I have a 2006 Ram Quadcab with the Hemi. I have noticed that the Oil pressure gauge moves 1/4 below the middle mark when the engine is idling, or the vehicle is stopped in traffic , but moves 1/4 above the same mark when the engine is accelerating and while driving, and also when you rev the engine. It never goes out of the normal range, and the engine has the right oil level. Is this normal for the needle on the oil gauge to move back & forth? The truck drives fine.

 

well i know that on GM **** they have oil gauges too that do the same when your on the gas it goes up or when your ideling like you said it goes back down, but i would belive that this is normal as when you are accelerating the pump would pump harder. but lets see whats others post too.

 

From what I've seen, this is not normal. either something in the guage is screwed up, or your oil pressure is actually surging, which tends to make me think regulator. Its still under warranty, get it into the shop and have it checked out.

 

My 06 with MDS has the same movement. I think its normal for this truck. Did you ever find out for sure?

 

Your oil pump runs off your crankshaft... when the RPMs go up so does the pressure... So it sounds normal to me. What is the actual PSI at Idle and what is the PSI at WOT.... I know on my PONTIAC it made 12PSI at idle and 65PSI at WOT... it was normal for that engine and 12PSI was more than enough oil pressure at 800RPMs. I forgot the rule of thumb but I thing for every 1,000 RPMs your oil pressure should go up 10PSI... I could be wrong but I think that was an OLD SCHOOL rule of thumb.

SPEED SAFE, AIR RAM

 

AIR RAM is correct, it is normal and you have nothing to worry about.

 

Interesting. On my 05 Hemi, the oil pressure gauge appears to be more of a fancy form of an idiot light. It's position never changes from cold to hot, from idle to 3,500 rpm. Stays pegged straight up. On cars that had a real oil pressure gauge, I'd usually see big differences. Not so with the Ram. My guess, though, is that if the oil pressure was actually below spec, a malfunction light on the dash would illuminate. As far as I'm concerned, the oil pressure gauge on the Ram's is strictly for looks.

Roger...

 

I agree... I know when my 455 was cold the pressure would be just about 50PSI at idle... as she warmed up the pressure would go down from 15-12PSI depending on the season... in the summer it would run at 12PSI and in the winter it would be closer to 15PSI.... But at WOT it would go right up to 60PSI.

The guage on our trucks is for SOCCER MOMS.... if there is a low oil level indication the PCM will ACT out the guage movement to indicate low oil... I think it has more to do with oil level than pressure.

SPEED SAFE, AIR RAM

 

Air Ram and Joe are absolutely correct. The oil pressure needle movement is normal.