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Oil Gauge Twitching?

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Old Nov 1, 2011 | 07:44 PM
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Question Oil Gauge Twitching?

As long as I've had my 95 Blazer the oil gauge has had this 'twitching' issue. Its a little difficult to describe but in general the gauge is showing the correct pressures for each stage of driving. It'll show between 40-80psi when the engine is first started and the oil is cool and thick. After the engine is warm and I come to a stop it'll idle at about 20-30psi. However, the gauge tends to increase erratically with the RPMs as I pull off or accelerate, and when I'm sitting at idle the gauge twitches erratically. Never more than 10psi or so, but very rapidly, and in spurts. It'll twitch for several seconds then hold steady.

I have never had a oil leak problem, I change my oil every 3000 miles, and my oil level has never been low. So I'm not sure how to get this little gauge to act right. Any ideas?

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Old Nov 2, 2011 | 11:58 AM
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mines does the same thing, after the motor is warm ill drive it and stop at a light and i watch it dance ever so slightly around the 20 psi line. Could never figure out why, but hey as long as theres oil in my engine and the getting pushed from the bottom to the top im happy
 
Old Nov 2, 2011 | 12:01 PM
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It's possible the sending unit is failing. It's a cheap part but i wouldn't worry about it. The factory gauges are known to not be the most accurate things on eart.
 
Old Nov 2, 2011 | 01:16 PM
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Mine does the same thing. I ignore it.
 
Old Nov 3, 2011 | 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by BlaziNator
Mine does the same thing. I ignore it.
Mine has done the same thing also. I regrounded the circuit and put in a new sending unit and it still does it. I am assuming that it might be EMI from another wire or a bad gauge. Like the others, I live with it. When I threw a rod and had a gusher (motor one - heh), I saw the "check gauges" light for the first time. I believe that comes on when your oil gauge hits zero or damn near. In my case if was a bad motor/leak. If you see that light, pull over fast. I find that I can tell the correct reading by where it hovers when "twitching". I thought of an external gauge and then decided to pass.
If you decide to pull the sender I would pull the distributor and the intake if you want to be able to stay sane. I'm sure it can be done in place but it's in a whacked position for my large hands.


Good luck.
A.
 
Old Nov 4, 2011 | 01:53 AM
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Yea, I'm a pretty big guy and my hands aren't exactly the best fit for working on my engine. Its done this for years now, so its obviously electrical. The gauge is still working for the most part, just when the oil's hot and thin or I'm at a low RPM is dances like crazy. Since it sounds like getting to the oil sender will take a vicadin, a pack of cigarettes, and a hammer to the head I'll just continue ignoring the little bugger.

Thanks for your input guys.
 
Old Nov 4, 2011 | 08:18 AM
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For the record, mine did the same thing. Like everyone else I ignored it. It calmed down after a while but my oil pressures been getting higher. But then again i'm about due for an oil change and its been getting colder here.
 
Old Nov 5, 2011 | 11:59 PM
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Yea, since the gauge does seem to work correctly in terms of showing what oil pressure I should have and when I'm not too worried about it. It just likes to do its own thing when the pressure is at its lowest. My truck has 204k miles and still runs like a champ, barely burns through half a quart of oil by the time its time to do an oil change. These vehicles are troopers.
 

Last edited by tckocher; Nov 6, 2011 at 12:01 AM.
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