This rig is running at 6lbs at idle, and gets to about 30 when at 55 miles
per hour. I am told that these rigs just run low pressure; but this is
worrysome. I heard somewhere about the possibility of an oil pressure
relief valve being stuck open. How does one troubleshoot this short of
opening everything up and looking for one's self?

TIA

 

Are you sure you have a legitimate problem, or is it imaginary? Is the CEL
(Check Engine Light) coming on? My owner's manual says that it's normal for
the Oil Pressure light to come on at low idle speeds when stopped. My Haynes
manual says that normal oil pressure is 10 PSI at 500 rpm and 30-55 psi at
2000 rpm, and I know my '96 Rodeo 3.2L V6 runs really low oil pressures.
Like you, I was worried when I first bought it because of the ridiculously
high end of the oil pressure gauge (215 PSI). I thought that it should
probably run somewhere in the middle to be normal, but not so. To cure my
anxieties, I changed to a higher viscosity oil (50W) and that brought the
pressure up a bit.

I simply quit worrying about it. That took care of the problem.

 

Are you sure you have a legitimate problem, or is it imaginary? Is the CEL
(Check Engine Light) coming on? My owner's manual says that it's normal for
the Oil Pressure light to come on at low idle speeds when stopped. My Haynes
manual says that normal oil pressure is 10 PSI at 500 rpm and 30-55 psi at
2000 rpm, and I know my '96 Rodeo 3.2L V6 runs really low oil pressures.
Like you, I was worried when I first bought it because of the ridiculously
high end of the oil pressure gauge (215 PSI). I thought that it should
probably run somewhere in the middle to be normal, but not so. To cure my
anxieties, I changed to a higher viscosity oil (50W) and that brought the
pressure up a bit.

I simply quit worrying about it. That took care of the problem.