What type of malfunction? If your gauge reads 0 just after startup and after a few seconds the indicator jumps to an appropriate pressure mark, this is not uncommon as gauges age (mine does that on occasion...it's 30 years old). Try tapping the gauge and see if the needle responds. If you're getting excessively high or low pressure readings, you might have a faulty sending unit. Well, that's a start. Let us know just what problem you're experiencing.
It's pretty normal to need to replace the oil pressure sending unit that resides near the oil filter. It's not normal to see initial low pressure (warning light comes on). That's typically due to one of the faulty Purflux oil filters (there was a bad design out for a while). (If you want more help, you'll have to describe more of your symptoms)
The guage simply stopped working. the low pressure warniong light comes on for about 2 seconds at the start, then goes out. My suspicion is the sending unit, but was curious as to the possibility of some other electrical problem. there are no other apparent symptoms. Thanks for your response, PB
Mine was behaving oddly and I ended up taking the gauge pod off the dash and looking at the back of the guages..... silly little brass nuts that were loose on the oil and water guages. Spun them tight with my finger and snug them with a needle nose and back to working perfectly!!
I was curious about what might be happening behing the pod. interestingly enough i have noticed at idle a slight rattle behind the pod. This will be another checkpoint for me. i will keep you posted. Thanks, PB
Mine sometimes, goes to the end indicating full pressure even in 3000 prm , i believe that can,t be real happen, i think maybe the sensor is fault, the dealer doesn,t believe me i had the car twice in the service and in their hands shows normal pressure, but when you drive the car it is very scaring to see the indicator going to full, but the dealer told me that in under any situation the oil press doesn,t goes to full, is he right? Mine is 360 Modena.
hey guys, thanks for the thoughts on sending units. my guage just stopped working. initially i checked for faulty fuses. fuses seemed fine. then on to th3e back of the instrument panel to shore up any loose connections. no luck! replaced sending unit.....still dead as a doorknob! are there any other thoughts on this situation? the car drives fine, however it is a little frustrating chasing what seem like a "simple" problem. thamks pb
The next step is to check the guage itself. You can check it by applying 12v to it. It should peg the guage. If it doesn't, the guage failed. If ok, you need to check continuity, and make sure your getting voltage at the sending unit. Darrell.
He is quite wrong. A stuck pressure relief valve can do that and the second indication something is wrong is an exploding oil filter, oil cooler or oil hose. The oil cooler and hoses are positioned directly over the right rear tire so loss of control of the car could be a result. Get that idiot dealer to fix the car.
Test the gauge by removing, and grounding, the wire at the sending unit. If the needle goes to the top of the gauge, the gauge is likely fine. This works to test the light as well. Ground its wire; if the light comes on, the light is fine and the sending unit is likely the culprit. This assumes an indication problem, not an actual oil pressure problem. But it's an easy, free place to start checking. Andrew Watry
