I have a 1993 Dodge Dakota, 2wd, 2 door, and only recently have I ever
experienced a problem with it. Since Jan 04 1999 afternoon I noticed
that the oil pressure gauge wasn't reading the usual indication (like
almost all the way to the right), but instead about right in the middle
of the gauge. (That morning it looked OK.) This morning jan 05 while
starting it up and letting it idle to warm up, the pressure was still
reading about half-way. Only when I got out on the highway and got up to
about 45 MPH (it's cold and dangerous but I still gotta get to work) for
a few miles out of town that the pressure went down to nothing.
Panic doesn't begin to describe my anxiety. I get it turned around, got
back home. A friend came over to examine it.
I made a stop and put in 2 quarts of oil in my panic to make sure it had
_something_ and got it home. My friend observed that in idle, I got some
sort of oil pressure, but making the engine run like about 1800 RPMs,
the oil pressure bottoms out. Idling again brought pressure back, and
getting up to about 1800 RPMs (like making the engine do work or
whatever) the oil pressure bottoms out.
I got plenty of oil. The engine hasn't burned any since I got it. I have
changed it many times.
The strange thing is that I had NO bit of problem until after I took it
to one Goodyear service place about 2 weeks ago to have new front tires
put on it. I've been leary of them since seeing my mother take her car
there for service, only to have some other repair "suddenly" come up.
Not to badmouth all Goodyear service centers, just my paranoid view of
the one where I live in NE Ohio.
What could be the possible problems?
- Crack in the block?
- oil pump going bad?
- something clogging the works?
- seal or gasket needing replace?
- need an Engine flush?
- too much oil and cold weather giving me a false reading?
- something else?
The first time out on the road the pressure bottomed out, I knew it
wasn't lying. I could hear the engine working as I carefully and slowly
got it back. It still starts up OK, but I don't dare drive it. I don't
know what to do!!!
I need an answer right away, because I have no idea how much this will
be and if I can afford it. It's been the only reliable transportation I
got and I really can't afford anything like a $500 job. I look forward
to any help you can provide, hopefully emailed directly to me.
"Read this very carefully, for I shall type this only once!"
"There would be little point in typing it twice!!" - 'Allo 'Allo
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