Hi, today when i started my truck, it was about 20*F, and i started it, and the needle jumped right to the middle, but then after it warmed up, it fell down a little bit to the first line on the gauge, not the gauge it rests on when its off, but the one after that. Is this normal for idling?

 

Don't sweat it. That gauge/sender combo is at best a rough estimate of what your oil pressure is. Try cleaning the contacts where the wire plugs into the sender on the block down under the throttle linkage. If that doesn't do anything may be time for a new sender. Better yet, install a good mechanical gauge and forget about the stock gauge.

 

Ok, thanks, so its nothing to worry about? I was thinking all along that there was something wrong with the gauge.

 

OK, now I know i'm a 2nd gen, but it takes my pressure gauge about 2-3 seconds for the needle to move, and the light to go off. It only does it when its cold, like 15* or less, is there anything I can do about this?

 

Is the temp sending unit located right under the throttle? It looks like 2 wires bolted to a small thread? Is this it?

 

There's a good picture of it in this thread:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...highlight=easy

I think a extra couple seconds to build pressure in cold weather is normal. Mine is the same way.

 

Kind of off topic here, sorry!

My stock sender was all funky, at certain speeds on the freeway (65-70MPH) it would fluctuate even though the oil was full. On the throttle the gauge would drop and off the throttle it would climb. So I put in the new sender that I saw here in a thread.

With the new sender in it, my oil pressure reads lower than the stock one. In drive, idling when the engine is hot it is just above the first mark. With the stock sender it was almost to the 2nd mark in the same conditions. Is this something to be concerned about? I know that the stock sender and whole oil pressure unit on these trucks are pretty junky.

 

What is something good that i can clean the connection with? The truck runs the same as it always has, GREAT, but i just noticed that the gauge was taking forever to come up to normal pressure, then would drop after the truck warmed up, and when you were driving, if you give it some throttle the gauge rises up a little bit. Sound like the sending unit is junk? How much does the sending unit cost?

 

I sprayed mine out with WD-40. Fixed it right up.

 

Ok, i cleaned the connection and the pressure rose a lot faster, and a tad bit higher on the gauge, but still not where i would think it should be, so i would say i need a new sending unit? Right?

Also, at what pressure does the oil light come on? Myne has never come on, so it must just be the gauge.

 

If it's working at all I wouldn't waste my time. Install a real gauge and don't worry about it anymore.

 

Only way to fix that is to switch to a lighter weight oil. 15W40 takes a second or two to start flowing in chilly weather. You could also install an oil pan heater to warm the oil befor starting so it will flow easier. They are pretty much standard equip. up here.

 

i just fixed the sending unit. I just put some wd-40 in the connection, and plugged it in a few times, and got a good connection, I started it up, and it was idling with the gauge almost strait up and down, then when the truck warmed up just a tad, i took it out, and when i was driving it, the oil pressure went up to the third line, and then i let it idle a little more, and it was inbetween the 2nd and 3rd line, pretty much strait up and down. The cummins had me worried for a little bit there. Thanks guys

 

i'm with him....ive got a mechanical pressure sender and aftermarket guage, and i dont even worry about the factory garbage