99 losing oil pressure driving down the road.

[Phily 911]

Got a buddy w/ a 99 Dodge/Cummins. Driving down the road, this thing likes to lose oil pressure for a few seconds then it pops back up. Could this just be the sensor? or could he have other issues. Truck runs fine. If I don't get a solid answer then Step 2 is to hook a guage up. Were lazy though, so I just wanted to check and see if this is a known problem before we start trouble shooting. Sorry for being lazy in advanced.

 

[MnTom]

Oil pressure sending unit. It takes an extra deep 1 1/16" six point socket to change, but it is a two minute repair.

 

[CSnyder]

Dodge has notoriously preprogrammed the computer to tell the dash what to read for oil pressure. If you have a working oil pressure guage it may read 40 pounds but an actual mechanical guage will show 60 to 80. The oil senders go bad and that causes the guage to bounce around or quit working. Im sure his engine is fine but to eliminate the chime of check guages just replace the sender located under and behind the VP-44 and you will have it fixed.