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Why its my 98 1500 losing oil pressure at hard stop, or really tight turn?

5K views 28 replies 13 participants last post by  Generaljoe67 
#1 ·
Lately, in my 98 1500 quad cab 5.9 sport, I'll brake hard, and today even semi hard (maybe I'm paranoid lol), as I'm coming to a stop, and at like 8mph the oil pressure kicks completely to zero, on the stock oil pressure gauge. The light saying check gauges comes on. This started only about a week ago, but the trucks rather late for an oil change is one thing, already passed 4k, maybe 5k...(overall had 115k'ish) And I'm waiting for a check to show up and get it changed asap, but I'm worried about driving to work until that happens, at least a week, while this oil pressure thing its going in, incase the engine takes damage in the mean time.

Plus, I do not notice any change whatsoever in the engine sound, no vibration at all (out of the ordinary anyway), which leads me to believe some sensor or whatever might be giving a false reading... I read online that these use an electronic pressure deal, which could maybe possibly have something to do with it?

What's your thoughts guys? Old oil clogging some strange part up? Electrical malfunction? Really losing all my oil pressure suddenly at quick stops?

Trucks in decent shape - I don't push it too hard, and have not had really any problems with it since purchase a year and a half or so ago, at 106k miles.
 
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#3 ·
when mine did this it was a faulty oil pressure sensor...however, my check ngine light didnt come on...just the pressure guage dropped at idle/stops.
 
#4 ·
Its not the check engine light, its the "check gauges" light, which comes on whenever a gauge drops too far, or something like that. I drove like fifteen miles yesterday, and its almost for sure not actually losing any pressure, like the idle changes none, and when accelerating out of the stops, there is no lack of power or response. Kind of has me thinking its some sensor. I'll look into this - any idea what you ended up paying for your part? Did you install yourself? I'm not the greatest at wrenching, but if its doable I'll do it myself.
 
#5 ·
#7 ·
hey good luck man...

i was worried about this too, but it was a simple fix for me...

hell even my gas guage didnt work in my old 96, but i sure miss it!!! i had to reset the trip meter every trip and never went more then 400 km before i filled up again!!!:LOL:
 
#10 ·
This may sound like a dig and it's not, but... Have you checked the oil? I say this because my '98 did this when the oil was low. I had a plenum leak so there was no oil on the ground it ended up clogging the cat and it ran like crap at that point. I bet you're down about 3 quarts.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Umm yeah I'm pretty sure that's not happening, but your making me nervous lol, I will double check the oil level when I go out later. I think its really an electronic thing, and at this point I really hope so! Sounds like the other possibilities are much more severe. What's a plenum leak mean? Does that mean like burning off oil?

Edit: ok read up in that, sure hope I'm not experiencing this, checked the oil, both running and off, does seem low when off, but perhaps even too much while its running... I'll try to get under the top off the engine to check the possibility of plenum leaking going on... Gulp...
 
#15 ·
If your overdue for an oils change you might be down abit in oil,this is normal. Change out the sensor that's the most common problem. For the needle dropping down and your light coming on. I have also seen these sensors leak abit also causing the same problem.
 
#16 ·
Well here either later today, or early next week I'll be doing the oil change finally, and possibly tranny fluid if I'm feeling ambitious. I'll take it for a spin and brake hard and turn tight, and if that light beeps at me I'm gonna turn around and get that sensor right away. I'll be sue to let you guys know how low it really turns out to be, and if i have to get that part put in or not.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Oil change did the trick. Old oil must have been screwing with the sensor... Was low, probably to be expected this late to change. Thanks for all the help guys!

Edit: oh hey, obviously don't forget to change the filter, and if your oil is not getting old, it could be really low! Do check both of those first if you get this problem, now its running like a champ. I used castrol high mileage Dino oil if that matters at all.
 
#19 ·
Oil change did the trick. Old oil must have been screwing with the sensor... Was low, probably to be expected this late to change. Thanks for all the help guys!

