Lost Oil Pressure

[CJ Johansson]

Yesterday, as I was driving over the pass to get home (7% grade up and down, about 5 miles each side), just as I hit the top, I pressed the clutch and let it coast over the top at idle. Suddenly, I heard that annoying "DING", I look down only to see that my oil pressure is reading ZERO !!

What to do now?



Well, before I could do anything (about 3 seconds), the guage pops back up to it's normal range. All is OK from then on until I do the same thing coming over this morning. Same thing, "DING", no oil pressure, a few seconds and it's fine again.



Anybody have any ideas? Oil level is fine, I checked, and, just changed it last week. Could it be the sender (hope, hope)? Or the wacky computer controlled guage needle showing a computer problem (not great, but better than... )? Or could there be something really wrong, such as the oil pump or something



-cj

 

[Don M]

I had this same thing happen to me a few years back in Pocatello.

The sending unit was the problem. I got me new one and put her in and no problems since. Im not sure why it is doin it going up and down hills or grades though.



It was a tough booger to replace, I do remember that much.



Where in Idaho are you at?



Don~

 

[CJ Johansson]

Originally posted by Don M

I had this same thing happen to me a few years back in Pocatello.

The sending unit was the problem. I got me new one and put her in and no problems since. Im not sure why it is doin it going up and down hills or grades though.



It was a tough booger to replace, I do remember that much.



Where in Idaho are you at?



Don~

Thanks! I think it has more to do with the drop in oil pressure going from a relatively hard pull to idle. The oil pressure will drop some, but should not hit zero. I sure hope it's the sender. Too bad about it being a pain to get at...



Where in Idaho? Well, Horseshoe Bend, of course! What, never heard of it? Well, there's only 763 people in town (I'm 5 miles out), so I'm not surprised. It's about an hour North of Boise, towards Cascade & McCall.



-cj

 

[B-52]

My '98 truck had the same problem, starting almost when new. Imagine my reaction the first time it happened cruising down the Interstate @ 75 mph - if memory serves, I almost took out the right 2 lanes of traffic getting over to the shoulder. Then of course as I stopped, the press gauge popped back up to normal.



Dug out the old service invoice and dealer stated that they re-flashed the ECM. Problem has never happened since... .



Good luck

 

[BBrodin]

CJ, what a small world. I had the same problem with my oil sending unit. I was driving over the same hill you did.



I had the sending unit replaced 2 years ago. That fixed the problem. I thought. 2 days ago I got off I-84 and my chimes went off. Same problem, oil pressure was 0. Put her in "N" and the pressure came up. Oil level was fine.



So I don't know what I will do. Bryan