After I start my 99 cummins it takes a few seconds for my oil pressure gauge to move from 0 to 40 psi. This causes my check gauge light to come on, am I not getting oil to my engine for the first few sec or is the gauge just a little slow. Im concerned if my engine is being starved of oil.

 

Mine has always done this. I don't think it is a problem. I hooked a different pressure gauge and it shows pressure instantly. I think the factory gauge is slow.

 

Mine does it everytime I change the oil.

If I'm not mistaken, the oil pressure "gauge" we have on the dash is more of an indicator than an actual gauge. The dealers were doing a flash at one time that made the gauge indicate a pressure no matter what it actually was.

If your getting a CEL, you might want to look into a defective sender. Even though mines takes a second or three to come up, it has never set a CEL.

Jeff

 

The reason you don't have pressure right away is because you have a mechanical oil pump. Therefore when you start the engine it has to crank the oil pressure up to the sensor at the top of the block. it takes a few sec's after start-up but as long as your not running 5W-30 in your engine than your fine. I have a edge with monitor and on start-up I watch the oil pressure build with that gauge. Just don't fire it up and throw it in gear and drive right away let the engine get to its normal Idle speed before taking of.

 

As others have said, it takes longer on the 24v to get the pressure signal due to the location of the oil pressure switch. My 99 takes 4-5 seconds to show pressure when I start it, but that never causes the CEL, it's the grid heater on mine, because it engages again as soon as the engine starts and causes the CEL to light until it cycles off and the alternator begins charging. The next time it cycles the CEL doesn't come on because the alternator is already charging and doesn't seem to pull it donw as much.
When you start it up again watch your voltmeter if the CEL is on.

Chris

 

He didn't say it was throwing a CEL, he said the check guages light was showing. My truck does the exact same thing........

 

My oil pressure gauge goes up with the key just turned to the on position....the truck does not have to be started.

This has always seemed odd to me.

WR

 

If you are showing pressure prior to the engine spinning then that is an odd deal...

 

When I started it last night I noticed that the voltage was a little low right after cranking but slowly came up, Im not sure if its the batt gauge or oil gauge thats throwing the light.

 

Is the CEL staying on after you get started till you shut down, or is it going off on it's own. What was your voltage reading after start up? And is it still turning over and starting as quick as usual?

If you're getting a CEL, stop by AutoZone and have them scan for codes. Post what they find and we can tell you what the codes mean. This will probably help you narrow it down between low voltage and low oil pressure.

 

My CEL doesnt come on my Check Gauges light comes on, my voltage is a little less than 14 volts when it first starts then comes back up to erfect voltage in a couple of seconds after ignition.

 

Oops, my bad. Sorry, I meant Check Gauges light. Mine only does it when colder, around 60-65 degrees, because the grid cycles again as soon as the engine is running.

Chris

 

my old 12 valve does the same thing, kinda freaks me out sometimes, so i really keep on top of the oil level in my truck just so it dosent get too low.

 

Oops...I can't read either. Just slightly less than 14 volts is no big deal. When my batteries were going, I would see close to 11 volts after a cold start and it didn't turn on the Check Gauges light. Must be the oil pressure gauge that's triggering it.

 

Mine also takes about 2-3 seconds to show pressure, but it never threw a code... and that low batt voltage might be the intake heaters still running? And dealers flashing a gauge to show a press no matter what it is is messed up