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Possible oil pressure problem, need opinions

  • Thread starter Thread starter 1990LXDropTop
  • Start date Start date Jul 8, 2006
1

1990LXDropTop

New Member
Dec 4, 2003
430
0
0
Western Massachusetts
Jul 8, 2006
#1
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #1
I have an autometer phantom electrical oil gauge and recently my pressure has been dropping very quickly when I get on it. The pressure always reads fine when at idle or normal driving, but at WOT when it reaches 3K, I notice the needle suddenly slam down to almost 0, then jerk around and bounce a bit until I let off the gas in which then it will go back to around 50psi of pressure. My car still runs perfectly fine and pulls very hard. Like I said, it maintains healthy pressure at idle (at least 25psi), and the pressure rises as I drive normally, but when I get on it at WOT it suddenly drops very low, very fast, then bounces back up when I let off the gas. When I rev it in nuetral the pressure rises as it would normally. I have also noticed when I start the car the needle will jerk back and fourth from high to low pressure as the starter is turning, and once it starts it reads normal pressure. This is an autometer electronical gauge which I installed about two years ago. The gauge came with a new sending unit as well. Could it be maybe a faulty sending unit or a bad wire/connection? Or could there be something seriously wrong with my oil pressure? The car runs as it always has; perfectly fine. The gauge has been doing this for about a week now and the car is still fine.
 
M

mercurycapri

Member
May 30, 2006
211
2
18
washington
Jul 8, 2006
#2
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #2
Buy a mechanical oil guage and hook it up. Check your oil pressure that way. Just to make sure your guage in the car is broke. If your oil pressure is still low buy some Lucas oil additive. It will help keep that motor alive longer and increase oil pressure.
 

1991vert

10 Year Member
Feb 27, 2004
1,103
7
69
Ludlow, MA
Jul 8, 2006
#3
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #3
i wouldn't put ANY lucas products in my car. ever.
 

5ive.oh

Founding Member
Feb 23, 2001
195
0
0
Rocky Mountain House, AB
Jul 8, 2006
#4
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #4
+1, bandaids don't work on cars.
 

dastang2

Active Member
Dec 11, 2003
2,020
0
46
tx
Jul 8, 2006
#5
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #5
i had a 90 model 302 truck drop the oil psi when hotrodding it a few minutes straight. it would do that the rest of the day after it started the first time. i just thought i was sucking too much oil to quickly or the pump was going bad or possibly a clogged screen.
 
1

1990LXDropTop

New Member
Dec 4, 2003
430
0
0
Western Massachusetts
Jul 8, 2006
#6
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #6
The weird thing is sometimes it does it other times it doesnt. I was just getting on it pretty hard about 30 min ago on my way home from work and the oil pressure was just fine. If it was actually an oil pressure problem, wouldn't it always be low? The pressure is always fine except for the times I mentioned when it dropped while at WOT. The thing is the needle would like spring back and fourth quickly after dropping. As soon as I let off the gas it would bounce right back up to normal pressure. Its gotta be a faulty gauge or sending unit. I mean, the car only has 65,000 miles on it. I'm not worried about it.
 

sgarlic

Founding Member
Apr 21, 2001
3,085
1
56
Jul 8, 2006
#7
  • Jul 8, 2006
  • #7
I'd eliminate the gauge as a problem first.. check the wiring, check the sending unit tightness, etc. Could it be that you're having a charging system fluctuation at higher RPM's at WOT?
 
D

dec322

Member
Feb 11, 2006
401
2
16
Bham AL
Jul 9, 2006
#8
  • Jul 9, 2006
  • #8
I'm having the same thing happen in my car except I still use the stock gauges. My new oil pressure gauge and water temp gauge just came in and I'm hoping that when I hook it up the problem will vanish. After reading your post, I'm worried. Good luck.
 
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