PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
How do I test my oil pressure gauge?
I’m restoring an old Chevy pickup, but I’ve hit a snag. For some reason, the oil pressure gauge isn’t moving. It’s got oil and it starts up fine, but the gauge isn’t going up. How do I test the oil pressure gauge itself?
Matt Terzi · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
That sounds like a fun project! Typically when your oil pressure gauge stops working, it isn’t actually the fault of the gauge itself but another issue affecting the gauge. The best way to test your oil pressure gauge is to find the source of the issue and have it repaired.
Usually, it’s the oil pressure sending unit that’s giving your gauge a bad reading. In some vehicles, you can find the sender and see if it’s leaking oil. If it is, you’ll need to replace the sending unit.
If you don’t see a leak, try disconnecting the sender unit’s wire and starting the truck. If the meter maxes out, it’s a bad sender or the sender wire has a problem. If the needle doesn’t move, it’s either the sender wire or the gauge.
It’s a lot easier to pull and replace the sending unit wire than it would be to get the gauge out, but you could also test the gauge with a multimeter just to be safe, provided you can find the gauge manufacturer’s specifications.
We hope this helped you learn how to test the oil pressure gauge and narrow down the list of potential suspects a bit. And while we still have you hear, would you mind if we helped you save hundreds of dollars per year on
car insurance
? Yeah … we figured you might want to stick around for a few seconds for that!Jerry
is America’s #1 top-rated insurance app because it does exactly that. It saves people hundreds and even thousands of dollars per year on car insurance. Not bad for an app with excellent customer service that finds you savings in a few minutes.Jerry users save an average of $887 per year on car insurance. Download the app today and see how much you’ll start saving!
View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies