Greetings, my first post here on this forum. - I just bought a 97 Dakota Sport 4x4 5.2, with a known oil pressure problem, I bought it cheap enough that even if I have to put a new long block in it, I'm fine with that. but... I'd rather not right now if I dont have to so I have a simple question.

(I've already done all the research and found out about the oil pump/pickup screen problems, etc.)

with my factory gauge doing weird stuff... I've replaced the oil pressure sending unit, and still acting very odd... so I have now temporarily, put a manual oil pressure gauge on it, and I would like to know how much oil pressure a 5.2 is supposed to run, at idle and at rpm...

thanks in advance for any help!!!!!

have a great day,
Bill

 

welcome man. i don't know anything to tell you because i got a 3.9 (aka the best engine ever haha) but glad to have another 97 around. hope someone else can help you more

 

when the engine is cold, the oil gauge is up at the 3/4 mark, and stays there as long as the engine is above idle (basically when you are moving).. however after the engine is warm, at idle the gauge will drop down to the 1/4-1/3 mark and will move up to 3/4 when you begin to move (as i said)... this is normal practice...

hopefully that answers your question and to sum it up, the stock gauge is kinda wierd and will go all over the place, i have the new interior so i don't have numbers on my gauge but wait for someone with an older model to hop on and give you actual numbers...

Cheers and welcome to the forum.

 

my 98 5.2 4x4 auto when driving is around 3/4

 

ok, 3/4, thats kinda what I was thinking. I am also hoping to find out what the number might be for that. - I have put a manual gauge (temporarily) on mine, and it's running 10lbs at idle warm, and 30lbs under rpm (driving) - I know that seems pretty low, but considering it has a lot of miles, it could be "normal"

 

Welcome and Enjoy Bill9000!!!!

 

thats pretty normal, i think that the rule of thumb is 10psi for each 1000 rpms so that sounds close to right.

 

thanks for the replies... I'll be buying a new engine hopefully within 2 months, and hoping to nurse this one along until then, cause I need it to get back and forth to work. - so in interest of getting it's pressure up a bit when it warms up, I am thinking of going to a 20w50 (suggested by the local dodge dealer based upon the engine's mileage) - has anyone had any experience with that?

 

actually thats just a little low, mine sits at about 40 when im driving, right at 1/2 the gauge...

but mines the 4cyl so idk....