Oil pressure guage problems

Back-in-Black · 10-21-2009, 12:21 PM

Hope someone can help with this problem.

Started my car this morning and oil pressure on the stock guage went to between the M and A in normal. After driving the car for about 30 miles I notice the needle dropped down to the L in normal. Exited the freeway and as I come to a stoplight the needle drops all the way down. After stopping I put the car in nuetrel (automatic) and the pressure came back up to the L. A second or two later it dropped all the way back down so I revved the car to about 1000 rpm's and the needle stayed at the L. Light turned green, put it back in drive and needle stayed at L. It did this all the way home. Please tell me what the problem might be. Is my oil pump going out or is the guage broken?

Thanks for the help

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timspony · 10-21-2009, 12:44 PM

...The sending unit may have gone bad...For the best results, put a mechanical gauge on the car to check....

mattdel · 10-21-2009, 01:12 PM

whats the mileage on the engine and oil type that you are using?

Back-in-Black · 10-21-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdel

whats the mileage on the engine and oil type that you are using?

90,000 and 10w30

mattdel · 10-21-2009, 02:18 PM

best bet for real results is to do what Tim mentioned and get accurate readings via a mechanical gauge, but these cars do seem to be a bit flimsy on the oiling system. I've owned 3 of them and they all had oil pressure problems at idle.

If you find the readings to be low with an accurate gauge, next options are either the oil pump is getting tired or the motor needs a bottom end rebuild.

Back-in-Black · 10-21-2009, 04:10 PM

Replaced the sending unit and it seams to be fine now. I will know more tomorrow when I get to drive it a longer distance. I hope it was just the sending unit as I can not afford to do the bottom end right now and this is my daily driver.

timspony · 10-21-2009, 05:51 PM

^^ Good deal ...Let us know ho you make out!!

mjr46 · 10-21-2009, 09:01 PM

good luck

Back-in-Black · 10-22-2009, 09:30 AM

Well I wasn't as lucky as I hoped I would be. Started the car this morning and pressure was good. Drove the car for 30 miles and problem started again. I am not hearing any pinging or knocking noises. How safe is it to drive the car like this? As long as I am driving the pressure seams to be fine. It only happens when I come to a complete stop. If I change to a heavier weight oil will that help the problem?

93 LX FiveO · 10-22-2009, 12:33 PM

put a mechanical gauge on it like already mentioned.

my last mustang had less than 20psi at idle and ran consistent 14.1's in the 1/4 mile with few bolt-ons... AOD car to boot

lucas oil stabilizer will increase idle pressure by filling in the clearances in the bottom-end of the motor.