Please help
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Please help
I just bought my first corvette and I love it, it is a 1986. I had some major work done to it at a shop and now I have another issue. Whether at idle or driving my oil pressure shows fluctuation. It does not do it all of the time though. Sometimes it's stays at 80psi. Any thoughts?
I could really use the help
I could really use the help
Last edited by Barbara Wilson; Sep 14, 2014 at 02:20 PM.
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 392
Likes: 19
Barbara, i would think that the Gauge is may be incorrect. Check with the shop that did the work on it and ask what they may have done to cause this condition. What kind of work did they do that was Major? By the way, welcome to the Forum, you will find lots of help here....Many,Many Good People Here....
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Barbara, i would think that the Gauge is may be incorrect. Check with the shop that did the work on it and ask what they may have done to cause this condition. What kind of work did they do that was Major? By the way, welcome to the Forum, you will find lots of help here....Many,Many Good People Here....
The replaced the catalytic converter, replaced the intake gasket, slave and master clutch cylinders and did a tune up. I asked them what oil they put in and it was the very same that I use. I have done some research and read that it might be the oil pressure sensor. If so, is it hard to replace? Would love to be able to work on it myself
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,592
Likes: 1,053
From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C4 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C4 of Year Finalist
2015 C4 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '16
I would change the sending unit first.
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 392
Likes: 19
Barbara, get you a Factory Service Manual also called FSM from ebay. It will have any and all info you require for do-it yourself type things..You can get the CD Rom that will help you pretty cheap....I don't think that the Sensor is hard to change, i just don't know where it is located on a 86. I have a 93...Charlie
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 564
From: Clearwater Florida
..... The oil pressure gauge sender is behind the distributor on the back of the engine ... it is the bell-shaped part with a single tab electrical connector ... the other sender is a fuel pump switch , it has two electrical tabs on it ....... You may be able to get at it with the distributor cap removed if you have small hands ........
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,620
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
This is a classic symptom of a sending unit and usually the problem. Easy to replace first and will probably fix it. If that does not fix it, then a external oil pressure gauge should be connected to engine to measure the actual oil pressure. I would do this before I would ever replace the dash gauge and rip the dash apart.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 505
Likes: 1
From: Guntersville Alabama
I just bought my first corvette and I love it, it is a 1986. I had some major work done to it at a shop and now I have another issue. Whether at idle or driving my oil pressure shows fluctuation. It does not do it all of the time though. Sometimes it's stays at 80psi. Any thoughts? I could really use the help
I could really use the helpSam
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
The oil pressure switch and oil pressure sender are located on the back of the block behind the distributor. The switch has a two-pin connector. The sender has a single-pin connector:
My intake manifold and heads were off when I took this picture, so your parts are going to be buried behind a lot of stuff...
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
I would hold their feet to the fire because of the location of the sending unit. It could have easily been knocked loose or damaged by your shop while they were changing the intake gasket.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
First thing I would do is take it back to the shop and right then & there have them check the connector on the sender. It sounds to me like it is jiggling around a bit from engine vibration and just needs to have a solid connection. The fact that it sometimes stays on 80 is a sign that it is loosing it's contact.
Congrats on getting your Corvette and welcome to the forum.
Congrats on getting your Corvette and welcome to the forum.