low oil pressure sporatically while driving

[ctjeepman]

It has unbelievably cold here these past weeks and the beast has been starting and running fine(or as fine as it always does!) Today when I started it up and drove it to work I noticed that the oil pressure was dropping but then would spike right back up. When I am driving it normally stays between 60-80psi and then when I am at a stop sign or something it is around 35-40. But today it would spike down to 0 every once and a while. While it was doing it I did not notice it sounding or driving differently. And I know that something having to do with the oil pump? goes bad in these...Please help me correct the problem before I get stuck in this 0 degree weather-thanks in advance

[Don S]

dadisdman...
... That is the way my"76 acted when the wire connction was not good down at the sending unit...

Good Luck and CUL ;) … ds..
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1976 Wagoneer 406 MC4300 TH400 QT TruTrac 2" lift 31x10.50s duel Optimas
It’s taken us over 261 Colorado Mountain Passes since 1985-
link> 2003 OURAY FSJ Invasion Info and High Altitude Tips (http://groups.msn.com/ATexasOklahomaJeepClub/ouraycotopic.msnw)
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[Ralph]

I had this problem after taking an engine out of my 88 GW and putting it into my 84 J10. I changed the oil pressure sensor and made sure the wire was in good shape, and that solved it for me.

So I know from experience how disturbing it is to see that guage go from good to bad. But I was generally on a highway somewhere far from home, and all I could do was keep driving and hope for the best.

Lots of guys don't trust these electric guages to begin with. If your engine does have a real oil pressure problem, you'll immediately here it in the valvetrain -- specifically, noisy lifters --
and you should stop before the engine tears itself up.

As for solutions, well, it's a good idea to check that the oil filter isn't leaking. And occasionally give a gentle twist to the bolts that hold the oil pump housing to the timing cover. Gentle, I say, because it's aluminimuminum -- I know, I know, I just like saying/writing it that way -- and it will crack if you overtighten a bolt. It could also be something clogging oil flow somewhere, but in that case I think you would hear valvetrain noise as an indicator of genuine oil pressure loss.

As for oil pump problems, the pump is mechanical and driven by the end of the distributor shaft, which is in turn driven directly by the camshaft. Not a lot can go wrong there.

[mechanic58]

Sending unit. Fur sure.

[goofy289]

check the wire connection at the sending unit real good and also the wire for any cuts or rubbing as good as you can.otherwise i would look at a sender. smile.gif

[coastiejeep]

I had the exact same problem on my 90 wag this morning. Pressure dropped straight to 0, then bounced back up to 60 or so. It did it a few times, and each time it dropped to 0 made the funny lifter sound that I didn't want to hear. Time to replace the oil pump??? Any help appreciated.

[talntar]

i know it seems obvious but is there enough oil in it?other wise get a real guage and some copper line and hook it up

[talntar]

oh and stay warm

[SpruceMoose]

if the indication goes in any direction instantly, its an electrical problem. oil pressure can not change that fast. gotta be the gage, sending unit, or wire. my guess is the wire at the sending unit.

sm.