This past weekend I performed some maintenance on our truck...

1993 4runner - 22RE - 5speed

I checked and adjusted valve clearances, new VC gasket with grommets/half moons, Microgard oil filter with oil change (Valvoline 10w-30 was on sale) and WIX airfilter. I got the first drive in last night when picking up my lady from the airport. Getting to the airport, I had to slow down and follow my exits. Doing so, I noticed my oil pressure was significantly lower than prior to the oil/filter change.

Before: At temperature, the needle would be just under the first tick mark for idle (halfway to 2/3 to the mark, actually) and for cruising or WOT, it would be about smack in the middle between the first and second tick marks.

After: At temperature, idling will put the needle between nothing at all and about 1/4 past nothing (depending on if I just let off the gas or not.) Cruising or WOT will yield no more than the first tick.

From my reading on here during my bus commute and work-break, I understand the following things...
-Factory gauges are not that great
-Old tired trucks will likely have lower pressures
-Too much pressure can indeed cause damage, just as not enough pressure can
-I'm worried about where mine should be, or better yet, if what it is showing me is accurate and/or acceptable

My FSM lists 4.3psi or higher for idle and 36-71psi for 3k rpm and above. With ever so brilliant factory gauge that has tiny little tick marks, those numbers don't help me at all. I would like to test the pressure out of the sender location, but I don't know how I can do that short of buying a SST which I prefer not to do. I also do not wish to install an aftermarket gauge(ie: autometer, sunpro, etc), rather I simply wish to confirm what my pressures are and if they are acceptable, use that as a baseline for what I see when I look at my gauge.

So. How can I test my oil pressure? Is there a specific tool that l need to be looking for?

Thanks! I'm going to keep looking around here for clues...

-Chris "babyfood1217" Gerber

 

Bump for insight...

 

You haven't left yourself many options. You don't want to buy or install anything.
Not sure how anyone can help.

Best bet is to temporarily install an inexpensive manual gauge.

 

https://www.yotatech.com/51950727-post9.html

Not very hard to do, do it.

 

What you are looking for is a manual gauge, as Marc mentioned. It consists of a tube, a connector, and the gauge it's self. Your local mechanic will/should have one, and a good properly calibrated one also, if you don't want to invest in one or do the work. The local mechanic will be able to tell you what the "L" actually reads as in PSI.

^^ This post shows where the oil pressure ports are. Notice the one between the engine mounts, these have a plug/bolt in them from the factory and can be used to add a gauge or calibrate the gauge you have by temporarly adding a gauge.

 

first, you need to get a BSPT adapter and then you can make your own SST. the thread in the block are 1/8 BSPT not 1/8 NPT like the rest of the world (and most aftermarket gauges)

http://www.lceperformance.com/Oil-Fi...-p/1072065.htm

 

Yes, gotta get that adapter. You can cross thread the crap out of the wrong fitting and it won't leak but it ain't a great idea.

Get the fitting into the block BEFORE you attach the tube to it. Makes it much much easier to get into that tiny space behind the motor mount.

My set-up build thread