97JeepXJ4x4

So just got done with my new motor in my jeep an had the garage button everything up but, for some reason my oil pressure gauges works when it wants to. Now i little whiles back i broke it an replaced it with one from autozone, now my question is is there something really wrong b/c there no weird noise or anything an theres plenty of oil in the jeep should i have not went so cheap an just got an oem one?

goneboating06

I learned the hard way that you get what you pay for. Yeah auto zone parts are cheap, but the quality is equally so. The question is when you unplug the sender from the wiring harness, and turn the key on does the oil pressure gauge read zero or is it pinned around 80? If it reads zero the gauge is good, if it reads somewhere around 80 then the gauge is bad. At least i know thats the case for 87-96 cherokees. 97-2001 may be different, i dunno, but its worth a shot. I would get a good quality sender and install it in the jeep if i were in your situation.

Also just as a side note..... Did you rebuild your motor? If you did, you primed the oil pump right? Just trying to rule out possibilities.

DFlintstone

You might want to be right on that gauge with a new motor. If it says no oil pressure, then you run it and ruin it you will be VERY unhappy.

97JeepXJ4x4

but i just replaced the oil pump an everything to an when i unplug it it goes right back to zero? any thoughts?

97JeepXJ4x4

yea when i rebuilt it i primed the pump just like the directions said to? idk what could be causing it. i mean i never had this problem until i broke that sensor an replaced it with an autozone one so im kinda lost right now an dot want to take it tot eh garage again an find it to be just a bad sensor.

goneboating06

If you primed the pump and unplugged the sensor and the gauge went to zero, then my bet is the sensor is junk.

97JeepXJ4x4

OK well ill head out to jeep tom. an buy an oem sensor an let ya know how she works. Or just end up replacing my engine again

carpathia

To be on the safe side you can if you really want to be cheap you can make one from a really long flat screw driver but you can rent one from auto zone 20 dollars (you will get it back) a oil primer rod you put it on a drill, Remove the dist housing and shaft, ( you should be able to see a small notch down the hole looks like you can stick a flat screw driver in it) that is your oil pump stem.turn it with your drill have some one look at the oil instrument and it should move with out the engine on......I did this with my 96.......saves the thought of running your engine with out oil pressure.. you will knock off the timing but thats a different story if your jeep is set up like mine with the auto timing sensor it is verry easy to set it up again.....

97JeepXJ4x4

Well got an OEM oil pressure sender an she works like a beauty, guess its does pay off to spend a little extra an not get a cheap one.