Help with Oil Level Gauge

[ozracer]

My oil level gauge has been playing up and performing erratically. Most of the time its sits in the red very rarely moving including when I first turn the car and ignition on it moves a tiny fraction but still only sits in the red whilst all my other gauges come to life.

During driving it will actually move and hover around the middle and then come back down again never staying static at one point.

I inspected the sender unit and the earth is good and so is the positive other than the rubber boot cap perishing.

When the car is off it does not register any volts and with the ignition on it only reads 0.40 volts. From research on other threads Im led to believe it should read about 7.7 volts.

Does this indicate my sender is probably toast and needs replacing or could it be salvageable if I pull it out and stripped it and try and diagnose the problem?

[Joe Bob]

The oil gauge does not give a reading unless on a level and flat surface and at idle.

I just ignore it, like the equally worthless clock.

Senders can be cleaned and/or replaced easily. Draco has a thread with some easy directions. Do an advanced search on Draco's screen name and key words, oil gauge.

[James Brown]

copy this and attach it to the dash " Note: oil qty gage is only accurate when car is parked on level ground with the engine at idle and at normal operating temperature." the same way you check the oil

[ozracer]

Got ya james that probalbly means it is working then thanks for that at the lights up tp temp on level ground it springs up and drops as soon as i drive off

[James Brown]

i removed mine and put a voltmeter in it's place, just check the oil once a week and your fine