So i have a 97 dakota which I put a 5.9 in recently.I just got it on the road last night. The oil pressure used to be fine. After I shut it off and turned it back on I noticed my check gauges light was on and the oil pressure was at 0 for about 3 seconds then the light went off and the pressure rised up. Before the needle used to sit right in the midle at idle now it sits between the middle line and the line below it. The oil pressure rises when you get on the throttle. I checked the oil level and its an 1/8" below full. Its got a new pickup tube as I had to chage the pan from a ram pan to a dakota 5.9 pan and needed a different pickup tube. Any ideas?

 

Make any noises at start up indicating oil starvation? New oil sending unit when installing? New pickup not installed correctly or not tight? Was this a new-rebuilt engine, or if salvage how many miles? More info needed. That it builds and holds oil pressure is a good sign though.

 

No there no noises in the motor when the guage is at 0. Its from my buddys ram which got rear ended has about 80k on it when we pulled the motor. I believe the pickup is installed correctly I did it myself you just screw it on... and it will only fit one way because of the pan. The sending unit is not new however

 

Start there, it's cheapest and the most likely culprit.

 

I have to drive 280 miles today.... will i be fine

 

i know how you feel. here lately i have been asking myself the same thing

 

If above idle the gauge indicates it is holding oil pressure in the normal range [ \ in here / ] your good.

 

The gauge on my daughter's Durango has always dropped very low at idle and she's never had a problem.