strange oil pressure problems

[lowandsleekDSM]

Well I finally got my car running after a long and drawn out rebuild of my `97 2g. And ive been driving it around lately and it runs like a champ, but ive been noticing something and it just happens when its cold out. We are kinda in the "winter months" here in Florida and when i drive my car in either the morning or at night when its a bit colder out (id say somewhere between upper 40-ish and 50-ish degrees out) my oil pressure changes dramatically. I recently bought a Prosport electric oil pressure gauge and it reads that im running well below the stock oil pressure in the colder weather. (which i searched and well all i could find for a 1g was around 14psi at about 750 rpms. so im going on that). The gauge basically reads zero! and not to mention that the gauge jumps sometimes but it still climbs as like it should when i accelerate. Also i read that i could use 20w50 (personally i think its a little too thick to run but i could be wrong) to get better oil pressure. Now when its warmer out, the gauge is much more stable and it reads that i am running at about 10psi at idle. I havent had any problems up until now. Should i just go ahead and run a different weight oil ? or maybe have Prosport check out the gauge and sending unit itself? Kinda lost on this one since the gauge acts up in the cold but works fine in the warmer weather, almost scared to run the car personally. Just want my car to last nice and long, i want to have some fun with it finally haha Thanx everyone!!!

 

[DeNoZZo]

Well I finally got my car running after a long and drawn out rebuild of my `97 2g. And ive been driving it around lately and it runs like a champ, but ive been noticing something and it just happens when its cold out. We are kinda in the "winter months" here in Florida and when i drive my car in either the morning or at night when its a bit colder out (id say somewhere between upper 40-ish and 50-ish degrees out) my oil pressure changes dramatically. I recently bought a Prosport electric oil pressure gauge and it reads that im running well below the stock oil pressure in the colder weather. (which i searched and well all i could find for a 1g was around 14psi at about 750 rpms. so im going on that). The gauge basically reads zero! and not to mention that the gauge jumps sometimes but it still climbs as like it should when i accelerate. Also i read that i could use 20w50 (personally i think its a little too thick to run but i could be wrong) to get better oil pressure. Now when its warmer out, the gauge is much more stable and it reads that i am running at about 10psi at idle. I havent had any problems up until now. Should i just go ahead and run a different weight oil ? or maybe have Prosport check out the gauge and sending unit itself? Kinda lost on this one since the gauge acts up in the cold but works fine in the warmer weather, almost scared to run the car personally. Just want my car to last nice and long, i want to have some fun with it finally haha Thanx everyone!!!

"want my car to last nice and long, i want to have some fun with it"
- Those two things are hard to have at the same time.

I also have a prosport oil press gauge. And mine only goes as low as 7 at times. What weight oil do you have in now?

 

[lowandsleekDSM]

Yea i knw its hard to have these cars to run a long time and have fun with them too but a boy can dream cant he?
Anyways im running valvoline 10w40 right now. (sorry i didnt put that in the post) Now a lot of guys told me on another forum (not dsmtalk.com) to run 20w50 but im a little hesitant about that, ive never ran anything thicker then 10w40 not sure how the car would react to it, other then the obvious higher oil pressure due to the higher weight oil. Now in the warmer climate the oil gauge is very consistant and stable, just thought i would throw that little bit of info in there too.