{"id":86961,"date":"2023-07-06T21:11:44","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T04:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=86961"},"modified":"2024-06-27T08:43:20","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T15:43:20","slug":"oil-pressure-gauge-symptoms-and-how-to-read-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/oil-pressure-gauge-symptoms-and-how-to-read-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Oil Pressure Gauge: Symptoms and How to Read It"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 7<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_9c06f9-e8 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-bfe061  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-04610e\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_9ef5c2-7a\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The oil pressure gauge is a device that keeps track of the oil pressure in the engine.<\/li><li>If your oil gauge reading is low, high, or zero, then your oil pressure gauge is likely faulty.&nbsp;<\/li><li>There are two different types of oil gauges: electrical gauges and mechanical gauges.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The engine relies on oil pressure to move lubricant to all of its parts and areas that need cooling and greasing. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/low-oil-pressure-symptoms-and-faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Insufficient pressure\">Insufficient pressure<\/a> will slow engine oil flow, leading to engine issues like overheating and premature wear. On the other hand, too much pressure can also interfere with the oil&rsquo;s ability to enter bores leading to engine parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/oil-pressure-gauge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"oil pressure gauge\">oil pressure gauge<\/a> lets you know about the pressure level inside the engine. Read on to learn vital things, like how to read an oil pressure gauge and the common symptoms of a bad gauge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oil-lubrication-system-diagram-1024x657.jpg\" alt=\" diagram of an oil lubrication system\" class=\"wp-image-88931\" width=\"1024\" height=\"657\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oil-lubrication-system-diagram-1024x657.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oil-lubrication-system-diagram-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oil-lubrication-system-diagram-768x493.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oil-lubrication-system-diagram-150x96.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oil-lubrication-system-diagram.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>Diagram showing oil lubrication system | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is the Oil Pressure Gauge?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The oil pressure gauge is a device that keeps track of the oil pressure in the engine. Some people drop the word pressure and refer to the device as the oil gauge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That being said, not all oil pressure gauges read actual oil pressure. Fords, for example, will have a gauge that reads pressure but is actually driven by a sensor with only a switch. On later model Fords, this switch often reports to the smart junction box, which reports the oil pressure state (pressure or no pressure) to other modules such as the instrument cluster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"instrument cluster schematic of a 2008 ford mustang \" class=\"wp-image-88933\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2008-ford-mustang-instrument-cluster-schematic.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>On some Fords (such as what this 2008 Ford Mustang schematic shows), a switch often reports to the smart junction box, which reports the oil pressure state to other modules such as the instrument cluster. | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Almost all vehicles manufactured over the past 20 years have a computer built into the instrument cluster that receives oil pressure information from other modules. Older systems have a transducer that directly connects to the oil pressure gauge in the instrument cluster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Almost all vehicles manufactured over the past 20 years have a computer built into the instrument cluster that receives oil pressure information from other modules. Older systems have a transducer that directly connects to the oil pressure gauge in the instrument cluster.<\/p><cite>&ndash;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\">Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Most oil pressure gauges show a range of numbers, often 1-80 or 1-100. They also usually have a dial with an indicator needle that points at the lowest number when the engine isn&rsquo;t running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some oil gauge models drop the numbers. Instead, they feature H and L, meaning high and low pressure, respectively, such as the Mustang schematic shown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can usually find the oil pressure gauge on your vehicle&rsquo;s dashboard. It resembles other dashboard gauges, such as the speed and RPM indicators. Most oil gauges label themselves with &ldquo;OIL&rdquo; to make them easier to recognize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2000-jeep-cherokee-oil-gauge-1024x894.jpg\" alt=\"oil gauge of a 2000 jeep cherokee \" class=\"wp-image-88935\" width=\"1024\" height=\"894\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2000-jeep-cherokee-oil-gauge-1024x894.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2000-jeep-cherokee-oil-gauge-300x262.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2000-jeep-cherokee-oil-gauge-768x671.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2000-jeep-cherokee-oil-gauge-150x131.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2000-jeep-cherokee-oil-gauge.