Weird Oil Pressure Problem?

[bordin34]

So last week I was driving my 73 400 Charger and got to a stop light. I was idling there for a bit and happened to glance down at my oil pressure gauge. As I was looking at it, it slowly crept from almost all the way up, which is where it usually is, to zero nothing. So I listened closer to the engine and it sounded the same as usual. I thought maybe the gauge just broke, I then gave it some gas and the pressure slowly climbed back up to normal and didn't drop again even after idling in my driveway for five minutes. I plan on driving the car further than I ever have before next week, 90 miles or 1.5 hours, but now I am unsure. Could this be a sign of an underlying problem?
Dan

[chargerbr549]

Check your connection to the sending unit or the wire itself, my car did the same thing a couple of weeks ago and the wire clip connecting to the sending unit wasn't making very good contact, it works great now after I fixed it.

Kevin

[lisiecki1]

+1 check the sending unit

[tan top]

+1 check the sending unit

yep , good idea to fit a mechanical gauge

[b5blue]

Mine read low till I cleaned the connections on the back of the gauge to the circuit board.

[TylerCharger69]

Yes, I agree.  That's a good place to start.  If that doesn't seem to solve anything, then your pump may be getting weak.  If THAT doesn't seem to make a difference, then you may have a bearing problem.  If your bearings lose their crush, meaning not fitting snugly in the block, then that will cause your pressure to drop.  I had main bearings do that to me before.  They look okay on the bearing to journal surface side, but it's the backsides where they cause the loss.  Usually occurs because of either main, or cam bearings.  Rod bearings would probably cause the same results, but that hasn't happened to me.......yet.....I hope it's just a bad connection though.

[Ghoste]

Not trying to be an ass here, but if the oil pressure drops off to zero and you don't shut the car down to investigate there isn't much point in having the guage is there? 

[RECHRGD]

Are you sure that only the oil pressure gauge was acting up?  If the gas and temp gauges were acting goofy too, then the problem is with the IVR. (instrument voltage regulator).   Bob