Oil pressure gauge issue

[laneo9417]

This past weekend I installed a new multi function switch on my 98 XLT and while I had the dash apart I decided to clean out the dust that had accumulated behind the clear plastic of the speedo/gauge cluster with a can of compressed air. Seemed like a great idea at the time since the air did the trick but in the process the force of the air caused some of the gauge needles to move on their own. All the needles floated back down to their original positions but now the oil pressure gauge seems to get stuck in the low position (resting against the bottom "stopper" thing) upon start up and the "Check Gauge" idiot light comes on. The needle eventually kicks up and stays at the normal level after a minute or two but I am wondering is there anything that can be done to fix this problem? This issue never happened before I used the compressed air. Also, I'm due for an oil change in the next week or so - any chance this would correct the issue? Any info is appreciated!

 

[koda2000]

moving the needles by hand (or by air) shouldn't have effected them. i don't know if it would help, but you could try disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes and turn the headlight switch on to drain off all the stored energy in the system. might help.

changing your oil doesn't have anything to do with the pressure gauge. you might have a bad oil pressure sending unit, but it's awfully coincidental that it acted up right when you messed with the gauge. assuming you have a 6 cyl, the oil pressure sending unit is found behind the power steering pump. not a very expensive or hard to change part. typically when they go bad they don't work until the engine heats up a bit and they do wear out eventually.

 

[laneo9417]

moving the needles by hand (or by air) shouldn't have effected them. i don't know if it would help, but you could try disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes and turn the headlight switch on to drain off all the stored energy in the system. might help.

changing your oil doesn't have anything to do with the pressure gauge. you might have a bad oil pressure sending unit, but it's awfully coincidental that it acted up right when you messed with the gauge. assuming you have a 6 cyl, the oil pressure sending unit is found behind the power steering pump. not a very expensive or hard to change part. typically when they go bad they don't work until the engine heats up a bit and they do wear out eventually.

Thanks for the tip, I'll try disconnecting the battery. I doubt it's the sending unit, I had no issue with this until a couple days ago.

 

[laneo9417]

So I disconnected the battery this morning prior to starting her up but the gauge still did not kick on until after a minute or so of idling. I still find it odd how this never happened until I accidentally moved the needles recently. It has been pretty cold the past week or so but I never had an issue with the gauge before. I guess I'll try a new sending unit at some point. If anyone else has any suggestions I'm all ears

 

[koda2000]

So I disconnected the battery this morning prior to starting her up but the gauge still did not kick on until after a minute or so of idling. I still find it odd how this never happened until I accidentally moved the needles recently. It has been pretty cold the past week or so but I never had an issue with the gauge before. I guess I'll try a new sending unit at some point. If anyone else has any suggestions I'm all ears

at this point my money's on a bad oil pressure sending unit. you can try this. disconnect the wire from the oil pressure sending unit, take a scrap of wire and ground the wire to the engine block or negative side of the battery. when you do this the gauge should go to full HIGH. if it does the sending unit is bad (more accurately called the oil pressure switch).

 

[SoNic67]

Also, I'm due for an oil change in the next week or so - any chance this would correct the issue? Any info is appreciated!

Just coincidence. Change the oil - use a Gunk motor flush before that, your pressure switch might have something clogged in.