Ive got a 98 dodge dakota with 170,000 miles on it with about 5,000 on a new rebuilt engine 3.9 v6 auto. Ive been having issues with my oil pressure gauge. it started off just when ever i braked hard, then when ever i accelerated to hard, and now about every thirty seconds of just driving my oil pressure gauge drops to zero and the check gauges light comes on then after about 5 seconds or maybe a little less pops back up to normal. what could this be. it slowly started getting worse before it was only when breaking then when accelerating, then maybe every 5 minutes, then every minute, and now its constantly going on and off. could it just be a loose wire? and if so where should i look for it?
thanks
James

 

I know you've checked but how is the oil level? If you're running low it can do just what you're describing.

Otherwise, put a mechanical gauge on it and see what is really happening. It could be a wiring issue.

 

You might have clogged leak down holes in the top of your engine. It might not be letting your oil drain fast enough down into your pan. Another could be the pick up screen on the oil pump could also have sludge on it. There should be no sludge in a rebuilt engine it should of all been tore down and flushed out. First easy thing to do is try a mech gauge

 

If i changed the oil would this help with the sludge/ run down issue? and can i rent a mechanical oil pressure from local parts stores or is it something you have to buy?

 

did you have it R/R or buy it that way if you paid for the R/R take it back and have them check it

 

i had it done by an ex mechanic not a shop.

 

Then get the oil pressure checked ASAP before she blows up on you that would suck

 

+1 on this. It also sounds like you could be low on oil or maybe leaking oil from somewhere. I don't know about renting one but Harbor Freight sells a mechanical oil pressure guage, you can check the oil pressure yourself:

http://www.harborfreight.com/engine-...kit-98949.html

The oil pump is engine driven so the oil pressure will always vary based on your RPM. The gauge on the dash does not always give an accurate reading, they will fluctuate based on RPM and the temperature of the engine, and even then they do not always give an accurate or consistent reading. When there is a problem with oil pressure on the gauge it could be as simple as a bad oil pressure sending unit, a dirty or loose wiring connector at the sending unit, or it could be some other problem. It is best to use a mechanical gauge to see what is really going on.

The oil pressure sending unit is next to the distributor cap, on the right side of the engine back near the firewall. You can connect the gauge to the engine and tape it to the windshield temporarily so you can take a test drive, see what the actual pressure is doing. If it is still out of whack, the next step could be to drop the oil pan, remove the oil pump and clean the pickup screen if it is clogged.

Jimmy

 

to install a manual oil gauge. use only steel HARD break line, it doesnt have to be big. TRUST ME, i doint have time to explane.