Cold-Start Idle Oil Gauge Problem..

[Jelly]

Another question for you guys:

Here for the past week, my factory standard oil pressure gauge has been acting funny.

On cold-starts at idle, the oil gauge jumps all over the place...from 30psi to well off the gauge. Once you get going though (or even idling....but once warmed up) the gauge acts just fine.

Truck is a '92 Chevy C1500 (4.3L V-6, 5 speed) and pressure gauge is an actual gauge, not just an "idiot" gauge.

Truck is running just fine though, with no indication of any problems.

 

[Whimsey]

It's probably that 15w40 oil that you use

. Just kidding! It sounds like your oil sender sensor is going bad. That should be a relatively easy and not too expensive sensor to replace. If you had a real mechanical oil problem I don't think your gauge would be bouncing all around at cold idle but be ok afterwards. Chances are your sender unit is electrical which is more likely to give you "funky" readings when they are failing versus a true mechanical oil gauge. Replace that sender unit and see what happens. If that doesn't correct the problem then you most likely have more serious mechanical problems.

Whimsey

 

[SteveD2]

Yeah...you probably need a new sender.