96 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 360 cu, my oil pressure drops out at Idle, when i start to drive, it comes back.
Asked by snagmaster61 May 02, 2012 at 01:59 AM about the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie SLT Club Cab LB 4WD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
3 Answers
aztec626bf answered 12 years ago
You should run about 30-40 psi on your gauge. If your truck is like my 96 dodge and you have 230,000 plus miles some fluctuation is normal. You will notice it more when the engine is up to temp and low rpm. If you are going below 15 psi I would look into it. First thing to look for is a bad sending unit. These almost always fail on the low side of psi. Best way to verify if it's pressure or sending unit is to attach an analog gauge to the oil sending unit port. I run a heavier oil in mine in the summer which keeps it close to 40 all the time.
If you have 5LBS of oil pressure you are fine. When did you have your last oil change? Older oil in an older engine will not hold 40lbs. As oil gets hot and old it won't hold the same pressures in an older engine. Again, if you have at least 5lbs at idle you are ok. You may fall to 15lbs. Nothing to worry about at idle. The bearings are wearing and can't hold the same pressure. If you think the bearings are in decent shape you could have some sludge in the pickup and a new oil pump could help. If you have 40lbs going down the road, you're fine. If you want you can substitute a quart of oil for a bottle of Lucas or STP. You can also move up to 10W40. As engines get older oils with a little more body can help.
