Ok, I have a new engine (rebuid), for anyone unfamiliar, and I am about 98.5% sure that there is no possible way I could lose my oil pump pressure in less than 8k miles, and also the fact that occasionally I can tap my guages and my oil pressure jumps back up, intermittenly..
My question is, is this a common failure? My gauge is below 0 most of the time, and every now and then jumps to 45-50psi, just started this about a week and a half ago..
Is this my pressure sending unit or my gauge? What is the possibility that my gauge is accurately depicting a malfunction in my oiling system? -in which case I could be shopping for a rebuild...

 

I'll say that my pressure gauge is coooked but that was from the voltage regulator bursting while driving.
Get yourself a multimeter and start checking your wiring for your gauge. You may have poor connections, cold solders, etc.

 

Get a quality after maket gauge. They aren't expensive and will give you accurate readings. I reccomend Autometer, but SW or anyone of the other major manufacturers would work fine.

 

there is a Wire that goes from the Firewall to the Trans.It has a Capacitor on it(small black thing,looks like a chuck of HASH,and has an Eyelet on it,so a bolt can go through it).If that is off,the gauge reads ZERO..now,another thing to check is a single wire that goes to the oil pressure sender.(located by the oil filter,looks like a Bell).If you are tapping the Dash and the oil pressure is Reading,all of a sudden,then IS your Tach etc going too?.If that is the case then your Connector on the back of the Cluster,or the Harness is loose.

 

I also lost my haynes book and have limited internet- as a matter of fact the only time I can get on line is when I am at work and it is slow, which is hardly ever...
is there any way I can coerce someone to provide a quick reference for me- do I have to pull my cluster to diagnose this, and how long will that take?
What color is the wire I need to test and what should the voltage reading be? Or procedure please?
And finally, if my gauge is toasted will I have to replace the entire cluster or do the gauges come out individually..Thanks guys...I wish I had time to search this but I have about 30 minutes left at work and it's cleanup time (Japanese food restaurant)

 

No, none of my other gauges seem troubled..except my gas light I believe will not work, and my fuel gauge may read inaccurately, I hope anyway, otherwise I use WAY more gas if I have a half+ tank and my fuel efficiency increases as I use gas...I'll chalk that up t a short in my fuel tank level resistor though..

 

you don't need the Haynes manual..you Have to LOOK.If the wire to the Oil Pressure Sender is OFF then it will be Dangling there.IF the Wire with that Capacitor thing on it is Off (if it was missing then the gauge wouldn't have worked,Period),then it will be there But Loose or disconnected..the gauge cluster Connection is another Thing though.You will have to Remove the surround and the screw on the cluster to get at it,No two ways about it..so,Short Story..stop Typing,start looking.The Gauge can be replaced From the cluster but Really,Clusters are Dirt cheap and not worth Buying just the Gauge..If it Pisses you off so much,then Get a Aftermarket Gauge.

 

Thanks..just killing time at work, no time to LOOK as you say, but I know my sender is connected. I will look for the other one, if that one is connected I guess the cluster is coming out when I get time....thanks for the help!