Oil Pressure gauge

[Armymech]

my oil pressure gauge has recently started acting funky. By funky I mean when I and driving it shows 0 oil pressure, when I stop at a stoplight/sign, it jumps to 80+. it seem like it is a short somewhere just from the way it is acting but could it be my sensor is bad? 2006 Sierra 2500 hd

Edited July 7, 2020 by Armymech

[Jsdirt]

If the truck is a '99-'06, 9.99 times out of 10 it's failed stepper motors in the cluster. Still could be a bad sending unit, or wiring issues

 

Earlier GM products (80's back) had extra crappy sending units that would fail that way as well. Only way to really trust a GM oil pressure gauge is to install an aftermarket one with the plastic tube direct to the pressure fitting in the block.

 

On the LS engines, you have to buy a special fitting that's nearly impossible to find in the states, so that you can keep the OE gauge to keep the computer happy, while having the mechanical gauge in the cab somewhere.

[Jsdirt]

As long as you have oil in the crankcase, and it's not rapping, you should be fine. These engines will let you know when they have zero oil pressure - they get REAL loud.

 

Wouldn't hurt to throw a mechanical gauge on there to test, just to be sure, though.

Edited July 9, 2020 by Jsdirt

[dsr611]

On 7/9/2020 at 6:12 PM, Armymech said:

OP edited 2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD.  I am not hearing engine noise on this (yet hopefully never) is it safe to drive with the gauge doing this?  checked the oil levels and they are fine.

Fine to drive...though, the other gauges (speedo, tach, fuel, etc) probably won't be too far behind on failing also.  Cluster repair probably only runs $100 or so.  Had the cluster in our 05 Tahoe repaired several years ago and it was $125.  If you're handy with a soldering iron you can order the stepper motors and do it yourself (I'm sure there's several hot-to videos on youtube).

[Armymech]

OP edited 2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD.  I am not hearing engine noise on this (yet hopefully never) is it safe to drive with the gauge doing this?  checked the oil levels and they are fine.

[Armymech]

18 minutes ago, dsr611 said:

Fine to drive...though, the other gauges (speedo, tach, fuel, etc) probably won't be too far behind on failing also.  Cluster repair probably only runs $100 or so.  Had the cluster in our 05 Tahoe repaired several years ago and it was $125.  If you're handy with a soldering iron you can order the stepper motors and do it yourself (I'm sure there's several hot-to videos on youtube).

I have soldering experience, im fine with that I was looking at several sites and there is a kit for around $34. all stepper motors and solder iron, solder flux solder removal tool. I will look into the wiring. thank you guys for the help.