i know that th factory gauges suck at best, but here is my issue. at cold start i run a little over 40 psi, when its warm its barely over the red. it has always ran fine, and the other day i had to go on a steep *** hill to buy some rims, it went down the hill fine, i parked it, shut it off, and had to start it right back up. it had a lifter ticking (noticeable) and i poured a half quart of oil in it. (it wasnt more than a quarter quart low) the lifter shut up after i got it on level ground. it drove home fine and i changed the oil with 10w-40. the oil had right around 3000 when i changed it. it seems engine temp greatly effects oil pressure (duh) more so in this car than ANY other ive had. i put a drilled 180* stat in it and it still runs 220*. i unhooked the high pressure switch on the ac so the fan runs constant. the engine temp stays around 160* now but oil pressure at idle is still low. so should i worry about it or just not go on steep *** hills in the ghetto anymore? do i have to drain the oil to replace the oil pressure sending unit? if not im putting a mechannical gauge in it asap. i was going to already but figured i was lucky to get it home. TIA

You do not need to drain oil to change out the sender i just did mine a month ago. It might pour a lil out but just have the new one in your hand and screw it in fast and wipe up any drips nice and good. To me it sounds like your oil pump may be on its last breath tho. Idk if there is a way to check that without dropping the oil pan. Someone on here should be able to help you out on that portion. Either way if you leak oil from the pan it might be a good time to get a new gasket and pump and just change it out now before you seize the motor or cause any other damage.

I wouldn't put any stock in the factory sensor. Really only good to tell you if there's pressure, lol. Changing the thermostat isn't going to change the temp it runs at, the fan on/off temps are still set in the ecm. 220* is unfortunately the norm, they were made to run hot to improve emissions. It's possible some oil passages are a little clogged up, esp. with 80's motors made to suffer with inferior oils. I don't know what condition your motor's in but have you considered running some seafoam through it? Checking the pump is easy with a mechanical guage. Should be 20-30 psi at idle and 40-55 psi at 2000 rpm.

sea foam has been through the vacuum lines and the crankcase. i got a gauge and the appropriate T fitting to have both gauges.

do you think the lifter noise was from the hill? thats what im still worried about. i did add some magnets to the oil pan when i changed the oil for good measure.

Unless the oil level was low enough to expose the pickup (shouldn't have been- it's at the rear of the pan) then the hill wasn't the problem. Even if it was a quart low it still shouldn't have been exposed on a steep hill. I plug this stuff all the time but if you're really worried about it you could throw a can of restore in it.

i used to use that crap in everything. ill try it in the next oil change. gauge going in it in the morning.

I'm curious if you have solved your problem. Mine does almost the same thing, but at start up on cold mornings (below 45F) runs 60-80psi until warm then below 10. I was thinking stuck pressure relief valve but I would like to know what you found first.

I just replaced the pressure sending unit. And my pressure is reading like this also. It appears to run fine, no knocks or pings. starts out at about 40psi on cold start then drops as it warms up.

Does your pressure increase during acceleration or continually stay red line?

add a gauge guys. its accurate that way.

No offense but I think the aftermarket add in gauges look tackey.

Mine runs at normal pressure warm going down the road. At idle is when the gauge drops off. I'm not really worried, there is no rattle or knock. I did a pressure test a couple years ago with good results. I know things could have changed but she is running fine and I've been watching carefully.