like the title i have an 01 quad cab dakota, 3.9 engine, manual transmission. when the truck warms up alittle my oil pressure goes to the low side. when it first happened, the oil pressure went completely down. i had to pull over and check the oil, oil was fine. i would restart the truck and the oil pressure would just be over the low mark. after alittle while the oil pressure would drop completely again. i parked the truck for a week. i took the truck to work today and the oil pressure was alittle past halfway when engine was still cold. it stayed that way most of the day. i drove constantly at highway speeds for about 20 miles. when i got to a stop sign, the oil pressure would slightly go to the low mark. i would take off and the oil pressure returned to the halfway mark. it seems when the engine warms up the oil pressure wants to drop. any ideas? i might try changing my oil and changing the antifreeze to see if anything helps. someone told me it might be bearings? i would rather have it be the oil pump. truck has 103,000 miles on it. oil has been changed regularly. it was parked most of the winter. i usually only use it to go hunting or the 2 miles to work. during the summer the truck was trying to overheat. i thought it was because of alot of cheat grass in the radiator fins. please help. thanks

 

get a manual gauage and see if it isn't the sensor. If the truck is still running and the oil looks okay, and has the right level i would suspect it just dropping off because of a bad sensor.

 

when it drops off and i pulled over, you could hear a noticeble sound in the motor (ticking sound). For some reason, it sounds like when the guage goes down, the motor is not getting oil to the top of the engine.

 

first things first, do an oil change with a brand new oil filter. could be gunk has formed up inside the pump and/or the oil galleries. also, you sure you have 10w-30 in there right?

 

yes i use 10w-30. i'll do that today after work and see what happens. i called the nearest dodge dealer, i have an appointment next week to have them check it out. hopefully it is gunk in the pump or oil galleries.

 

throw some seafoam in there to try and clean it up.

 

i put some seafoam in my gas about a month ago. do you want me to try in the oil?

 

yeah do that but do another change as well, since the seafoam will break up a lot of gunk in there.

 

so, change the oil, put seafoam in, and then change the oil again? if so, should i change the oil filter twice also?

 

yeah but run the engine for a few days with the seafoam, depending on your driving, etc. like i do highway all week going to school, so i would do a change (oil and filter) with the seafoam, run it for a week. then the following weekend change the oil and filter. replacing the filter the first time will permit the oil to flow, and once gunk gets in it, it will begin to slow down the flow. the old filter * on there now* maybe partially clogged up, and adding additional gunk to it can cease oil flow. then replace the old/new filter on the final change. kind of a clear cut way to eliminate causes of problems. remember, this is a lot cheaper then the engine rebuild bill.