Do any of you guys have a mechanical oil pressure guage? My sender crapped out so I installed a guage. I dont like what its telling me. My oil pressure fluctuates between 85-90 psi on the high side and will drop under 30 psi when I have the truck stopped, at which point the oil pressure alarm dings. Keeep in mind that I am running 0W40 synthetic and not 15W40 conventional.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

 

What set up are you running for that exactly?

 

I pulled the 1/8" plug on the top of the oil filter housing. Ran 1/4" S.S. braided line through firewall directly to the pressure guage. The guage is reading correctly as I checked it with pneumatic calibration equipment. As well, I originally installed a different guage and it read the same.

Seems like the oil pump might be shatting the bed.

 

seems like a wide range to me, I get about 35-40 at 600 rpm and at 1000 I am already at 50 and 2000 rpm I am at 70-75 and I am running Valvoline Durablend 5w30 because I bought a drum of it at a auction for $10

 

It only drops off bad when the engine is hot and I come to a stop, like at a light or stop sign.

 

To me this sounds pretty normal under the following conditions:

1. good gauge
2. decent installation
3. good quality fluids - Full synthetics run much more "interesting" than dino diesel blends

What I don't get is where is this oil pressure alarm? Is it aftermarket or part of the gauge?

 

The stock oil pressure alarm from the pressure sender:

 

I run a mechanical gauge and its T'd off the factory sensor area.I run Schaeffer 15w40 Moly Bond X200 synthetic in mine and its at 40-50 at idle and runs about 80 when your going down the road at full speed.Are you sure the sensor,since its reading is taken from the factory sender is not showing false and activating the buzzer?.....Andy

 

Thanks for your input Andy....

On cold startup Im seeing 80 psi or so...drops some once it warms up. But, generally when things are good and hot (remember this is with 0W40 synthetic) and I come to a stop the pressure on the mechanical drops just under 40 psi (at which time the factory oil pressure guage drops off to 0 and the buzzer dings). Ive never had the mechanical guage drop below 30 psi.

You think thats still ok or is my oil pump about to take a long nap? I understand the oil pumps i these things are pretty stout and Ive never heard of many guys having problems with them.

 

From what I can remember, 30 psi at idle is normal.. The higher pressures at higher rpm are at the filter can right? If thats upstream of your filter, it would make sense as you might see up to 10 psi drop across the filter. Also the stock pressure location is in the main rail and after the cooler and would read in the 60 psi range. Seems all is fine but the sender at this point Doc...