Momentary loss of oil pressure..

SuperDave4x4

SuperDave4x4

popcorn playa
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
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Driving home from work yesterday evening my check gauges light came on and my oil pressure gauge was at 0. It came back up to 120ish about 4-5 seconds later. Then did the exact same thing about 5 minutes later. I pulled over and nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

This morning I watched it closely and my pressure was sitting just below 140 for about 10 minutes then when I got of the interstate it was fine, but slowly dropped to 50ish and slowly climbed back up to its normal temperature.

Any ideas? Is my oil pump toast or my pressure sensor bad? This crap makes me worry.
 
that big of a swing makes me say its sender issue

quick test is to get a manual oil pressure gauge
 
bad sending unit. my 12v does it sometimes. has been for the last 10k miles. seems to di it more when its hot out??? it didnt do it all fall/winter. now it only seems to di it when im slowing down to turn?
 
my buddies 04 did the same thing when he was plowing over winter and freaked him out (hes new to cummins) we replaced the oil pressure sensor and its been reading fine since.
 
SuperDave4x4 said:
Driving home from work yesterday evening my check gauges light came on and my oil pressure gauge was at 0. It came back up to 120ish about 4-5 seconds later. Then did the exact same thing about 5 minutes later. I pulled over and nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

This morning I watched it closely and my pressure was sitting just below 140 for about 10 minutes then when I got of the interstate it was fine, but slowly dropped to 50ish and slowly climbed back up to its normal temperature.

Any ideas? Is my oil pump toast or my pressure sensor bad? This crap makes me worry.
Click to expand...

Ok, I must have been thinking about my coolant temperature pressure when I was posting this thread.... :bang

The pressures went to 110 NOT 140.

This morning I lost oil Pressure again. When I start the truck it goes to just barely under 110 and will fall to just over 40, but it takes about 10-15 minutes before it falls. Also just over 40 is my normal pressure. I got on the interstate and 5 minutes into the ride the 'check gauges' light came on and my OP was at 0. It took about 30-45 seconds before pressure came back and slowly went to just under 110 but then settled down to the normal 42ish PSI.

Is there any way I can test the sensor? or do yall think its the Oil Pump?
 
Also, when I turn my key to the on postion, NOT cranking the truck, my oil pressure gauge should not be showing any pressure correct?
 
If its doing it at idle just hook one up temporarily. I have checked fuel pressures with a long hose and holding the gauge.
 
SuperDave4x4 said:
Yeah, for $132 plus the gauge pod.
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Your not mounting it... You can get one at napa or something just to test it.

Also... Someone please correct me if I'm wrong... But, Diesels run off of oil pressure.. IF your oil pump was going out.. the truck wouldn't run. Correct? If your not losing any drive ability when it is doing it, I would start by swapping the oil pressure sending unit or hooking up a manual gauge to confirm that problem.
 
SuperDave4x4 said:
Yeah, for $132 plus the gauge pod.
Click to expand...

Go to the local parts house of your choosing and buy a $15 el cheapo oil pressure gauge. Screw the line into the empty port on your oil filter housing. Then rout the hose and gauge out from under the hood and duct tape it too the hood where you can see it.

TXcharger07 said:
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Also... Someone please correct me if I'm wrong... But, Diesels run off of oil pressure.. IF your oil pump was going out.. the truck wouldn't run. Correct? If your not losing any drive ability when it is doing it, I would start by swapping the oil pressure sending unit or hooking up a manual gauge to confirm that problem.
Click to expand...

Wrong. A powerstroke (7.3 and 6.0) will not run without high pressure oil as it is used to fire the injectors, but the high pressure oil pump is separate from the low pressure engine oiling pump. A cummins will run just as happily if it has none or 100#
 
SuperDave4x4 said:
Yeah, for $132 plus the gauge pod.
Click to expand...

Get one from Auto Zone. 10-15$ tops.

I'll look for a picture but when I was having oil pressure issues, I just stuck it into the wiper cowl and drove with it there until I figured out my problem
 
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roachie said:
Go to the local parts house of your choosing and buy a $15 el cheapo oil pressure gauge. Screw the line into the empty port on your oil filter housing. Then rout the hose and gauge out from under the hood and duct tape it too the hood where you can see it.



Wrong. A powerstroke (7.3 and 6.0) will not run without high pressure oil as it is used to fire the injectors, but the high pressure oil pump is separate from the low pressure engine oiling pump. A cummins will run just as happily if it has none or 100#
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Thanks, but regardless... a probably low mileage cummins is not going to drop an oil pump that easily without some kind of driveability issue. It's more than likely the sending unit. Keep it simple...
 
If I was betting on anything but the sending unit I would think the bypass valve in the cooler assembly is going bad. Buy the smart money says its the sending unit.
 
when my oil pressure dropped twice on the way home, then bounced back up.............it was all in my radiator when i pulled in my driveway
 
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