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>A 2000 Jeep Cherokee oil gauge | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faulty Oil Gauge Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most oil pressure gauges are not wear and tear items except on mid-2000s Chevy pickups, where the tiny servo that drives the gauge needle may fail, which is common with any or all of the gauges on those platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the most common indicators of a problem with the oil pressure gauge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oil Gauge Low<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If the gauge is reading low, it&rsquo;s best to err on the side of caution, check the oil, and have the engine oil pressure checked by a shop with a mechanical gauge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As engine parts wear and oil pressure is lost through worn bearings (the oil gets thinner when it&rsquo;s hot), the oil pressure might look acceptable when the engine is first started cold only to drop as the engine oil heats up. A good rule of thumb for acceptable minimum oil pressure is 10 psi per 1000 rpm. Optimum oil pressure would be from 40 to 60 psi with a hot engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oil Gauge High<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Does the oil pressure gauge show low-pressure readings while the engine idles? If the readings drop below 20 psi or stay in the gauge&rsquo;s lower quarter, you might have a faulty oil gauge, but more importantly, you might have low engine oil pressure, which you should always have checked as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pro Tip: Since many engines use oil pressure for their timing chain tensioners, low engine oil pressure may cause the timing chains to rattle. If you hear noise like this on a Dodge or a Ford, have the engine oil pressure checked by a shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A mechanical oil pressure gauge can develop a leak. Oil leaks reduce oil pressure, leading to the part showing inaccurately low readings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For electric oil pressure gauges, issues with their wiring and other problematic components can affect the accuracy of their readings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oil Gauge Is Zero<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If the oil gauge indicator needle stays at zero even though you can hear and feel the engine running without unusual noises, the sending unit can be checked by shorting the oil sender wire to ground (be careful not to damage the terminal) and watching the gauge to see if it responds to that ground. If it does, the sending unit might need replacing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, the oil pressure gauge will only show zero psi when the engine is turned off or idling unless there&rsquo;s a problem with the sending unit, the gauge, the wiring or one of the modules that reports the oil pressure. When you start driving at higher speeds, the oil pump sends more lubricant through the system, which registers an increase in psi. If the needle doesn&rsquo;t move from zero, the gauge might have stopped working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other reasons for the oil pressure gauge showing zero psi include a faulty oil pump or a low engine oil level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oil Pressure Gauge Types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can divide oil gauges into two different types: electric gauges and mechanical gauges. Both types do the same job of showing the oil pressure in the engine, but they use different methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mechanical Gauges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Older vehicles use mechanical oil pressure gauges. A mechanical gauge redirects engine oil into tiny pipes observed by an oil pressure sensor. The diverted oil has the same pressure as the lubricant flowing through the engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If one of its pipes develops a leak, the gauge will show oil pressure readings lower than reality. Engine oil will also escape the leak, which can deplete the oil levels prematurely and cause problems like overheating.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_58cf21-13{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_58cf21-13 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_58cf21-13 kb-section-dir-vertical kb-section-sm-dir-vertical pro-tip-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var( --global-kb-row-default-top, 25px );padding-bottom:var( --global-kb-row-default-bottom, 25px );padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:16px;padding-right:16px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, calc(10% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem ) * 1 )\/2)))minmax(0, calc(90% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem ) * 1 )\/2)));}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.00;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:100px;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:100%;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{fill:#ffffff!important;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-top-sep{height:100px;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-top-sep svg{width:100%;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-top-sep svg{fill:#ffffff!important;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:28px;padding-bottom:25px;padding-left:16px;padding-right:16px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}#kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-rowlayout alignnone pro-tip-wrap\"><div id=\"kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4\" class=\"kt-row-layout-inner kt-layout-id_d83ece-a4\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-gutter-none kt-v-gutter-default kt-row-valign-top kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-right-golden kt-m-colapse-left-to-right kt-mobile-layout-right-golden  kt-custom-first-width-10  kt-custom-second-width-90\"><style>.