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8/20/2002
16:07:41

Subject: OIL PRESSURE
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I just purchased a 97, 4x2 Sport 5.2L. I have noticed the oil pressure gage seams slow reacting and inconsistent. Please tell me someone else has had this problem and it is a gage problem.



Todd W
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8/20/2002
21:39:55

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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More information needed. :0)

Don't expect the oil pressure gauge to react -immediatly- to throttle variations. Remember, the pump is at the bottom, and the pressure sensor at the top. It takes a moment for the system to pressurize.

By inconsistant you it seems to be all over the gauge? You may have a faulty oil pressure sending unit, that seems to be the main problem when people talk about oil pressure problems...

How many miles on the engine? Any funny noises? Does it use or leak oil?



'00 RC Sport Forest Green, 3.9L, 5-speed 3.55, Hurst Comp-Plus Shifter, Clear-Corners, Speed-Glo gauges, Airaid Intake with relocated IAT, Autolite 3923s, Ported Throttle Body, Borg & Warner Cap/Rotor, Accel Coil, JBA 9mm Wires, JET Stage II, 185 T-stat, Flowmaster 40 w/dual out

blakdakota
Dodge Dakota
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8/20/2002
22:31:28

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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GET THAT SH!T CHECKED OUT!! when i bought my truck the dealer said it was only the gagues, not a oil pump problem. I dont mean to get you alarmed, but i would like to caution you, My trucks symptons were that at or below idle, the pressure would completly drop off, and never acheive half pressure at any speed. Like i said they told me it was a gauge problem, but in the end, it turned out to be the pump. The engine had spun bearings, the mechanic said he couldnt even find any in there. Lucky for me i got a new engine in my r/t factory replaced under warantee, but you may not be so lucky!! good luck, im more then willing to help you more, my email is kamezzle13@usa.com, email me if these sound like your problems!!



CONCERNED
Dodge Dakota
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8/22/2002
09:18:56

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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Good news, the sending unit was bad. I have 40-45psi @ warm idle. Thanks for the help.



Stephen
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2002
22:14:59

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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My OIl pressure gauge is all over the place when I accedlerate it goes up to normal or around 50, but when I hi thte brakes it drops to 20. My mechanic says it is not the pump. Does anyone know what other symptoms go along with a bad oil pump. I replaced the sensor already and that did not fix the problme. Also it only flugtuates after the truck is warmed up.




TT
Dodge Dakota
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12/05/2002
22:34:47

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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My oil pressure gauge swings back and forth like a freakin' metronome around town. Always has. On the highway it sits right up on the high mark and doesn't budge. Engine still runs fine at 32k. Had it looked at and nothing wrong. Who knows.



Todd W
GenIII
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12/06/2002
02:10:30

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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At idle or low RPMs you should have lower Oil pressure than under power. Thats simple, the pump is hooked to the distributor indexing shaft (well, it was on my old Chevy, either way it still runs off the crank somehow). When the crank turns faster, the pump turns faster. But it shoudn't drop into the red.



Ryan T
Dodge Dakota
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2/04/2003
17:53:53

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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My 96 dodge dakota started acting up on me. After warming, at idle the pressure would completly drop to zilch. Replaced oil pump with high volume pump and pressure stayed within the lines for two days before acting the same way again. Any ideas?



Timberwolf
GenIII
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2/04/2003
18:12:58

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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Mine varies from about 40 at idle to about 70-75 under throttle. I think that's pretty close to what it's supposed to be.

"I'd rather be fishing"

slow2dak
Dodge Dakota
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2/04/2003
21:33:16

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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if you are having an oil pressure problem, check the basics first. get a manual gauage and check the pressure at cold idle, then at warm idle. then verify that your oil is not dilluted or if the viscosity is not present. pull your pan and see if the pick up tube screen is not clogged with sludge. next in line is to pull a rod cap off and inspect the bearings and the rod journal. thats a start.



Jason Teague
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2/04/2003
22:44:39

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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I definately agree with slow2dak. Get a mechanical gauge first to confirm there is actually a problem. Small block mopars usually carry 40 to 50 psi at idle and 55 to 70 at 2500 RPM hot. Hold the engine at 2500+ rpms for a minute or two making sure the pressure don't drop off more than a couple fo psi. If it does I would be droping the pan looking for a clogged pick-up tube. MAg motors have a very small screen on the pickup tube that clogs easily if the oil has not been changed regularly. If the pick-up is clean, a cam,rod,or main bearing clearance problem, or the pressure relief valve in the oil pump is sticking open. Hope this helps.



