Forever to get oil pressure

[bcost882]

So I have a 2000 xlt with of course the 3.0. I live in Las Vegas and I have 10w-30 in the engine right now. So about 2 weeks ago I started the truck after work at 3am and it hesitated a second longer to get oil pressure which is to be expected when it is about 35 degrees. Then it started to get worse a couple days later the oil pressure popped up and then dropped off and didn't come back up till i shut off and restarted the truck twice. Now when it is 55 degrees during the day (maybe higher) I start the truck and it doesn't come up for 30 seconds maybe more. I don't know why it is taking longer and longer to get oil pressure. Sorry for the long explaination, but if anyone can help it's appreciated.

 

[fourwheelford]

The gauge is a dummy gauge. I have read several posts about the sending unit going out, That may not be your issue but it seems these motors are plagued with crap like that. Is the truck making and noise while it says there is no pressure, usually a motor with no pressure makes a bit of noise. It seems the only real fix for this is to get a mechanical gauge that tells you exactly what your pressure is. I have 10-30 in my truck and even when it was below zero where I live the gauge still popped up right away so unless your pick up is blocked I would lean towards the sending unit. Im sure someone else has a better idea as im not what you would consider a tech but I do know a bit

 

[bigcountry]

could be the oil pump i had one that did that it would bounce when i would start from a start and go up to normal maybe a bit higher than as i would level out on the gas it would flux like drop below normal and the idle would kinda flux with it and it would shimmy and shake a bit on first start up. when i took my oil pump off you could see where the oil pump gears were cutting into the housing which was causing oil pressure to drop even after i replaced the sending unit the problem still came up then that when i replaced my oil pump probelm still happend but even with a new oil pump my worries were atleast knowing the motor was going to blow but it was a PITA to change the oil pump that was on a 1997 4.2

 

[jasongind]

So I have a 2000 xlt with of course the 3.0. I live in Las Vegas and I have 10w-30 in the engine right now. So about 2 weeks ago I started the truck after work at 3am and it hesitated a second longer to get oil pressure which is to be expected when it is about 35 degrees. Then it started to get worse a couple days later the oil pressure popped up and then dropped off and didn't come back up till i shut off and restarted the truck twice. Now when it is 55 degrees during the day (maybe higher) I start the truck and it doesn't come up for 30 seconds maybe more. I don't know why it is taking longer and longer to get oil pressure. Sorry for the long explaination, but if anyone can help it's appreciated.

mine does the same exact thing. It is the pressure sending unit, located on the right side of the engine near the fire wall. It screws into the motor and has ywo wires. As long as you don't have a tapping/ticking noise while the gauge reads no pressure you actually do have pressure. Mine takes aboit 3 mines to pop up now.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

hook up a real oil pressure gauge to it and verify you are actually losing oil pressure, if so. it could be a clogged pickup screen or a bad oil pump