Oil pressure... Help please

[ozzie]

Chaps I really hope that you can help...

my oil pressure at running temperature is just over 30 psi at 2000rpm, BUT the problem in question occurs only when I accelerate hard, the oil pressure drops off immediately and even goes below zero. This to me is very concerning, can anyone help?

Regards, Anthony

[APMAUTO]

check the connector on the sender some cars had the wire cable tied to tight to the chassis so when the engine flexs on the mounts under hard acceleration it breaks the contact.

[bruno carr]

Ozzie

This happened to me on a 97R. Noticed it when I was a long way from the dealer (as always). When the dealer looked at it they couldn't work it out but said that you would notice a problem if there really was no pressure so shouldnt worry and they would look at the service (1 month on).
As it was under warranty I lived with it as it would end up being the dealers fault if it went wrong.

I think it was the gauge as it failed entirely later, never found out cause the car got written off a day later

[Marshy]

I had this problem, which turned out to be a duff sender unit. However, GET IT CHECKED! It could be something else...

[shpub]

Don't drive the car until you know what is causing this. If the oil pressure really has dropped to zero it could scrap the engine, as in you need a new one. It usually is a simple problem but unless you know otherwise assume the worst. If not it is all too easy to turn a 50 pound bill into a £5000 one!

Could be low oil, broken pick up, loose sender wire and so on.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[ozzie]

Thanks for the advice guys, will have a look myself and then go to a dealer. Will post on this to let you know what it is!

[JARCY]

Exactly the same problem has just occured to my Chimaera yesterday. Can anyone advise where this sender unit is please so I can check the connector. I'm taking it to the delaer to get it checked out anyway, but it helps to check whether it's something simple prior to driving much further.

[zippy500]

Next to the oil filter underneath. try a bit of wirewoll on the contacts. I had similar and bought a new sensor in the end. It wowrked.

[JARCY]

Thanks Zippy, will give it a go.

[Graham B]

Had the same problem when accelerating in my Griffith, very worrying when it happened. However as mentioned below turned out to be the connection.

Cheers,

Graham

[ozzie]

Thanks for all the advice, in my case you were all correct.... one of my exhaust/manifold joins were leaking spraying the connector with carbon, this in turn I believe allowed a short to the chassis (I have alot of electrical problems including a low-speed misfire and thus need to earth the engine better).

All in all the worring problem is now fix,
Thanks for all the advice,

Ozzie.