Oil Pressure Gauge Below Zero (-0)

I know the oil pressure gauge is often low at first start up and is generally inaccurate. However I haven't found a thread addressing my particular gauge's behavior. Please direct me to one if it's already been discussed.

At cold start my oil pressure gauge is between 3/4 and H. So it says I have pretty high oil pressure at cold start. Oil dipstick level reads right at the middle between the low and high dots.

After the engine warms up, it looks like the picture. Far below L oil pressure, and the gauge needle is even intruding to the temp gauge.

Now I'm sure I have oil pressure as I've driven the truck like this for many thousands of miles, and I've done 3 oil changes on it with the needle behavior staying the same.

Is this an issue that others see? High oil pressure at cold start, and then super "negative" pressure readings after warmup?

 

Bad sensor or gauge possibly. Usually sensor.

 

Sounds like a gauge issue otherwise you'd be throwing a piston rod by now.

 

Yeah....thats borked...certainly not actual oil pressure issue....sensor or gauge like everyone says. Never seen anything like that on mine

 

OK thanks guys. I'll do some research on this site on how to replace or fix the gauge or sender.

 

Instead of pressure it looks like you're pulling a vacuum. That sucks. Nature abhors a vacuum...

 

My gauge cluster on my 2001 is a cluster fuck. I'd say this is characteristic of the vehicle for sure, especially if you are not hearing knocking or any other unsavory sounds. My cluster has more issues than the rest of my truck... see below

1) oil pressure drops to zero when oil is warm and I am idling
2) Parking brake light remains on when it is 20 degrees F or colder
3) Fuel gauge wanders from full to 1/4 tank when I have a full tank of gas
4) The little indicator light that shows which gear you are in does not work in drive, so when I am in drive, my transmission selection looks blank

My gauge cluster is a constant source of anxiety for me, even though I know everything is okay. I'd say, just enjoy the rest of your truck!

 

I don't know its useful, but once I totally screwed up my instrument cluster trying to disable the key/door chime. I thought I could just remove the ground wire for the beeper in the cluster....but found out that the ground doubled as the ground for several other systems and when I tested it I had some gauges that read zero, some that where maxed out, some that didn't work at all....it was a lot of wonk from just one wire.

IMO....its easy to remove the cluster, wiggle your connectors and see if anything changes just as an experiment.

 

Bad stepper motor on gauge. R2 if you have solder skills