Oil Gauge issue.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2018
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Oil Gauge issue.
I'm having an intermittent low oil pressure reading. It will drop and the Gauge warning light comes on and after maybe 20 to 30 seconds the oil gauge goes slowly back to normal. My question is, is this a sign of a failing oil pump, or is this another of the infamous C5 glitches. Not going to drive it until I find out.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,365
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From: New Jersey
Under what conditions does it drop and how low does it go and for how long. What does the IPC digital oil pressure read when the analog gauge drops, does it agree with the analog reading. Is the engine making any valve train noise when the pressure drops? How's the oil level? What is the oil pressure as the engine speed is increased and how high does it go.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
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From: Bahama North Carolina
If you are not getting any valve train noise it is the sensor. Sometimes they fail this way instead of spiking to 80. I have had mine fail both ways. If you don't have oil pressure your valves will let you know.
Last edited by BigGun; Jun 9, 2020 at 01:04 AM.
Race Director
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From: Fort Wayne IN
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I'd verify it with a mechanical oil pressure gauge. It could easily be your oil pump check valve sticking open. Happened to my car, and I verified because the check valve on the removed oil pump was sticky and didn't move smoothly. For what it's worth I've never heard of an oil pressure sensor failure on the C5 causing erratic readings, just the immediate and consistent 80+ psi reading on failure.
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 67
From: Bahama North Carolina
I'd verify it with a mechanical oil pressure gauge. It could easily be your oil pump check valve sticking open. Happened to my car, and I verified because the check valve on the removed oil pump was sticky and didn't move smoothly. For what it's worth I've never heard of an oil pressure sensor failure on the C5 causing erratic readings, just the immediate and consistent 80+ psi reading on failure.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Fort Wayne IN
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
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Where have you been all these years? Erratic pressures related to the oil sensor has been reported numerous times on this forum. My sensor failed this way and that has been reported or mentioned more than a few times. High pressure failures are much more common but the sensors can an do fail with false low readings. If the pressure drops to zero for more than a few seconds the valve train noise would make any normal driver stop and shut down.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 67
From: Bahama North Carolina
I have yet to see a sensor failure cause erratic readings other than pegged high. And I personally had a check valve that got sticky and never heard a valvetrain noise, but certainly saw 0 oil pressure and had the cluster screaming at me. All that aside, OP, don't just throw a part at the car without knowing. Check and make sure you have good oil pressure before just tossing a sensor at it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,123
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From: North Dallas Forty Orange County, Ca.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13, '15,'21
I'd verify it with a mechanical oil pressure gauge. It could easily be your oil pump check valve sticking open. Happened to my car, and I verified because the check valve on the removed oil pump was sticky and didn't move smoothly. For what it's worth I've never heard of an oil pressure sensor failure on the C5 causing erratic readings, just the immediate and consistent 80+ psi reading on failure.
Engine was running great on a little road trip. Shut down upon arrival at destination, hour or so later I started her back... DIC lit up like Christmas tree with bells and whistles, no oil pressure. That was all it took to gall a cam lobe...
be careful..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Northville, MI
OPS sensors can go to 0, it happened to me twice, when the car was under warranty (about 12000 miles) mine when to 0 and i had it trailered to the dealer and under they replaced the oil pick up in the engine. It was a silent recall but when I picked it up, they told me they replaced the OPS as well. At 42000 miles it was a little erratic and then it went to 0 again. I tore the intake off and did the OPS relocation and put a gauge on it with a new sensor. Now I have a positive reading on the engine as well as the electronic reading. After a few thousand miles it pegged at 80 on the dash but the gauge was still reading 35 psi. bought a sensor form the dealer and have not had a problem sense.
