About 100 nm to my destination I started getting low oil pressure warnings. I monitored the pressure and it would decrease to 20psi then spike back to about 50 psi. It was very erratic. It would go down then back up. The last 20 Nm it went to 0 and stayed there for awhile then it would go back up and then back down. I monitored the engine temp and they were consistent at 185 degrees. TIT’s, CHT’s, and EGT’s where all normal and didn’t change. After I landed I checked the oil level and it was at 7.5 to 7.75 quarts.
Angelo, I cant tell what model Cirrus you have but the same thing happened to me on my 2007 SR 22 G3, while flying from Santa Fe to Vegas over Gallup. Turned out to be a poor connection. I had SB 2X-79-08 done which moved the sensor to a more secure location. Rock solid since then.
I Had a similar problem earlier this year. We all thought it was an indication problem, turned out to be an engine problem. My oil level was right where it was supposed to be as well.
Do yourself a favor and check the oil filter after everything else has been eliminated if the cause of the erratic oil pressure problem can not be determined.
Pulling and cutting the oil filter open is easy and cheap to do (an owner is allowed to perform this work) and will verify for you no metal has been made.
Hope it is an easy and uneventful fix for you!
Jim
Hoping it’s nothing more than a loose connection. There is a troubleshooting tree in the Standard Practices MM for a low oil pressure indication. Your description sounds like it’s simply erratic. But, this troubleshooting guide might be worth perusing anyway.
You did the first step already - checking oil level. Next is an oil/filter change, looking for particulates in the filter media. I’m not a mechanic, so can’t explain the logic behind this step. Third is to check the indicator. And, Fourth is to check the oil pressure relief valve on the oil pump.
Most likely a connector, but please don’t convince yourself of this while airborne. I know some folks who ejected at night after continuing a flight with an erratic oil pressure gauge that had been repeatedly written up and signed off as an indicator problem.
