some weird stuff going on
 

Hello everyone. Had to post this one. So yesterday I replaced my p/s and alt belts. After hearing some belt squeal on start up. Really bad if the head lights were on. Which is a pain cause its not only embarrassing but no night driving so as not to put excess strain on the alternator or battery. Got her in the air only to find that the p.o. broke the bolt that goes to the a/c compressor. Instead of replacing it he used a brass fitting of some type, forced it over the broken bolt and wedged it between the tension tube. Pure laziness! Considering the part to fix it was in the Rubbermaid tote full of extra parts he had accumulated. So, after fixing it properly, I put on the new belts and tensioned them to spec. Here is my problem. On the way home from buddies garage I noticed my oil pressure gauge was now reading "0" pressure. I continued to drive it home maybe 2 miles. It didn't act funny, no power loss, no over heating, nothing to indicate I had no oil pressure. Left it parked for the night. Got in her this morning and now the gauge reads 4 1/2 - 5. As it did before. Are these normal readings that high? Is it the start of a failing part? Any idea's? Fixed everything successfully thus far and fortunately the most costly repair has only been a new DME relay.

5 bar everyday on start up. Check your wires to the op sending unit. I don't have p/s, but I think the pump is right above it on cars that do.

I'm getting 5 bars all the time. Even before the belt replacement and it doesn't change even at operating temp. Hot or cold it doesn't change. It has just never read "0" before.

It ought to read zero before you start it. Thump the gauge, check the wires. Probably is a bad connection/ground.

Or your wires are backwards on the oil pressure sender. Which would be a bad thing if you went from 5 to 0, as that means that your oil light would have been going on.

Check your wiring diagrams and make sure the right color wire is going to the right post.

yeah, you've gotta have a wiring issue. If the oil pressure went to 0, you'd have noticed noisy lifters and a hotter engine real quick.

Oil pressure sending unit might be bad, or a cheap on was put on from the previous owner.

My bet is the wires that attach to the sending unit. They are behind the power steering pump and might have gotten elbowed or bumped when working on the car. Check the wires there and fix the connections if there is a problem. That might solve your problem. Also follow the wires up a little to see if there are any breaks, frays, cuts, or pinching.

If the wires are frayed or barely touching the gauge will jump around, from 0 to 5.

Haha, try tapping the gauge too. That's good advise. I have a tach that needs to be tapped sometimes to work.

Sum it up, wires, sending unit or gauge. Should be an easy fix. Good luck