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col{min-height:45px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column_70d643-7f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_70d643-7f kb-section-dir-horizontal kb-section-md-dir-horizontal pro-tip-item1\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image_2d404e-38.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image_2d404e-38 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:45px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image_2d404e-38.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image_2d404e-38 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image_2d404e-38 figure{max-width:45px;}.kb-image_2d404e-38 .image-is-svg, .kb-image_2d404e-38 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image_2d404e-38 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image_2d404e-38\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/f_auto,dpr_auto,q_auto,c_pad\/carparts\/blog\/widgets\/protip\/services-icon\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img\"><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_7f2bda-70{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_7f2bda-70 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-2 kadence-column_7f2bda-70 pro-tip-item2\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"protip-desc\">\n\t<div class=\"help-tip\">\n\t\t<p><strong>Pro Tips<\/strong> are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n    <div class=\"help-caption\">\n        <p>\n            <strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong>\n            <span>Mechanical gauges tend to be more trustworthy because they&rsquo;re actually reading engine oil pressure, but they&rsquo;ll respond more quickly if a larger line is used.<\/span>\n        <\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Aftermarket oil pressure gauges of the mechanical kind come with very small plastic tubing (usually &#8539;). If you can get a gauge that will let you select the size of the line, use a &frac14; inch line. Copper is good but plastic is okay as long as you run it so that it doesn&rsquo;t chafe and begin to leak. Keep the line away from sharp edges and hot manifolds if you&rsquo;re doing an aftermarket gauge install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Electric Oil Gauges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are 3 basic types of electric oil gauges: bimetal gauges, magnetic gauges, and computer-driven gauges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bimetal Gauges<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Bimetal gauges have a strip that changes shape when it&rsquo;s heated by a tiny wire connected to the sending unit. These disappeared beginning in the early 1970s and typically had a power feed through a special regulator built into the instrument cluster and a ground signal wire from the sending unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Magnetic Gauges<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Magnetic gauges began to appear in the early 1970s. These gauges have two internal coils mounted at 90 degrees. Oil pressure gauges of this type have three wires: a ground, a power wire, and the signal wire from the sending unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/gm-ford-magnetic-oil-gauges-1024x598.jpg\" alt=\"gm and ford magnetic oil gauges diagrams\" class=\"wp-image-88936\" width=\"1024\" height=\"598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/gm-ford-magnetic-oil-gauges-1024x598.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/gm-ford-magnetic-oil-gauges-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/gm-ford-magnetic-oil-gauges-768x449.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/gm-ford-magnetic-oil-gauges-150x88.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/gm-ford-magnetic-oil-gauges.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>Diagrams of early GM and Ford magnetic oil gauges | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Computer-driven Gauges<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Computer-driven gauges sweep to their highest reading (with all the other gauges on the cluster) when the key is switched on as a proveout measure, and are driven by the internal instrument cluster computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does the Oil Pressure Gauge Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The oil gauge informs you about the current engine oil pressure, which is a good indicator of your engine&rsquo;s health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Read Oil Pressure Gauge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The oil pressure gauge starts at zero when the engine isn&rsquo;t running. Its indicator needle will return to zero during idling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes about 20 minutes of running the engine nonstop to normalize the oil pressure. Once the pressure stabilizes, the oil pressure gauge will move its indicator needle to the halfway mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the oil gauge&rsquo;s needle stays in the high or low range, something might have gone wrong with it or the engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if your car&rsquo;s oil pressure gauge reading shows H or L instead of numerical values? You don&rsquo;t get the same precision, but you don&rsquo;t need to memorize the recommended values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you own a vehicle that doesn&rsquo;t have an oil pressure gauge? Those models either provide a digital reading or put a light on the dashboard that illuminates and flickers when the oil pressure changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Get a Quality Oil Pressure Gauge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we&rsquo;ve mentioned, keeping an eye on your oil pressure is important if you want to avoid issues like overheating and premature engine wear. If your oil pressure gauge is malfunctioning, it&rsquo;ll be difficult to tell if you need an oil top up. Thankfully, you can purchase a new oil gauge easily at CarParts.