oil pressure gauge pegging

gdoug · February 18, 2007

I have a 2003 Tahoe 5.3L and the oil presure gauge is acting up. When the truck is first started the gauge needle bounces back and fourth from 0 to 80 a few times then peggs at 80psi. I have not changed the oil pressure sending unit yet, but I was curious as to where it is located on the engine. I am not receiving any other warnings for the oil pressure.

Thanks!!!!

towerrigger · February 22, 2007

The sending unit is located on the top of the engine , tucked away by the firewall on the driver side. Oh and when i say tucked i mean tucked.

gdoug · February 22, 2007

Thanks for the reply.

Sounds like it is a real PITA to get to. I heard it is more likely the cluster that is bad. Sounds like the cluster is easier to change than the sender, much more expensive though. I have to try the cheaper route first. I was also getting a low oil presure warning a couple times when the needle dropped to "0" so it sounds to me like the sender is bad. Unless the oil pressure warning is reading off the gauge itself and not the sender. Does anyone know?

Thanks.

GeoHawk · February 22, 2007

I had to have the sending unit replace on my '03 as well. The needle was pegged at 80 psi. I think it was a little over $100 for the dealer to do it.

gdoug · February 23, 2007

Thanks for the info. I am leaning more towards the pressure sending unit now rather than the gauge cluster. There was a code stored in the computer for low voltage at the oil pressure sending unit. I am asuming it is when it was dropping to 0 before pegging at 80psi. Hopefully the gauge cluster is ok for now.

jess7977 · February 23, 2007

I have a 2000 4X4 silverado with the 4.8 My oil gauge reads 40 when the engine is off with no key. Then when you turn the key to on, it goes to 0. Once the engine starts it is about 50 and works normally. Is there something getting ready to go, or is this normal? Thanks for any info.

gdoug · March 31, 2007

I am not sure about your 2000 but my 2003 goes to "0" when the engine is off with no key in the ignition. If your gauge reads normally while it is running, I wouldn't worry about it.

BTW the sending unit did fix the problem with my gauge. $36 for the sending unit and my labor to put it on and I have a working oil pressure gauge again