Hi all,
I've bought myself a Jeep (TJ 4 litre) a week ago and I'm hoping for a bit of advice on a problem I had yesterday. I have a video but I think I can describe it with words.
Generally speaking the oil pressure reads a little low on the gauge. The engine was rebuilt professionally and the notes I have said it read low on the gauge after the rebuild, but a mechanical gauge confirmed good pressure (cold 65 psi at idle, hot 35 psi at idle and 60 at max). Yesterday I was driving and the weather was very hot (37C/100F), I drove for an hour at speed with no problem but when I got to town I was waiting at a traffic light and the oil pressure dropped to zero and warning lights came on.
From then on while driving the pressure was good, but when I let it idle the pressure would hold for 5 to 10 seconds then suddenly drop to zero. Driving at 1,000 RPM showed positive pressure, but driving at 800 RPM for 5 to 10 seconds would make the oil pressure drop to zero. There was no change in engine sound or performance when the pressure dropped off. Starting the car hot showed warning lights for a couple of seconds before the pressure came up. A few times I let it idle for 30+ seconds without the problem happening, the oil pressure would hold.
The sudden drop off and the ability to get positive pressure back by raising the engine RPM slightly makes it seem like an electrical issue to me rather than a mechanical one. Can anyone offer any advice? I'm thinking of replacing the oil pressure sender as a first step. Should I be concerned that the oil pressure was truly dropping to zero or am I right being confident that it's electrical?
Thanks in advance if anyone can help.
I've bought myself a Jeep (TJ 4 litre) a week ago and I'm hoping for a bit of advice on a problem I had yesterday. I have a video but I think I can describe it with words.
Generally speaking the oil pressure reads a little low on the gauge. The engine was rebuilt professionally and the notes I have said it read low on the gauge after the rebuild, but a mechanical gauge confirmed good pressure (cold 65 psi at idle, hot 35 psi at idle and 60 at max). Yesterday I was driving and the weather was very hot (37C/100F), I drove for an hour at speed with no problem but when I got to town I was waiting at a traffic light and the oil pressure dropped to zero and warning lights came on.
From then on while driving the pressure was good, but when I let it idle the pressure would hold for 5 to 10 seconds then suddenly drop to zero. Driving at 1,000 RPM showed positive pressure, but driving at 800 RPM for 5 to 10 seconds would make the oil pressure drop to zero. There was no change in engine sound or performance when the pressure dropped off. Starting the car hot showed warning lights for a couple of seconds before the pressure came up. A few times I let it idle for 30+ seconds without the problem happening, the oil pressure would hold.
The sudden drop off and the ability to get positive pressure back by raising the engine RPM slightly makes it seem like an electrical issue to me rather than a mechanical one. Can anyone offer any advice? I'm thinking of replacing the oil pressure sender as a first step. Should I be concerned that the oil pressure was truly dropping to zero or am I right being confident that it's electrical?
Thanks in advance if anyone can help.
