cold oil pressure

oldgoat49 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-01-2003, 08:13 PM

I bought a 99 B3000 about a month ago and now that the temps are getting chilly at night the oil pressure gauge doesn't register any pressure in the morning startup. Otherwise the pressure jumps right up. I have read that the oil pressure sender isn't the greatest on these so am guessing that it is the problem. Is it a problem and where is it on a 3.0 engine? If it is a problem can a aux oil pressure gauge be added without causing other problems?

Rockledge · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2003, 09:11 AM

Hello. welcome to FTE!

Yes, the oil pressure gauge that you have is more or less a dummy guage. Once a certain pressure is attained the gauge registers and reads in the middle somewhere. It's only an indication that the pressure has reached a certain level, so it does not really measure anything. When the oil pressure is below that threshold (forgot what it is), then your oil gauge may be reading zero, even though there is pressure.

Now that it's colder out it's probably taking a little longer for the oil pressure in your motor to attain the appropriate level in order register on the guage. So one thing to think about is oil viscosity ...what weight oil are you running? During the colder weather here in CT I use nothing more than a 5 winter weight (for example, 5W-30).

oldgoat49 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2003, 09:41 AM

Don't know what weight is in it, but it is only getting into the low 30's so far. Was thinking about changing and going to Mobil 1 5W30.

oldgoat49 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-08-2003, 10:34 AM

changed to the 5W30 mobil 1 with no change. Mazda was the only place I could find with the sender. The guy said that it is a revised sender and they have changed a lot of them. Changed it out and it solved the problem Still think that I will start looking for the fittings to change it to have one of the mini oil pressure gauges though, in addition to the idiot gauge.