Is this weird behavior for the VDO Oil Pressure gauge?

1. When I go to start it and click the key through the "on" position (not in the start position yet though), the needle on the gauge snaps to the maximum reading (5+ bar) - this is BEFORE the engine is even running.

2. Once the engine is started and running, the needle stays around the 5 bar indication (seems awfully high to me, I run 15w50 Mobil 1); my understanding is that normal should be around 3 bar, maybe 1 at idle.

3. If I shut the engine off the needle drops to "0" (duh), but if I then click the key back to the on position to provide power to the gauge but not restart the engine, I can watch the needle jump up to around 2 bar then fall as the residual pressure from the engine running a moment ago drops off, eventually going to "0" (this seems to make sense as that's what I'd actually expect the pressure to do)

This just seems weird. . . Should I look at a new gauge or a sending unit possibly? How else could I test them?

 

Sounds like the sending unit....

LOL.

 

I agree

 

Sort of my thought as well - any idea what the voltage should read off the sensor directly to check it? If not I suppose just getting a new one and putting it on experimentally is not that big of a gamble (I think Pelican has 'em for about $20). Thanks though!

---Jeff

 

mine goes to 5 bar when you turn the key first click, but appears to function fine when driving, i thought its supposed to do that