Starting Oil Pressure

Anonymous Poster · Jul 8, 2002

Everyone says on a cold start to crank the engine until oil pressure is shown.(light goes out etc.) Well on my little 1300D I thought the sender was bad so I installed a gage. Although once stated the pressure is good (around 30 psi cold, 15 to 25 hot) It takes quite a few seconds after it starts to build pressure. With the starter motor cranking for 10 to 15 seconds no oil pressure will be notice. I would like know if this is normal, and if so just how long do you all run your starter to obtain pressure. Thanks

jimstractors · Jul 8, 2002

As recommended in the manual, when cold I use the compression release on my Yanmars (engines crank very fast this way). I crank until the oil light goes out (usually 2-3 seconds), then push in the compression release and they fire up. So before the engines fire, I have oil pressure.
Jim

Anonymous Poster · Jul 8, 2002

Thanks Jim for your comment. I to use the compression release and engine does turn fast, however only when engine is hot and shut down for a short period of time will the light go out/gage show pressure on cranking/startup. It seems like the oil drains off when left over night. I'm using a WIX oil fiter do you know if there is a check valve in the OEM oil filter to stop bleed off?

roger_scotty · Jul 9, 2002

Ron, I have a YM165D which has almost the same engine as your 1300. Yours sounds normal to me. I usually crank mine like that for about 5 or 10 seconds when cold to build pressure. Sometimes the light goes out and sometimes not. If not, I push in the compression release and start it anyway....but watching the oil light carefully. I expect it to go out within a few seconds of starting. For hot starts I just turn the key and go.
I forget what the low pressure switch is on that light, but I think it goes out at less than 5 psi. Yanmar never did seem to care as much about low pressure as they did about limiting the high pressure side. It is common for that motor to idle with 5 or less PSI. At very low idle the oil light will flicker. Not a problem....
There is a high pressure limiting valve within the motor block where the filter screws on. If it sticks open then the engine will not develop any oil pressure. Also, I think that there is an anti-drainback valve in the Yanmar oil filter. I assume that Wix has it too, but don't know as I only use the Yanmar ones. The drainback valve will not prevent what you are seeing at cold starts...again, yours sounds normal to me.