps so I can pull on the wires. Keith, I removed the ball bearing and installed the piston on the spring two years ago, but I will remove it for inspection.
Once again Thanks,leon.
 
I have had one pressure sensor fail and one bad connection. I would try reterminating all connections since your indication seems erratic. I now have a bench spare sensor from the second event because I assumed the sensor had died again. When the new sensor didn’t show any change to the indication I went through the connectors and solved the issue. You could try the pressure test or a pressure gage, but unless you have some plumbing around your shop that is looking for a science project I think it’s less effort to just assume it’s one of the two issues above and see if that fixes the problem.
 
Bob you are the winner on this one. Found a broken wire right at the spade lug crimp. Thanks everyone for your help.
 
Good news for you. More often than not, its wiring and sensors rather than something "really" going wrong with a 912.
 
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