Oil Pressure gauge - Engine Troubleshooting


	Auto Repair Home	SEARCH POSTS	WHO'S ONLINE	LOG IN

Automotive Repair

Car Troubleshooting Topics
  Car Troubleshooting
  Engine Troubleshooting
  Engine Fault Codes
  Electrical and Wiring
  Transmission Problems

Car Repair Topics
  Car Making Noises
  Car Stereo Repair
  Heating or AC Issues
  Motorcycles and ATVs
  Tricks of the Trade
  Truck Repair Advice

Site Options:
  Login
  Sign up here!

Latest Forum Post

Drive Shaft Repair

I have a 2015 Chevy Traverse AWD. The fr...

2006 Toyoto Camry XLE Driver Side Electric Window Trouble

Hello, Looking for a little brain help ...

Tierod end change caused some kind of leak

Hello so I just took my car to the nearb...

2011 Dodge Nitro OBD scanner seems to drain battery in 10-20 minutes

When I bought this car in summer 2023, a...

Grounding Cable, 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk

The Cable that connects my negative batt...

Rough Idle (Found new thing)

Hi everyone. First of all sorry for bad ...

equipment

hey yall. im a first year engineering st...

HELP

I have a 1956 1/2 ton panel truck, 69 35...

Howdy

    Just wanted to s...

ABS/Tractiob/Brake Lights on But No DTCs

Hello all, Recently while driving m...

Oil Pressure gauge

Sign up here!

Email This Post

Auto Repair Home>> Automotive Repair>> Engine Troubleshooting

jjlutz
New User

Dec 29, 2010, 6:34 PM

Post #1 of 5 (1336 views)

Oil Pressure gauge	Sign In

I have a 1988 GMC 1500 4WD with a 5.7 engine. When the engine starts up I have a little better than 30 lbs oil pressure. I plow with the truck, and after about 20 minutes, the pressure falls to a level that lights the "Check Gauges" light on the dash when it falls to an idle. Just today it would not come back up and turn out the light when engine speed was raised. I had just changed the oil before this started happening. There is plenty of oil in the pan, and the lifters don't seem to be starving for oil. The engine seems to be running well, but it is disconcerting to see that light on. Is it possible that the sending unit is bad, or is it more likely the oil pump?

Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 29, 2010, 6:54 PM

Post #2 of 5 (1327 views)

Re: Oil Pressure gauge	Sign In

I would first try changing the oil again and use a different brand this time. Some vehicles just don't like some brands of oil.
If the problem still persists, then your going to have to verify the pressure with a manual gauge to see if the sender is accurate. It might be even cheaper to just replace the sender to see if it helps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.

jjlutz
New User

Dec 29, 2010, 7:21 PM

Post #3 of 5 (1323 views)

Re: Oil Pressure gauge	Sign In

Thanks; Another issue may be that I put in 10-40 instead of 10-30 to try and boost the Oil Pressure. I live in Maine and it is COLD. I should try and go back to 10-30?

Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Dec 29, 2010, 7:24 PM

Post #4 of 5 (1319 views)

Re: Oil Pressure gauge	Sign In

It won't be too serious with a truck that old but that would be a real problem on a later model.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.

jjlutz
New User

Dec 30, 2010, 3:33 PM

Post #5 of 5 (1300 views)

Re: Oil Pressure gauge	Sign In

Thanks Hammer Time . . . . I pulled the sending unit off and hooked up a mechanical gauge and it blew the gauge to its highest mark. I put in a new sending unit in and it seems to be working fine. I'm glad it wasn't the oil pump. That would have been a big replacement job, especially with a foot of snow on the ground. Thanks again.

Email This Post

Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap