Oil gauge
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
From: Houma La
Oil gauge
Today while cruising I noticed my oil gauge was on 0 at a traffic light!
As I started from the light it went to 20. The car did not clatter from valves or run any different. I then drove the 10 miles home cruising at 45 mph. No oil on the ground or rough engine just normal smooth.
This is a stock 350 78'. Any thoughts on what to check?
Thanks I only have 500 miles on an oil change after the car has sat up since 2002. I bought it and changed the oil in May.
As I started from the light it went to 20. The car did not clatter from valves or run any different. I then drove the 10 miles home cruising at 45 mph. No oil on the ground or rough engine just normal smooth.
This is a stock 350 78'. Any thoughts on what to check?
Thanks I only have 500 miles on an oil change after the car has sat up since 2002. I bought it and changed the oil in May.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 503
Likes: 0
From: Ozark MO
It would be easy enough to temporarily change the oil pressure gauge and sender to see if that's the problem, but you could do damage to the engine finding out, if the current one is good. After sitting five years you could have had sludge and junk just now coming loose, clogging stuff up, like the filter and oil pickup on the pump and other passages. Would that cause a higher reading? I'm no great engine guru. If it were mine, I'd change oil and filter again and then take it in somewhere to get the engine flushed and new oil and filter, again. that wouldn't hurt anyways. Then if you still see trouble try the gauge for a few miles. Still bad, drop the pan and replace the pump.
That would be my steps. But again, I've blown a motor or two.
That would be my steps. But again, I've blown a motor or two.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
If it were me first checking the obvious like sdonnelly said change the oil and filter see what comes out of the pan then I would buy a direct reading gauge to verify actual oil pressure and go from there. More than likely it will be that transmitter.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
Get a cheap mechanical gauge and try that first, likely the sender is bad.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 389
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From: san diego ca
Somebody let me know if this is bad (!) and I should fix something.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The calibration accuracy of the stock dash oil gauge is pretty poor. If the car is left to idle for a minute or so without any lifter clacking, it likely has adequate oil pressure (5-7 psi at idle). Replacement senders may not be directly compatible with your old sender...investigate thoroughly before you inve$t.