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The CarParts.com catalog contains many aftermarket brands to choose from. We sell high-quality replacement oil pressure gauges at various price points to suit different budgets. We also have a 60-day return policy in place to ensure that no matter which of our oil gauges you buy, it&rsquo;ll be worth the investment. We even offer a lifetime replacement guarantee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&rsquo;t put up with a faulty oil pressure gauge. Purchase a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/oil-pressure-gauge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"oil pressure gauge\">oil pressure gauge<\/a> at CarParts.com today.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 7<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>The engine relies on oil pressure to move lubricant to all of its parts and areas that need cooling and&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/oil-pressure-gauge-symptoms-and-how-to-read-it\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":86987,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3747],"tags":[1213],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-86961","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-diy","8":"category-engine","9":"tag-oil-pressure-gauge","10":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Oil Pressure Gauge: Symptoms and How to Read It - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How do you interpret the readings on the oil pressure gauge? 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Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust."},{"term_id":2985,"user_id":1646,"is_guest":0,"slug":"richardmccuistian","display_name":"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png"},"author_category":"","user_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/","last_name":"McCuistian","first_name":"Richard","job_title":"ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","description":"<div class=\"auth-social-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\/\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"linkedin\" aria-labelledby=\"linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/McCuistian\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"instagram\" aria-labelledby=\"instagram\">Youtube<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\nRichard McCuistian grew up in Alabama learning from his father who ran an automotive repair shop. Richard has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others (published every year since May 2000). He has developed training courses and written or edited training material for companies in the U.S. Canada, and the Netherlands, and even Bulgaria. He maintained an \u201cask a mechanic\u201d website for 10 years answering questions emailed to him from all over the world.\r\n\r\nRichard has an instructional automotive YouTube channel \u201cMcCuistian\u201d with 13,500 subscribers and over 1,300 videos. Much of his professional work requires photography and videography in shop environments, but Richard also enjoys taking pictures of landscapes, skyscapes, old barns and houses, small towns. He has produced a coffee table book of digital watercolors called \u201cMemories of South Alabama\u201d created from his personal photos, along with a dozen Christian fiction short original novels and a collection of short stories, all available in Kindle or softcover format. Richard has written a 2,500-word Bible study every week for the past 20 years and uses it to teach a small group at his church every Sunday morning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Credentials:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"author-list\">\r\n<li><p>ASE Certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Professional Mechanic\/Technician for 25 years with experience on diesel and gasoline engines, vehicles and equipment (including hydraulics).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Spent 5 years in fleet maintenance, 20 years in independent shops and dealerships (VW, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln), specializing in driveability and electronics for the last 14 years of his career at the same dealership.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Senior Contributing Editor at Motor Age Magazine, first published in Motor Age in May of 2000 and every year since. He has won two International Automotive Media Awards for technical articles published in trade magazines.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has attended hundreds of hours of automotive training from OEMs including GM, Volkswagen, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Chrysler, as well as additional training at events like KC Vision and MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems Association).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Taught college level auto mechanics for 19 years.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has written for automotive training companies (including course development work for training companies in Canada and the Netherlands) and has been hired to teach professional trade show technician courses at multiple training events in Texas and Alabama.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>While still teaching at the college level, Richard launched a new automotive program in Geneva, Alabama, setting up a dual enrollment department in a new building, organizing the shop and classroom, teaching morning classes to high school students for 2 years while still teaching at the college in the afternoon.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Richard\u2019s college program at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College worked at professional shop speed during his tenure to prepare graduates for production level work in the real world.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86961\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86961"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=86961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}