oil pressure

[302fordracer]

I know our little oil pressure gauge isn't worth much but everytime I am low on oil the gauge shows lower pressure than normal so I know to add some so I gotta think it is good for something...well any today I noticed that while idling the pressure stayed about where it usually does but while revving and driving the oil pressure drops slowly...it normally reads between M and A and it got as low as the beginning of R...I checked the oil level and it looks good..dipstick says full...since oil pressure is an important thing even though the stock gauge is crap I was wondering if there is anything I should check or look into...if the gauge is to be believed and pressure really is dropping, what could this mean??

 

[Joe 5.0]

Mine always read low expect when I was at the open track. I replaced the oil sender unit (its a simple sensor right next to the oil filter), and since then it has always sat right on the 'M'.

 

[302fordracer]

I will check into that...does anyone else agree disagree??

 

[4Jenna]

I concurr change the sending unit.

 

[302fordracer]

does this mean when this happens that I am actually running lower pressure or is this unit just the gauge's computer that tells what the pressure is??

 

[4Jenna]

For the record the stock guage only reads op on start-up....it shouldnt be fluctuating while its running.
In my 89 it does fluctuate with rpm, and yes when my oil is low it seems to read a tad low..or when i change the oil, the op is a lil higher.

If the guage is acting funny, the 1st step in your trouble shooting tree would be the sending unit, only other thing i can recc. is get a real guage.

 

[4Jenna]

does this mean when this happens that I am actually running lower pressure or is this unit just the gauge's computer that tells what the pressure is??

If the sending unit is bad...your indication on the guage may show bad, but the op is actually good.

 

[302fordracer]

cool thanks for the help..

 

[4Jenna]

It should only cost like 20 bux...from AutoZone

 

[SMOKEDYA]

brian are you running synthic oil? i noticed when i went to synthic my oil pressure went down do to the less resistance of the synthic ????? peace


john