Oil Pressure Dropping

**SINIS7R** · 11-20-2018

The oil pressure is dropping when I accelerate with medium to heavy pedal. Is this normal? No codes were thrown.

The pressure at start up is around 50 and then after warm up goes down to mid 20s (this seems low too).
I checked the oil level and it's all good.

**Steve M** · 11-20-2018

That should not be happening IMO. Could be a bad oil pressure sensor/sender, or worse. A dealer with a competent Viper tech would be my next stop.

**swexlin** · 11-20-2018

I bet it's the sensor. Pressure should go up as you accelerate. After my car is warm, I've seen pressure as low as high 20s on a warm summer day at idle. That's normal, as least for 0W 40.

These sensors go bad across the FCA line of vehicles, to my understanding it's somewhat common.

**SINIS7R** · 11-20-2018

Originally Posted by swexlin

I bet it's the sensor. Pressure should go up as you accelerate. After my car is warm, I've seen pressure as low as high 20s on a warm summer day at idle. That's normal, as least for 0W 40.

These sensors go bad across the FCA line of vehicles, to my understanding it's somewhat common.

Okay that's what I was thinking. I found an old post that sort of had the same issue. Surprised the 2017 model didn't fix this issue.

**swexlin** · 11-20-2018

Originally Posted by SINIS7R

Okay that's what I was thinking. I found an old post that sort of had the same issue. Surprised the 2017 model didn't fix this issue.

It's not Viper-specific - many vehicles in the FCA line (cars Jeeps, etc) all use the same sensor, for years, and they go bad. At least that's what my Viper tech tells me. And what I've seen on other forums.

**Jack B** · 11-20-2018

Opinion - do not drive it or start it, park it in your garage and change the oil pressure sensor. The installation is simple and you will know immediately if it was the sensor.

**Voice of Reason** · 11-20-2018

When my sensor went bad it went BAD. Like it showed 100 at idle and -1 any other time bad. If you’re seeing a gradual drop with rpm I wonder if it’s more than just a sensor.

**SilverACR** · 11-21-2018

Do what Jack B said. Don’t chance making a yuge mistake. If it’s not the sensor you do not want to add damage. A rebuild is a lot cheaper if you don’t grenade it. I have seen people chance things like this and send rods through blocks, though not in a viper. (A few of SBCs and a couple of Ford small blocks which flat split in half)

**dewilmoth** · 11-21-2018

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

When my sensor went bad it went BAD. Like it showed 100 at idle and -1 any other time bad. If you’re seeing a gradual drop with rpm I wonder if it’s more than just a sensor.

Exactly what I was thinking.

**swexlin** · 11-21-2018

These guys make sense. Change the sensor, or have it flatbedded to your dealer, just to be safe.

**SINIS7R** · 11-21-2018

Should not have drove it. I just was too excited since I just purchased the car. Car died going 65 on the highway. I have a appointment booked at Dodge dealership when it gets back to Michigan.

**swexlin** · 11-21-2018

Originally Posted by SINIS7R

Should not have drove it. I just was too excited since I just purchased the car. Car died going 65 on the highway. I have a appointment booked at Dodge dealership when it gets back to Michigan.

Oh crap. Maybe I missed it, but what year car, and how many miles on it when you bought it? So it died, and you needed a flatbed? Where is the car now?

**SINIS7R** · 11-21-2018

It's a 2017 SRT and is at 8125 and I bought it with 7930. I'm having it shipped back to Michigan from Florida. But I'm currently on the side of a highway waiting for the semi to pick it up. Hopefully it will all be covered under warranty

**RedTanRT/10** · 11-21-2018

Any idea why the engine died? Did you check the oil level after seeing the pressure drop? Or after it died?

**swexlin** · 11-21-2018

Originally Posted by SINIS7R

It's a 2017 SRT and is at 8125 and I bought it with 7930. I'm having it shipped back to Michigan from Florida. But I'm currently on the side of a highway waiting for the semi to pick it up. Hopefully it will all be covered under warranty

O right, I remember your thread about buying this car now. So you juuusst bought it? How about taking it back to the selling dealer and saying WTF? You didn't even get it home.

**SINIS7R** · 11-21-2018

The oil level last night when I was done driving it was fine. It was in the safe zone. And I didn't get a chance to check after it died. I have a Viper tech looking at it on Monday. I'll keep posting updates..

**swexlin** · 11-21-2018

Thanks, please keep us posted. Was there a service history available when you bought the car? I hate hearing issues like this.

**SINIS7R** · 11-21-2018

I bought it from a private seller through eBay. So if for some reason it's not covered I'm going to have a fight with eBay. Yah I had all the history of the vehicle before I bought it. There was a vacuum leak that popped up a couple times, last occurred at 5600 miles. Then there were two oil changes. With the last oil change a tire was replaced. And that's all there was in the service history.

**SilverACR** · 11-21-2018

Sorry to hear. Did it make what you could describe as an engine failure noise? Wishful thinking from me and most others on here would be an electrical gremlin that can be solved cheaply.

Best of luck.

**Martin** · 11-21-2018

Geez, a '17 with that many miles and it just now gives up the ghost? Really sorry to hear that - hopefully it is something electrical, but it doesn't sound like it. Things like this are my worst nightmare - buying a car out of state, driving it home, and having the thing go kaput during the trip.

So, no codes, no weird noises right before it died? Previous owner claims that the oil pressure issue never surfaced before? Any oil analyses ever done on it?

**SINIS7R** · 11-21-2018

Originally Posted by Martin

Geez, a '17 with that many miles and it just now gives up the ghost? Really sorry to hear that - hopefully it is something electrical, but it doesn't sound like it. Things like this are my worst nightmare - buying a car out of state, driving it home, and having the thing go kaput during the trip.

So, no codes, no weird noises right before it died? Previous owner claims that the oil pressure issue never surfaced before? Any oil analyses ever done on it?

There were no visible codes before it died but engine light went on right when it died and oil pressure light was flashing red. I really thought getting a 2017 I would be out of this mess!

**ky13** · 11-21-2018

Do you have an OBD2 scanner? They're cheap, if you don't (this is what I have used on all of my (OBD2 compliant) cars: https://www.amazon.com/OBD2-OBDII-Bl...obd2+bluetooth )

**Jack B** · 11-21-2018

Originally Posted by SINIS7R

The oil level last night when I was done driving it was fine. It was in the safe zone. And I didn't get a chance to check after it died. I have a Viper tech looking at it on Monday. I'll keep posting updates..

A little heads up, this is no minor issue, check both sides of the dipsrick.The low side is the correct side.

**Jack B** · 11-21-2018

Originally Posted by SINIS7R

There were no visible codes before it died but engine light went on right when it died and oil pressure light was flashing red. I really thought getting a 2017 I would be out of this mess!

If the code is not emissions related, it might not show on the dash. The light would come on, the code might not