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Oil gage going crazy.

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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 06:24 PM
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Default Oil gage going crazy.

My oil gage just started doing this today. When I start the car the gage doesn't move and stays at 0. And my check gages light is on. But if I just let it sit, or drive for a couple minutes then it works. Anybody know why it is doing this? I got some computer glitch?
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 08:27 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Well its certainly possible that you have an oil pressure problem. But if pressures are normal after the gauge comes back on, then its not likely. Id check the connections on the pressure switch, and possibly behind the cluster.. If nothin checks out and you're under warranty.. bite the bullet and take it in...
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 10:06 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Ya, I'm probalby going to call the dealer tommorrow.

Heres some more info that might be relavent. At idle my pressure reads about 35. But at regular driving its about 45. Then if I get on it about 3/4 throttle it goes up to about 65. Then when I turn the car off the oil gage stays on. Help me if you guys have any idea what all that means. Thx.
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 10:16 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

For me, when its cold and i first start it, it sits at about 60.. once completely warm, it sits about 40.. and it goes up when i stab the throttle..
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 10:26 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Is it normal for the oil gage to stay on when the car is off, with no key in it? I never payed attention before. But my cars been off for about a half hour and the oil guage still reads 35.

Also, I checked my oil and its right at the crosshairs for being full. So its actually almost a little low on oil. Could that have anything to do with it?
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 10:47 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Being a little low on oil shouldnt make the gauge go funny... Also, my gauge shows 35 when i turn it off as well.. As soon as you turn the ignition on (without starting it) it will go to zero. I think the gauge just stays there on its own... normal im guessing
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 01:30 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

I don't see how a oil pump could cause this. I would think this is a sensor or gauge problem. Mine always goes up as soon as I start the car. I don't thnik it is a gauge problem because of the check gauge lite. Sounds like a sensor that is bad.
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 01:33 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Well thats deffinatly comforting to hear. The other thing I kinda forgot to mention which is kinda wierd, is that if I shut the car off while the guage is still at 0, then it immidealy goes start to go up. If the pump was bad, you woudn't think it would start working when I shut the car off, right?

How hard is it to replace the sending unit?

<small>[ June 04, 2002, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: CAlley2001 ]</small>
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 01:33 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

It's most likely your Oil Pressure Sending unit. We broke my brother's on his SS putting the intake back on and with the car on it read 0 and with the car off it read 40 PSI <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> Here's the part #: 12562267
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 01:51 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

If it's the sensor you have to remove the intake manifold. With air tools I can do it in 25 min flat <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> . Check out: http://ls1.fbody.com for the install procedure.

You'll also need a oil pressure sending unit removal socket, 1-1- 1/16" deep socket. Advance or Autozone have them to rent or buy.

<small>[ June 04, 2002, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: NastyC5 ]</small>
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 02:40 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

I'm gonna go ahead and guess that the fbody gauge clusters are defective. I dont have the oil gauge problem but if I shift into neutral and rev high while turning left off a road (around 30 mph) my gas gauge goes to zero and the check gauges light comes on. Dont ask me why. I turn off the car and turn it on again, the gauge is back to normal. :/

-Rob-

<small>[ June 04, 2002, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: 02BlueFirehawk ]</small>
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 03:03 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Thx for the input guys. I'm not even gonna mess with it and take it into the dealer and they'll diagnoss it. You'd think if it was a guage problem that it would be covered under warrenty. But who knows with those guys.
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Old Jun 4, 2002 | 08:44 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by CAlley2001:
<strong>Thx for the input guys. I'm not even gonna mess with it and take it into the dealer and they'll diagnoss it. You'd think if it was a guage problem that it would be covered under warrenty. But who knows with those guys.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I used to have a friend that worked at a GM dealer.. There was a TSB (technical service bulletin) on the gauge cluster when experiencing certain problems... I know that one of the problems is that sometimes in colder climates the trip odo will reset itself upon startup.. Tell em it does that, and you'll get a new cluster <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> They wouldnt replace mine cause i was a month out of warranty, but i was 4 thousand miles before the 36k limit.. Hehe GM has very bad customer service practices...
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Old Jun 5, 2002 | 12:51 AM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Ya, thats what mine does too. When I turn the key on but not start it it goes to 0. But then when I start it it just stays at 0 until I drive about a half block. Then it seems to act normally. 35 idle, 45 normal driving, 65 w/ 3/4 throttle. I changed my oil and didint' notice any metal shavings. I cut open the filter and rolled out the paper, again no shavings. I started it 3 times yesterday. The second time the guage come on like normal, but then I shut if off and tried it again ,and it read 0. I tried listening for any ticking, and I think I heard some. But I dont' know if it was normal or not. I never really listened that close before, you have to really put your ear into the engine to hear it. And I've heard that our injectors and stuff can make those suttle noises. And its possible its always been there, but I just havn't noticed.

I have an appointment to take it in to the dealer in 2 days. They said it sounded like a bad sender. I sure hope so, they said I'm not covered under warrenty since I did headers w/ no cats. I'm probalby not gonna try to dispute it since I've read several posts on here about that and most people have had little luck.

I jsut hope it isn't the pump since I might have caused some engine damage by letting it sit and run for a few mintues. But like I said, when I go to drive then it comes on. And never drops below 35.

Any thougths?
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Old Jun 7, 2002 | 11:09 AM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

I had the same exact thing with my 2001 WS6 about 3 months ago. I thought it might be the sending unit, so I took it straight to the dealer. It was the oil pump, dealer installed new engine. Car only had 2100 miles on it.
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Old Jun 7, 2002 | 01:23 PM
  #16  
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Well, I took it in. Sure enough it was the oil pump. Good thing I didn't drive it anymore then I did. The dealer said that even thoguh the guage was reading 0 I was still getting pressure. He checked the engine over and nothing was damaged. So there going to replace the oil pump under warrenty even!
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Old Jun 7, 2002 | 02:05 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

This happened to many '99 and '00 LS1s, mine included. It was a faulty pressure relief valve on the pump allowing the engine to run a near zero pressure. I would have hope they'd have this pinned down by now.

DaveH
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Old Jun 7, 2002 | 02:19 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Calley - Just be prepared that the engine might have to be replaced. On mine, the tech said when he opened it up to check the oil pump, there was pieces of metal all over the place. They did a teardown and he said he was suprised I even made it to the dealer as the main bearing was pretty tore up. My car didn't even make any noticable tapping noises.
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Old Jun 7, 2002 | 10:31 PM
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Default Re: Oil gage going crazy.

Well, they already looked inside my engine and said everything looked good. And I changed my oil and tore open the filter before I took it in and didn't see any metal shavings at all. So hopefully I'm ok.
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