Oil gauge

tfloyd · Oct 6, 2017

My oil gauge has been fluctuating the oil level is fine and i chganed my oil to see if that would fix the problem. Would the oil pressure sensor possibly cause this it never drops to 0 just floats from normal to low

dudeman2009 · Oct 6, 2017

It's possible the sender is doing this, but i'd also trace along the harness to make sure there isn't any damage to the wire that could cause this issue.

tfloyd · Oct 8, 2017

Ok I'll do that it just started doing this a few weeks ago I hope it's the oil pressure sensor not really looking forward to having to change the pump out mainly because it's harder to get the oil pan out of the way then it is to change the pump itself ha.

Yeret · Oct 8, 2017

There are quite a few things that can cause your problem. If you're lucky, it's simply a faulty sender but if it's not, you're looking at more in-depth stuff.

It is a common issue in our engines for the oil pickup screen to become clogged over time which results in the oil pump not being able to supply ample volume and can cause pressure issues. The pump itself could be failing to move enough volume and causing low oil pressure but it could also be worn bearings. Remember, the oil pump only moves volume. It's the tightness of the oil passageways and bearings that generates pressure. Moving volume + restriction = pressure and pressure = velocity and velocity = travel. Basically, you need pressure to ensure that oil travels throughout the engine and provides ample lubrication to all of the moving metal-on-metal stuff.

If you want to be sure, rent an oil pressure tester from your local parts store. It screws into place of the pressure sender and then just run the engine and note what the tester is reading. Hot oil pressure at idle isn't very much in our engines, something like a few or maybe several PSI. Peak oil pressure should occur at 3,000 RPM and it should be something between 30-40 PSI in a stock engine. I'm sure someone here has more exact numbers.

Tyrone456 · Apr 10, 2018

Did you find a fix

mechanicmark · Apr 26, 2018

Just a quick heads up before you tackle the horrible job of the sending unit. I had this same issue on my 98 ram with the 5.9 V8. whenever I turned right going over 10 mph the gauge would drop to 0, then hop back up to just under 40. After ordering a new oil pump, rod bearings ( might as well while the pans down) and sending unit, I noticed the intake pcv vacuum hose port was wet with oil. So I pulled the hose out, and when I pulled the pcv valve I noticed it was dirty and sticking shut when blown into. This was a new pcv valve, only a few months old. So I cleaned it and the hose out thoroughly, didn't even mess with the oil sending unit, plugged everything back in, did an oil change and noticed I was 2-3 quarts low (the gauge was accurate, I was low on oil when it turned and the oil went away from the pickup tube). After that, started it up. Oil pressure was back above 40 and when driving it stays between about 35-50. Problem solved.

mechanicmark · Apr 26, 2018

Also, if it is a bad sender, just break off the top plastic half of the sender while plugged in, just above the metal part. Makes it a whole lot easier to unplug the connector due to that little red safety pin that you will break before getting the connector off. This way you can bring the top half up to you & quite possibly save the connector, which is highly breakable. Then use the oil pressure socket to get the metal part off. Makes a 45 minute job about a 15 minute breeze.

Gr8bawana · Apr 26, 2018

Why the hell would you drive any vehicle that was 2-3 quarts low on oil? :badidea:

Oil pressure is not an indicator of oil level. "mechanicmark" that's funny!

Yeret · Apr 26, 2018

Well, if the oil level gets too low, the pump may suck the sump dry and that'll certainly cause a drop in pressure.

Also, he noted that his oil pressure momentarily dropped when cornering. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue but if the level is low enough, I imagine that it could expose the oil pickup.

The main question I'd be asking right now is where did the oil go?

Oil gauge

tfloyd

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dudeman2009

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tfloyd

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Yeret

The Village Drunk

Tyrone456

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mechanicmark

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mechanicmark

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Gr8bawana

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Yeret

The Village Drunk

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