trashcan

I just took a road trip, about 300 miles. When I arrived, I parked the car for the night. I started it this morning and my oil pressure gauge reads zero. It doesn't budge an inch. I checked the oil, and the level is exactly where it should be (I changed it last week).

How do I know if something is wrong with the sending unit, or something else terrible (like the oil pump)? I am at a friend's house, I don't have access to many tools. Any advice would be appreciated, all the dealerships and Nissan are closed for Sunday.

roast

iTrader: (2)

You can easily check the gauges by holding down the trip meter button while you turn the key on....then once you turn the key on (not the engine) let off of the trip button and then push it 3 times within a few seconds... all your gauges should light up.... and then when you hold the trip button down all of your gauges should move.

trashcan

I did that.. My oil pressure gauge did not move at all. So that confirms that it is the guage that is faulty?

The voltmeter went to about 11, and everything on the trip computer lit up.
Edit: By trip computer I meant the left-most multi-function gauge.

NVS_350Z

iTrader: (2)

either you have a faulty oil gauge or the signal wire to the gauge has shorted/open circuit. If your sensor was bad it should throw a CEL.

roast

iTrader: (2)

yeah...if all of the other gauges moved and the oil pressure gauge didn't move.... that pretty much confirms that there is a problem with the gauge somewhere.... it's not likely that you don't have any oil pressure.

trashcan

thanks everyone!

bofa

iTrader: (23)

Check your oil level just in case... if it's low check the oil consumption threads and let the games being. Hopefully that's not the case though...

roast

iTrader: (2)

No problem...

"I checked the oil, and the level is exactly where it should be"

kzshin

My oil pressure reads zero too, but it does not stay at Zero, It acutally will move up like it usually does. However, from my past experience it never reached zero. That's why my car went back to dealer today.

dnguyent

iTrader: (5)

My 2004 has recently acquired the zero oil pressure symptom. It doesn't happen every time I start the car; I would guess 1 out of 3 starts.

The scenario goes like this:
I turn on the car, the oil lamp flashes, and I have absolutely zero oil pressure. If the car has been sitting for a few hours, the engine will make noticeable mechanical noises, so I'm ruling out a faulty oil pressure sending unit because it in fact sounds like a dry engine.

Sometimes, the oil pressure suddenly wakes up from dead after idling for about 10 seconds. At other times, it fails to pump oil through the engine, and I turn it off for the fear of causing engine damage. I can let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour, and restart it, and sometimes I get oil pressure, and at other times, zero pressure. This problem is intermittent.

I've changed the oil and oil filter, and that hasn't helped. I've checked the oil levels, and it's good. I'm using the same oil and oil filter for the past 2 years (mobil1).

I track my car 8-15 times per year for the past 3.5 years. I do have an aux oil cooler, but I've it on my car for about 3 years.

Once there is oil pressure, there is always oil pressure...it does not go away. Even while driving on the track hard on race compounds, the oil pressure is still there. So, my problem is on startup only.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

-Don

thecreeper

Realise this is a 9 year old thread, but just wondering if there was ever any resolution to the issue described in the post directly above mine here... ? My car has just developed seemingly the exact same issue

rancor

Check your oil pressure with a gauge and make sure it's not the sensor failing. If it's not the sensor it sounds like the oil pump or pickup is failing or broken.

thecreeper

Thanks for the reply. It'd be nice if it was just the sensor! It felt like something more sinister given the noise coming from the engine bay but I'll give that a go today and pull the pump if not.

Cheers
Mike

Peyton Shown

I know this thread is old but I can’t figure out something on my 04 that’s similar to the ones above. I had my galley gaskets changed and then my oil gauge will start reading 0 after it’s warmed up at idle and my oil lamp will light up. Gauge will move as well. I’ve changed the sensor and checked my oil levels and they’re fine. I’ve even went as far as having a friend gauge the oil psi for an hour while it isles and it never went below 15psi. Do I for sure have a faulty gauge?

813_350Z

Did you replace the sensor with an OEM sensor or an Autozone / Rock Auto / O' Reilly's, etc?

Jacobmr

I know it’s an old thread but I did this and all gauges moved including oil pressure gauge what could that be??

dnguyent

iTrader: (5)

I wasn't able to respond to inquiries after my post because I got fed up with one of the moderators and shut down my account. I still have my 350z and I was about to resolve my issue.

​​​​​​Apparently, there is an oil bypass valve where the oil filter is screwed on. The valve works on a simple ball and spring that covers a hole meant to allow oil bypass. Well, some small metal debris got lodged in the valve and kept it open thereby allowing oil to bypass when it shouldn't. I don't have the factory service manual handy but it is not difficult to get to this valve. You just have to remove the oil filter and you should find the valve. All I did was use a screwdriver to push the ball back and allow the oil and debris to clear the valve.

After I did that, the intermittent oil pressure issues at startup went away. I can gladly say the car has had very few problems in the 19 years of ownership.