Hey guys, i have owned my EL fairmont ghia for 6 months now and from when i bought it had really low oil pressure readings to the point where it once hit the red zone, i have had the pressure switch changed and now when the car is cold the reading sits between the highest bar to nearly touching the red zone at the top and when at operating temp sits between the lowest bar to right near the red zone at the bottom, any suggestions as to what it might be would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

Is the sender fitted for a gauge rather than a light ? It may be right and there is an issue with the relief valve. In your position I would buy another gauge ( electric aftermarket ) and replace the sender with the new one, fit the gauge on the dash with Duct tape, and you can make a plug for the lighter to power it. ( run the sender wire out the side of the bonnet and in through the door ) This is just to test the engine, if all seems good there is an issue with your gauge. If it is the engine, then it is on borrowed time.

Regards 96ELGli

I've got an issue with my EL Fairmont Ghia, the oil pressure guage is all the way up the top in the red at idle, then when you rev, it goes down to 3/4 way but works its way back up at idle.

But I've got no issues like lifter noise, bulging filters etc.

Dodgy guage?

Mine only increases as the revs increase and decreases to a point at idle

They all do this. It's a mechanical oil pump which increases speed with the engine revs, so at idle you will get lower oil pressure. You only need worry if the oil light comes on and the car starts beeping at you. Mine usually sits about 5mm off the red 'Low Pressure' segment on the gauge at idle.


Oil is thickest at cold start up, hence the high reading. What grade oil are you running and how well do you understand what the oil rating means?
I'm using 15w-40 in my wagon, a little thick perhaps but she's done over 350,000ks.


I'd check the sender first. Notorious for stuffing up and giving dodgy readings. The gauge itself is electronic, and in my experience fairly reliable as long as the sender is ok. I have used these guys before as they are local to me and it's all N.O.S. but there are others on E-Bay.

Thanks mate, where is the sender located on the car?

I imagine its one of those things where you can't gain something you didn't have in the first place, for example your fuel guage will only go down, it won't magically go up.

No worries.
The sender is in a prick of a spot, it screws into the block underneath the intake manifold just above and forward of the engine mount. These things have a habit of breaking the second you so much as look at them sideways so you need to be really careful when removing or replacing them.
The best way I have found is by removing the airbox to give you more room, but even then it is a tight squeeze. Use a ratchet and 2 extension bars with a 'knuckle' joint between them and you will also need a deep 1&1/16" socket. I cannot stress enough, you need to be very gentle with them. I have gone through 3 in the last year.. admittedly they were 2nd hand, but still.
I am now using a brand new N.O.S. one from the link I gave earlier and it's done 3 months no problems... yet.

Thanks much mate, only one problem is that I've only got metric tools, what is the metric version of 1/16?

I've got extensions and uni joints, so no problem there.

I'm thinking about taking the inlet manifold off anyway because I have to do ignition coil, rotor cap and rotor button so I guess if I go through the effort of removing the inlet manifold I can get in there and do this along the way no problem.

27 or 28 mm I think. .
But if you're going to take off the intake you'll be able to get a spanner on there no problem.