Oil Pressure

[Kingston]

I'm starting to notice when I start my 2001 EXT Cab Duramax that the oil pressure gauge is slow to come up and when the low oil light in the message center comes on the oil pressure gauge jumps up and the light goes out. This has always happened follwing an oil change but to do it know between changes concerns me. It only happens on initial start up of the day and has done it after the truck as sit for several days but also has done it after only one night. Is the oil pump lossing prime? do I have a major problem developing? The truck has 78,000 miles and runs fine.

[DmaxMaverick]

Could be a weak anti-drainback valve in the filter. You aren't using Fram, are you?? It could happen with any of them. Also, the oil level sensor is known to fail on ocasion with high miles. Removal, cleaning and reinstallation usually cures it for a good while.

[Dakster]

I miss analog gauges. You know the ones that actually MEASURE the pressure themselves rather than thru a sending unit...

I don't know if it is possible, but you might be able to put an analog gauges on and see if, in fact, the sending unit for oil pressure is bad. I would imagine that if you pressure is really bad your motor should be making strange noises and running different.

[killerbee]

Could be a weak anti-drainback valve in the filter.

ditto. You should not be able to blow any air through the threaded hole. I use baldwin. it seems to have good internals for anti-drainback.

[Kennedy]

I'm starting to notice when I start my 2001 EXT Cab Duramax that the oil pressure gauge is slow to come up and when the low oil light in the message center comes on the oil pressure gauge jumps up and the light goes out. This has always happened follwing an oil change but to do it know between changes concerns me. It only happens on initial start up of the day and has done it after the truck as sit for several days but also has done it after only one night. Is the oil pump lossing prime? do I have a major problem developing? The truck has 78,000 miles and runs fine.

The last time I heard this I told the party to remove the POS Fram filter and put a good filter on. I was right on both counts. It was a Fram and it was the problem...