"Ted Mittelstaedt" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ken Hilson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > 2002 S10 4.3 with about 38k on it.
> > Noticed last night that oil pressure gauge was reading lower than
normal.
> > Midscale is 275 kpa (39 PSI) and it normally runs about there or higher
> when
> > hot at highway speed Last night it was down about 1/4 scale at speed
which
> > it normally only would go when at idle stopped. Crawled under and
noticed
> > small amount of oil on the filter but no dripping.
> > Difficult to check oil level when hot and with flashlight so added about
> 3/4
> > quart and restarted. No real change, so left it until morning. Checked
oil
> > level and it was now actually a bit above max on dip stick so wasn't
> really
> > short of oil. Started it up and it read 2 bars above midpoint ( there
are
> 4
> > bars per quarter of gauge range which is pretty normal. Took short drive
> to
> > store and back. By the time I was back home the reading had gone low
> again.
> > Gauge needle moved more with rev change than last night but still seemed
> to
> > go to 1/4 point above idle. Read somewhere that senders can go and oil
> will
> > be in plug. Wonder if that might be the source of oil on filter,
assuming
> > sender is near filter base. Is this a common problem on these motors?
> Could
> > I be losing pressure hot or maybe sender is now measuring wrong when
hot.
> >
> >
>
> Before getting worried put a mechanical oil pressure guage on it
> and see what the pressure really is and if it's cause for concern.
>
> Ted
>
>
Thanks, Anyone else with s10 experience? As I don't have a mechanical gauge
I might just change the sender. I do have another electric gauge but don't
know if the sender will fit.