I'm at my witts in with this truck.

[KYEdge]

Ok, when I first got this truck the oil pressure gauge would sometimes dance around. So I had the sending unit replaced. That cut down on the amount of times it would dance around. I replaced the IAC valve, and that cut down on the amount of times it would dance around. My alternator was on its way out, and it seemed like when the gauge would dance was at the same time my alternator quit putting out the right voltage. So I replaced the alternator. I had a rough idle so I put on new plugs and plug wires. I thought that should have it fixed right?

Well, sort of. It doesn’t do it as often now, but it still does it at idle if the throttle it blipped, and it sometimes does it when using the brakes to stop. The idle also sometimes feels very rough. On top of that, now when using the A/C the truck occasionally jerks at any speed above about 45MPH. With the A/C on the oil gauge will also dance around with just the tiniest throttle blip.

On my way into work today the truck felt very rough as I was stopping at stop lights (it never felt like it was going to die, but it sure didn’t feel good either) and twice the oil gauge went nuts as I was on the brakes. It was very hot today and I had driven about 15 miles before it started.

So right now I have:

- Oil gauge sometimes jumps and dances when engine is hot (and rarely cold) with the blip of the throttle, but the A/C off.

- Oil gauge regularly jumps and dances when engine is hot (and sometimes cold) with A/C on.

- Jump feels like it bucks sometimes at highway speeds with A/C on.

- Rough idle (and sometimes a lopping idle).

- Truck occasionally feels very rough and oil gauge dances when using brakes to slow or stop.

I’m honestly starting to wish I had never bought this. My old Dodge wasn’t in very good shape, but I didn’t still owe more than 4 grand on it like I do this truck.

At this point I’m thinking thermostat maybe… the truck always reads normal temp, but most of these problems only seem to happen after driving long enough for the truck to get really hot.

 

[sniper141]

Should have bought the 4.0! Check your vaccum lines.

 

[HndMeDnBroncoII]

double check and clean all ur grounds

 

[evanesce69]

bad grounds...

I agree with HndMeDnBroncoII, check your grounds. Vacuum would not effect the oil gauge. If it changes as quick as you say, it has to be related to the electrical system. Bad grounds can cause a nightmare for diagnostics so take your time and be very thorough.


Check them well!





Rob

 

[KYEdge]

Where exactly are all the grounds on these trucks?

 

[evanesce69]

most important

battery negative terminal
driverside firewall to head
various locations under dash
anywhere a sensor screws into the block/heads/intake (though unlikely it can happen)


The block/heads/intake act as a very large negative wire. essentially ,most of the leads in the the truck carry a positive voltage.

one thing you can do is use a volt/ohm meter to test for current draw through the oil sending unit. Electricity finds the shortest route, if a ground is bad, it can and will "look" for a pathway. Sometimes that pathway can go through sending units or gauge clusters. Like I said, bad grounds are a nightmare to diagnose. Just be patient and don't take anything for granted. I once spent a week troubleshooting an electrical issue only to find out it was a slight bit of corrosion on the negative terminal of the battery. I could have kicked myself because a friend suggested i clean it right off. I swore up and down it was not the post. Well, I was wrong. I sure learned not to take the small stuff for granted.




Rob

 

[98RangerDanger]

sometimes the rubber gasket falls apart inside on the oil pan and plugs up the screen and keeps the engine from getting oil thus ruff idle no power and so on. and sometimes the gadge goes back to normal because what ever was clogging it fell back off into the bottom of the pan im not sure with the edge but with my 98 4wd you have to lift the motor to get the pan off maybe check to see if you have anything in the pan. or clogging the screen. just a thought.