arcc

Hi Guy's,<br>I have been reading for a while but this is my first post.<br><br>I have a 99 2500 auto stock. Yesterday while driving home I noticed the stock oil preassure gauge was reading normal at highway speeds. I had to slow down for traffic and the guage kept reading the same. Usually the guage drops to mid scale at idle. So I thought it may be a stuck guage. When I stopped and turned off the engine, the guage dropped to zero as normal. When I started again the reading went back to the highway speed reading. So I figured I would take in for a check Monday. <br>This morning I cranked it up and the guage stayed at zero. I stopped the truck and checked the oil. It was about a quart low so I added a quart and restarted the truck again. This time the pressure guage gave me a reading then returned to zero after a short time. So I shut it down until Monday.<br>My question is: does this sound like a sensor problem or an engine problem? Also should I have it towed in for service?<br><br>I am not at home with the truck so I will not be able to check any thing now but would like anyones advice.<br> <br>Thanks in advance (the truck has 75000 miles on it).<br>Randy<br>

thumper 549

thes trucks have abuilt in flaw with the sender. takes a new sender and a reflash. how ever verify you have oil p. be fore you you drive by some other means [real guage] or pull the valve cover to see if it's oiling up there .<br>thats my opion.

Shovelhead

Replace the pressure sender, avoid the reflash. <br><br>The reflash just tells the ECM to make the gauge read an acceptable pressure when the engine's running.

Dieseldude4x4

I posted a thread on how to change the sending unit a while back. I'll see if I can find it.

From previous post. Mine was doing all kinds of funny things too, would go to the high side as soon as I turned the key on before I started the engine even.

Just changed my oil pressure sending unit and it only cost me $196 for the unit and $97 worth of tools. Took all of about 4 1/2 minutes once I figured out how to do it the right way.
You will need a 1 1/4 deep well socket, about a 30 inch extension and a ratchet. Had my son lay under the truck and disconnect it from the bottom. He put the socket on the sending unit and I pushed the extension through from the wheel well over top of the tire. There is an o-ring seal on it so it doesn't have to be real tight. Swapped them out, reconnected the wire and viola, you're done. Works like a champ.

The pressure switch had to be bought from Chrysler but it came in a Cummins box with a Cummins part number. Tell me that ain't a load of manure.

Actually on the tool part, I had to buy the 1 1/4 socket for about five bucks but I saw a 1/2 inch drive ratchet I liked so I bought that. Then I saw a 3/8 inch drive to match the half so I bought it too. Then I saw a standard set of stubby wrenches I liked so I bought them and then I saw the same set in metric to match so I bought them too.

And then I saw, ah, nevermind, you get the picture.

DD4X4

thumper 549

you can get it from cummmins its a whole bunch cheaper<br>pn316475 and<br>4076930<br> I do not know what the extra wire is for yet as I have not installed it, they said ya got to buy it too. <br> as soon as I figure out whats thumpin in my eng. Ill get to the ez stuff.

arcc

Thanks for the help guys.<br><br>I have not had a chance to work on it yet. I have checked with the local Cummins dealer, after checking I believe he came up with the some numbers as Thumper. He said I needed the wire too. Price about $30 total. I will go by and get the parts this afternoon and work on it Tuesday. I also checked with Dodge and the parts guy almost fell out when he read it was about $180.<br><br>Dieseldude if you can find the link I will print the instructions out tonight. I think I have a socket big enough. If not I will need more control than you at Sears Tuesday. ;D<br><br>I will post an update if this fixes the problem.<br>

Mexstan

[quote author=dieseldude4x4 link=board=4;threadid=17317;start=0#162210 date=1058768145] <br><br>Actually on the tool part, I had to buy the 1 1/4 socket for about five bucks but I saw a 1/2 inch drive ratchet I liked so I bought that. Then I saw a 3/8 inch drive to match the half so I bought it too. Then I saw a standard set of stubby wrenches I liked so I bought them and then I saw the same set in metric to match so I bought them too. <br><br>And then I saw, ah, nevermind, you get the picture.<br><br>DD4X4<br>[/quote]<br><br><br>Shrink: &quot;Now tell me what your problem is&quot;<br>DD4X4: &quot;Well doc, it's like this. I have a tool fetish and no self control. Can you help me?&quot;<br>Shrink: &quot;You have a serious condition. There is no known cure. That will be $1000 please&quot;.<br><br>Of course you DTR's will come up other answers.

Dieseldude4x4

Replacement instructions:<br><br>Just changed my oil pressure sending unit and it only cost me $196 for the unit and $97 worth of tools. Took all of about 4 1/2 minutes once I figured out how to do it the right way. <br>You will need a 1 1/4 deep well socket, about a 30 inch extension and a ratchet. Had my son lay under the truck and disconnect it from the bottom. He put the socket on the sending unit and I pushed the extension through from the wheel well over top of the tire. There is an o-ring seal on it so it doesn't have to be real tight. Swapped them out, reconnected the wire and viola, you're done. Works like a champ.

emjay

It's like Deja Vu all over again

Dieseldude4x4

Vuja de all over again.

Haulin_in_Dixie

[quote author=dieseldude4x4 link=board=4;threadid=17317;start=0#162210 date=1058768145]<br>You will need a 1 1/4 deep well socket, about a 30 inch extension and a ratchet. [/quote]<br><br>Might as well go and get the 1 1/4 deep socket, you will need it for the map sensor sooner or later.

arcc

Thanks for the help guys. The new sender fixed the problem. ;D

Now I will share what I learned along the way. It will be interesting and help others.

First, when I called Cummins local and gave them the engine number, which they asked for, they came up with the part #'s I needed. This was the two numbers (4076930 and 3164755). These two parts were under $20. When reading the instuctions for installing these parts, I found it was not an easy job. The original sender used a molded plug with three pins on it. The new sender had a different plug with only one pin. The new kit included a new plug for the truck. With this kit you had to run a new wire and install a new pin in the wiring harness. Also a cap was included to cover the old plug. When this was done the computer had to be reflashed to recalabrate the guage. This is not something one can do very well at home. To me this seems to just turn the pressure guage into an idiot light ???. This would make sense with what some have said about the guage not moving. Just reading the same thing after the engine is started up.

Well, I did not like this solution. :- So I decided to pay the price for the part at Dodge if I had to and get the exact part. Dodge price $187. There were two or three dealers with it in stock. I found the original Cummins part number on the Spec. page and called Cummins and just asked for this part #. They said the # was obsolete and crossed it to a new #. They knew it fit an ISB and asked if it was in a Dodge or Ford. I told them Dodge and got the new #. This was the exact replacement and only $70. I got home disconnected the plug took the old one out screwed the new in reconnected the plug and was back in operation. Total work time about 15 minutes after 3 days of chasing down the correct parts.

I have been running the truck for 4 days and the guage works like it always did. I do not have all the numbers in front of me, but tonight I will post them. This way others will have them if needed.

Thanks again and I will go back to the sidelines for now.

Wilson

arcc,
You dont happen to have the new part number that replaced the obsolete one do you? I think it would be helpful for alot of folks.

arcc

Well, I am back in town.

Here is the numbers I promised.

Cummins (exact replacement) $70:
Old # -- 3408428
New # -- 4088390

Cummins (idiot light ?) about $20:
Sender -- 4076930
Wire -- 3164755

Dodge (exact repalcement) $187:
5012-991ab
There is also a new # 5012-991ac. I did not look to see if this is the new Cummins part or not.

Thanks again.