Jumpy Oil Pressure gauge.

[87gtVIC]

I installed an electrical oil pressure gauge early in the year and in the past couple of months the gauge has been acting wonky on me. It will jump around a bit(over 25 PSI or so) from 25 psi to 50 approximately. It comes and goes in no pattern that I have noticed as of yet.

I looked up the issue a bit and some say OPS, shorted wires, others say spun bearing or something like that. Car runs fine and does not make any unusual noises. What would you think the issue be? I have a spare OPS that I will likely throw in once, but not till I order some fender covers and the weather warms up.

[86VickyLX]

I installed an electrical oil pressure gauge early in the year and in the past couple of months the gauge has been acting wonky on me. It will jump around a bit(over 25 PSI or so) from 25 psi to 50 approximately. It comes and goes in no pattern that I have noticed as of yet.

I looked up the issue a bit and some say OPS, shorted wires, others say spun bearing or something like that. Car runs fine and does not make any unusual noises. What would you think the issue be? I have a spare OPS that I will likely throw in once, but not till I order some fender covers and the weather warms up.

Do it from the underneath, then you won't touch your paint.
What is the oil gauge normally at, way back when?

[87gtVIC]

Around 50 cold, and 25 warm. Now it just fluctuates within that range.

[86VickyLX]

Around 50 cold, and 25 warm. Now it just fluctuates within that range.

Kinda strange that it's there.
So you can just sit there and the PSI changes?

If it's the wires, can't you just turn the key on and see if it acts weird?
If it doesn't do it then, then you've eliminated the wires being the cause. Unless you got like plug wires over the wiring for that gauge.

[87gtVIC]

Kinda strange that it's there.
So you can just sit there and the PSI changes?

If it's the wires, can't you just turn the key on and see if it acts weird?
If it doesn't do it then, then you've eliminated the wires being the cause. Unless you got like plug wires over the wiring for that gauge.

I havent checked just sitting with the key on and engine off to see if it happens then. I am using the stock wiring...how that is routed is beyond me. My water temp gauge is done the same way and has no problems whatsoever. I kinda think it is the sensor but I like to hear different opinions on the situation.

[86VickyLX]

I havent checked just sitting with the key on and engine off to see if it happens then. I am using the stock wiring...how that is routed is beyond me. My water temp gauge is done the same way and has no problems whatsoever. I kinda think it is the sensor but I like to hear different opinions on the situation.

What do you mean the stock wiring? you mean for the idiot lights?

[87gtVIC]

Yeah. I repined the gauge cluster harness, and soldered the gauge wiring on the printed circuit istself. My gauge cluster is plug and play. I made sure to snip the bulb test wiring within the steering column as to ensure it does not peg the gauges on startup.

[86VickyLX]

Yeah. I repined the gauge cluster harness, and soldered the gauge wiring on the printed circuit istself. My gauge cluster is plug and play. I made sure to snip the bulb test wiring within the steering column as to ensure it does not peg the gauges on startup.

Would be a good way to see if they go all the way haha.

[gadget73]

Some gauges just don't have very smooth movements because of how close together the pressure markings are. Mine sort of ticks and flutters like that. I really would like to have 270 sweep gauges instead of the 120 or whatever it has currently just for that reason.

[trwp72]

Mine does the same thing, the engine is about a year old... So I think it is just the sending unit... I have the gauge that goes in the dash where the clock usually goes... (Police Package gauge) It usually starts acting up after it warms up. When it is cold, it works fine... I ran a wire direct from the gauge when I installed it, because the car didn't have the set up when I bought it... I got the wiring harness with it except for trying to remove the wire going out to the sending unit... So I do not think it is a wiring problem, check your sending unit first...

[87gtVIC]

Okay so consensus says sending unit. The erratic behavior does make sense with the little increments but it acted smoother, actually way smoother when first installed. Looks like I will be replacing the sender. I have a spare that I bought accidentally....just blows that the sender is less than a year old. I really hope I had a bum sender and this thing does not bug out again.

With the gauge in the speedometer it just gets irritating seeing it spasm while the gauge just across from it behaves nicely.

I was concerned that something like this could mean something oil related in the motor was acting up.

[P72Ford]

It could be the the gauge, but I'd also check your ground.

In the past I have used nothing but mechanical gauges, because they are affordable in full sweep form. I also think of them as being more accurate.

This time, though, I bought electric gauges, with the exception of vacuum, which I haven't bought yet. I hope it wasn't a mistake...

Being that I bought Autometer, though, I'm hoping that I shouldn't have any issues.

[sly]

I'd check the connection to the sender first (corrosion free and snug). If the wire is loose... it'll act like that too.

[87gtVIC]

I checked the connection the other day and it is clean. It had great continuity to ground through the housing as well when installed. I don't see how that would change over time but who knows?

For my set up mechanical would have been a horrible choice. Would have to fish a twelve foot hose out of the car anytime the speedometer needed to be pulled. :no:

[sly]

things wiggle loose. I'd give the sensor wire a clean off and put it back on just for a test at any rate. If that doesn't fix it... and the wire to the gauge itself is all good as well... then I'd look at the sensor. But then I like to find ways to not buy new parts unless I have no time.