You are correct!

The water temp sensor is the one I was talking about! The oil pressure sensor is located next the the distributor just to the passenge side.


So with me being incorrect, JSavinoJr<------I hope you replaced the sensor next to the distributor and NOT the one next to the T-stat????????

If you did then simply pull it and place it in the correct place and return your old coolant sensor.

 

I just had a new engine put in my 98 Durango and every now and then, the oil gauge bottoms out and then goes back once I accelerate. I took it to the shop that did the install and they say is might be in the dash, since the engine is new. Any thoughts?

 

put a mechanical gauge on and see if it mimics the behavior of the dash gauge, my guess is that it will bc that is far from what i would consider normal behavior

also have a read on this https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-pressure.html

make sure to read it all the way through it is a discussion on this issue in the 5.9 (and the 5.2 is basically the same so it should apply either way)

 

Hey Guys,

I am having a similar issue with my 2000 4.7 4X4. When I start the engine in the morning, the oil pressure goes almost to the right hash mark, where I presume it should be. When I am driving it the pressure is normal, but when I pull up to a stoplight and the car idles, the pressure drops to just below halfway. This has been going on for over a year. It doesn't seem to have affected the car. Of note, one time while driving the oil pressure did drop to 0 for a second, the CEL went on. But it immediately went back to normal. Just to clarify, should the gauge fluctuate or should it be at like 80% to the right all the time? Is it normal for pressure to drop when the engine is just idling?

 

the guage in the 4.7 builds in increments for some reason on starting, going up to the right has mark is fine, but the pressure is a little high up there if it stays there at idle.

while driving the gauge WILL move around as the rpms of the engine change, at idle it should sit right at the left hash mark. that left hash mark is about 30 psi, plenty of pressure for the engine at idle.

 

I just got done fixing this issue, it started about a month ago with 107K miles on my 5.2 drops then comes back as it wants, eventually it just stays where it is 0 until it sat for a hour or so then when turned back on it was good for about a mile or so ( bad thing is it started to tap luckily that went away after the fix but is not something you want to ride on 8/10 times its sludge/carbon buildup. The FIX is in the 5.2/5.9 rangos there is an issue with a slude and carbon build up causing the screen to be plugged drop the pan, clean everything VERY WELL then bolt backup and refill as needed. I just used a trick i was told by my uncle mechanic for 48 years and Drag racer for 30 and told me to drain the crankcase and fill with simple green let everything soak for a few hours, drain out, refill 500miles change oil and it will clean everything including the screen very well ( DO NOT START ENGINE WITH CRANK FULL OF SIMPLE GREEN )

Hope this helps it worked for me and runs better then ever


TF Ghost

 

just going to clarify something here, there is NO DESIGN ISSUE with these engines that causes sludge build up (but thanks for the google search hits) SLUDGE is ALWAYS a case of poor maintance, and in the case of the dodge magnum truck engines VERY poor maintance.

personally i wouldnt put simple green in the engine PERIOD, but you can do as you please i would expect the chemicals to attack any seals they come in contact with as well as any build up

 

+1 there is no sludge problem with these motors. The only way there would be sludge is from improper maintenance and negligence.

 

Ok, I was having the same problem with my oil pressure dropping as described above, so I changed the sending unit, took my truck for a test drive and everything was seeming fine until I got back home and the oil gauge drops again... but now the pressure gauge will come back up without me giving it gas and bounces around some...what else could be the problem?

 

My 98 4x4 is having the same issue. Driving back up to OK from TX, the op just bottomed out on me and the cgl came on. Soon after, the lifters started ticking. I changed the oil, did an oil treatment, changed the sending unit, new filter...the lifters have stopped ticking and it's not bottoming out quite as much, but it's still doing it and now wanting to die when you stop. I'm wanting to go ahead and change out the oil pump, but I'm going to hook it up to a mechanical gauge first to see what it reads. I know at one point, the dash op gauge was not reading correctly (actually was reading the total opposite of the mechanical gauge) at one point...but I haven't rechecked it after replacing the sending unit.