Judes
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8/11/2003
16:34:38

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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I have a 96 5.9 liter Dodge Ram with only 58K
miles on it. Bought it new! Fairly faithful about
changing the oil every 3000. Just started to
experience this same drop in oil pressure
problem. This sounds like bad news!! I'll get
it to the dealer tomorrow- what's a girl to do?



s kane
Dodge Dakota
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8/22/2003
18:55:19

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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My 99 dodge dakota 5.2-liter had same problems as above. Presure drops to 0 then up to 35 never going higher and droping at stops/turns.
Took to dealer and they changed a switch then checked wiring then changed oil pump which fixed the problem. They want to charge me for the time to diagnos the wireing ect. It's not fair if this is an known problem. Is there any recourse. I'm not paying the full amount and they have my truck...



cuyaxdakota
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2003
00:30:27

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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I did it now. I was having problems with the oil pressure dropping off. Today it dropped off and started making a ticking noise under the passenger side valve cover. While I was trying to nurse it home I believe the engine siezed. Am I totally screwed? What is a typical price for a rebuild job or to trade for a rebuilt 5.9L? Is there another solution?



Joe Young
Dodge Dakota
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8/24/2003
23:08:24

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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I think you're probally screwed. Having just
repalced a 5.9 for my brother, a Jasper
replacement was about $2400, with probally
another $500 in stuff we decided to replace.
Jasper has an excellent warrenty 3yr/75000mi.
It was easy to install in my brothers ram, But I
suspect it is more difficult in the a dakota.
Good luck.



CJones18
Dodge Dakota
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8/28/2003
12:49:20

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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I had the same exact problem with the pressure dropping to zero at stops, then jumping back up. Then I heard the same pinging sound under the passenger side valve cover. Took it to my mechanic of many years, turned out that there were many problems. I had a cracked intake manifold gasket, and colapsed lifter. Oil was being dumped into the wrong places, and the oil level would barely touch the stick, and I had just checked the level a couple weeks before and it was fine. They had to break it all down, drain the fluids, fix the problems, and vaccum compression test it to make sure there was no real damage. Luckily there was not, the engines fine and runs like brand new now. Take it to a good mechanic very soon.



beuteske
Dodge Dakota
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10/13/2003
22:42:49

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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I have a '94 4x4 with the 5.2 that recently turned over 200K miles and the oil pressure gauge periodically dropped to zero. I changed the sending unit, which didn't help, so I dropped the pan and found the oil pump pickup screen totally plugged with gunk. I bought it with 50K miles and have performed regular oil changes ever since, but apparently that wasn't enough. The pump appeared to be fine, but I changed it anyway while I was in there. I've had great oil pressure ever since, even at idle. Apparently whoever designed the IRS didn't ever want anyone to be able to get to the oil pan.



cuyaxdakota
Dodge Dakota
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10/14/2003
23:44:07

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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Well this is how my story ends...

I got the oil pan off to see how bad it was and I had connecting rod caps that were warped, cracked. I had torn up babbits obviously. The intake manifold gasket was missing at one end (hmmm can you say previous owner)? The oil pump was completely plugged. The oil pan was at least a half inch deep in charred oil and deposits. Man it was a mess. I bought a long block from City Motor Supply in Dallas for 1200 with exchange. Best price around. Awesome rebuild!!! They would have installed it for 1000 more but I decided to do it myself. Took me a month of weekends to do it and I think it is worth the $1000...

Yeah as the previous poster said it...

Apparently whoever designed the IRS didn't ever want anyone to be able to get to the oil pan



JoshCP527
Dodge Dakota
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10/16/2003
00:09:33

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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5.2 were the only ones i ever heard of having true oil pump problems and bad ones o ya chared oil run synthetic oil works in turbo cars and they have the extra heat to deal with lol I bet if you ran synthetic if you ran it for 200 or so thousand miles it look brand new with minimal wear but ya much cleaner :)



cuyaxdakota
Dodge Dakota
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10/20/2003
01:04:02

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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Actually the funny thing is we have been running synthetic since we bought it with 78K miles and now it has around 150k. I just wonder if the two oils reacted weird with each other or something.





Kahunagrande
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10/21/2003
10:20:31

RE: OIL PRESSURE
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If you ever have the oil Px drop to 0 and you are still under warranty take the truck to your dealer like right now.

My '99 has had nearly $1000 of work done to no avail and I will end up replacing my engine.

DO NOT FOLLOW THE EXTENDED SERVICE SCHEDULE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR ANY REASON, PERIOD. Dodge knows that the extended interval is B.S. but they will not help you if you, like me, follow the interval based on the type of driving it suggests.

Do not go more than 3000 miles between oil changes for any reason, it will DESTROY your engine. The Magnum engines run warm and break the oil down (see the sludge references in many of these messages).

There is also a common vaccuum leak in the intake manifold\valley cover gasket on the 5.2 that will F' up the way your engine runs and cause oil problems as well.

All in all I've replaced two catalytic converters (first one at 15K miles), two batteries (blown straps, WTF?), the valley gasket, had the chip programmed twice, had the airbag relay replaced twice, and will replace the engine soon (84K miles).

I love the styling and the power when it was new, but I can't get out the truck now for a profit or even break even so I guess I'm gonna keep it.

John
'99 Ext Cab SLT 4x4 5.2



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