jcsjcs

My oil pressure gauge just starting acting strange.

As normal, when cold the gauge stays up at about 5.

After the car is warm, the gauge starts to move erratically as
follows:

The needle stays at about 2 or 3 at idle. (NORMAL)

When the RPMs are below 3100 and I accelerate the needle quickly PINS to above 5. (NOT NORMAL)

When the RPMs are above 3100 and I accelerate the needle climbs a bit(to about 4) as it always has. (NORMAL)

Again - the problem only occurs when the RPMs are BELOW 3100 and the car is warm. That is when the needle pins above 5 as I accelerate. (NOT NORMAL)

The oil light is not coming on and the car sounds and drives normally.
This problem does not occur everytime, just once in a while.....

Any ideas?

James S.

odd, mine does that almost all the time, has for like a year. never really worryed much about it anymore. car been runnin strong for a long time now

Kurt

i pass it off to the fact that i've never owned a car before that has an oil pressure gauge, the engine runs fine, i check the oil often

sorry i can't help, but i'm curious as to what other people have to say as to what the typical or proper oil pressure gauge should say under several driving conditions

jcsjcs

Everything is relative. This is a new problem for my car - I have had the car for two years with "normal" pressure readings.

My understanding of normal is:

Car is cold - pressure reads about 5 and stays there. I don't push the car until it is warm and the pressure drops. It takes a few minutes more for the pressure to drop than for the temp gauge to show the car is warm.

Car is warmed up - pressure stays at about 2 or 3 when idle. When acceleratinig gauge moves to about 4 or so in a smooth fashion.

My issue is the new "wild fluctuations" when under 3100 RPMs. The needle is completely erratic and absolutely PINS above 5 when I accelerate.

I am definitely looking for opinions about what this could be caused by. So far I am hearing that this is not unusual and is not "bad" for the car. It is new to me, though - and I am trying to sell the car - so I want to know what is going on....

Deepice

I am no exspert but I had the same problems untill my mechanic tightened my grounds under the dash.

MAS

Hmmm, doesn't sound that unusual to me. Sounds like my 87 924S and my 82 RX7.

-MAS

Der Cupmeister

Have you checked the connections at the sender end as well as the gauge grounding ?

Melchior

Try running an additional groundwire (4guage) from the engine (lift monut works great) to the ground point under the left headlight. This will fix your problem: and add 5hp to your car! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

ColoradoBill

The ground issue sounds right - but if that doesn't resolve you might want to get pressure checked by a shop (with an outside guage they can hook up.) High pressure (nailing the guage) can indicate bad pressure relief valve, which over time can damage seals. Not good.

jcsjcs

UPDATE to all - I had the car worked on recently and had all of the grounds cleaned/tightened. The dancing gauges (both oil and temp) have stopped dancing.

Thanks for the advice!

jcsjcs