Edit: oh hey, obviously don't forget to change the filter, and if your oil is not getting old, it could be really low! Do check both of those first if you get this problem, now its running like a champ. I used castrol high mileage Dino oil if that matters at all.
If your oil was that low between changes, I'd bet you have a blown plenum pan gasket. Fix that and your consumption problem will go away.
 
#21 ·
If you look down through the throttle body (you have to take off the air filter housing) and can see oil pooling at all, then you have a blown plenum gasket.
 
#23 ·
So to check for this oil pool, i can easily remove, then put back in all the stuff to get in there? Won't have to replace seals or anything? And yes your right, I'll be checking rather frequently now that I've got problems showing up.

Anyway, if getting in to check for plenum leaks is do able by A less experienced person like me, I'll do it. Does that video i posted on the last page show how to do it properly?
 
#24 ·
You Can do it!!



Yes you can easily remove and put back the air filter housing. All you need is a Phillips. Take of the housing (big black plastic hose) Look down into the intake manifold (use your hand to actuate the throttle body and with your other hand shine a flashlight down.) If there is any pooling of oil at all then you have a blown plenum gasket.

The video you posted starts with the air filter housing and the throttle body removed. So no, it does not show you how to take of the air filter housing.
 
#27 ·
Lately, in my 98 1500 quad cab 5.9 sport, I'll brake hard, and today even semi hard (maybe I'm paranoid lol), as I'm coming to a stop, and at like 8mph the oil pressure kicks completely to zero, on the stock oil pressure gauge. The light saying check gauges comes on. This started only about a week ago, but the trucks rather late for an oil change is one thing, already passed 4k, maybe 5k...(overall had 115k'ish) And I'm waiting for a check to show up and get it changed asap, but I'm worried about driving to work until that happens, at least a week, while this oil pressure thing its going in, incase the engine takes damage in the mean time.

Plus, I do not notice any change whatsoever in the engine sound, no vibration at all (out of the ordinary anyway), which leads me to believe some sensor or whatever might be giving a false reading... I read online that these use an electronic pressure deal, which could maybe possibly have something to do with it?

What's your thoughts guys? Old oil clogging some strange part up? Electrical malfunction? Really losing all my oil pressure suddenly at quick stops?

Trucks in decent shape - I don't push it too hard, and have not had really any problems with it since purchase a year and a half or so ago, at 106k miles. You need a new sensor my 2001 did the same thing
 
#29 ·
Lately, in my 98 1500 quad cab 5.9 sport, I'll brake hard, and today even semi hard (maybe I'm paranoid lol), as I'm coming to a stop, and at like 8mph the oil pressure kicks completely to zero, on the stock oil pressure gauge. The light saying check gauges comes on. This started only about a week ago, but the trucks rather late for an oil change is one thing, already passed 4k, maybe 5k...(overall had 115k'ish) And I'm waiting for a check to show up and get it changed asap, but I'm worried about driving to work until that happens, at least a week, while this oil pressure thing its going in, incase the engine takes damage in the mean time.

Plus, I do not notice any change whatsoever in the engine sound, no vibration at all (out of the ordinary anyway), which leads me to believe some sensor or whatever might be giving a false reading... I read online that these use an electronic pressure deal, which could maybe possibly have something to do with it?

What's your thoughts guys? Old oil clogging some strange part up? Electrical malfunction? Really losing all my oil pressure suddenly at quick stops?

Trucks in decent shape - I don't push it too hard, and have not had really any problems with it since purchase a year and a half or so ago, at 106k miles.
HELLO- HELLO , I had similar problem on a vehicle i once owned, but it was not a Ram. Anyway...
This particular & similar scenario was being caused by a oil pick up assembly located inside the oil pan. I had not ever
Tire Motor vehicle Wheel Automotive tire Vehicle
seen that occur before - and never again since then.
I hope you pin point the culprit.
 
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