Oil pressure drops of at idle
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 69
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From: Martinsburg, WV
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Vehicle 2001 cherokee auto
Problem: Changed oil and after 300mi I'm going down the highway for about 30 mins and I notice the oil pressure isn't sitting where it normally does (about 40-50psi) so I continue to monitor it until I can take the next exit to safely investigate. I pull into a parking lot and let it sit at idle, the oil pressure slowly drops until it finally gives the no oil pressure light. Fearing the worst I shut down and check fluids.
Oil level is exactly where it should be and not contaminated with coolant and vice versa so I restart the motor and it registers pressure and will maintain pressure with rpms above idle but as soon as it goes back to normal idle the pressure drops off again. I decide to start it again and drive home since it was only just down the road and it maintained pressure but still just read lower than normal. Oh and it doesn't smoke or burn anything either. Maybe the sensor is going bad?
Problem: Changed oil and after 300mi I'm going down the highway for about 30 mins and I notice the oil pressure isn't sitting where it normally does (about 40-50psi) so I continue to monitor it until I can take the next exit to safely investigate. I pull into a parking lot and let it sit at idle, the oil pressure slowly drops until it finally gives the no oil pressure light. Fearing the worst I shut down and check fluids.
Oil level is exactly where it should be and not contaminated with coolant and vice versa so I restart the motor and it registers pressure and will maintain pressure with rpms above idle but as soon as it goes back to normal idle the pressure drops off again. I decide to start it again and drive home since it was only just down the road and it maintained pressure but still just read lower than normal. Oh and it doesn't smoke or burn anything either. Maybe the sensor is going bad?
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,577
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I'm thinking that if more folks used an oil filter wrench like the one below, we would have fewer posts about losing oil pressure after an oil change. I'll bet dollars to donuts the sending units are getting clobbered by other types of filter wrenches.
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Herp Derp Jerp

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From: Parham, ON
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L OBD-II
Spec is hand-tight!
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,577
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Herp Derp Jerp

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 18,251
Likes: 17
From: Parham, ON
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L OBD-II
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,577
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Herp Derp Jerp

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 18,251
Likes: 17
From: Parham, ON
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L OBD-II
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