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zmasterflex
User
Oct 23, 2010, 5:54 PM
Post #1 of 5
(6898 views)
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Oil pressure jumping
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Hi all. 1996 Jeep Cherokee 54k miles 4.0 4x4. While driving on the highway recently the needle on the oil pressure gauge started jumping wildly. it bounced up and down between 40 and off the scale. I pulled over and checked the oil level, it was fine. There were some bubbles on the stick but i closely studied it and it wasn't the white frothy bubbling I've seen with a blown headgasket, just a few small oil bubbles near the top. There was nothing leaking and it was a sudden jumping so I continued on my way. Now when I drive locally, sometimes the needle stays consistent and sometimes it jumps when I hit the accelerator (like the RPM gauge). A few questions. What causes the oil pressure to be higher or lower? If oil pressure is so important why don't newer cars have oil pressure gauges? How do I tell if my jumping needle is due to a pressure problem or some electronic malfunction? This car has really low mileage I dont want to wreck it. thanks
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 23, 2010, 6:02 PM
Post #2 of 5
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Re: Oil pressure jumping
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That's what you have to test for. The cheapest way to find out is to just replace the sender. You can use a mannual gauge to test the pressure but the time it would take would cost more that just throwing a new sender into it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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zmasterflex
User
Oct 26, 2010, 2:25 PM
Post #3 of 5
(6873 views)
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Re: Oil pressure jumping
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I replaced the sender and now the needle is stuck all the way up, off the chart. I at one point guessed that maybe there was some sludge stuck near the sender causing it to go haywire so I ran the jeep with mystery oil for 10 minutes then changed the oil. The old oil looked fine, I changed it 3500 miles ago. It was suggested that when the needle went haywire It might have messed up the calibration on the gauge. I don't have any other ideas. thanks for any further advice
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 26, 2010, 2:37 PM
Post #4 of 5
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Re: Oil pressure jumping
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What happens to the gauge when you unplug the sender? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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zmasterflex
User
Oct 29, 2010, 3:36 AM
Post #5 of 5
(6859 views)
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Re: Oil pressure jumping
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stays the same with the sender unplugged. the needle is screwed up. I guess I just need to change the gauge or put in an aftermarket one. thanks for the help
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