On 2001 monte carlo 3800 where should the oil pressure gage be reading when i am driving and what should it read when i am a idle, should after i drive it for over half hour read on the red when i am at an idle. and then go up when i start increasing speed.

 

For your future threads, under the Thread Title you should be a little more descriptive instead of writing chevey57 for each one

The oil pressure should be AROUND the half-way mark while idling. As you increase with the throttle the pressure should rise, sometimes can get to 3/4 mark, but it should go back down after you let off the throttle.

You should not be in either red zone.

Does the needle move erratically? Meaning it can go all the way to the red zone, and then PAST it? When you shut the car off, does it go to zero? You might have a stepper motor going bad in the cluster and NOT an oil pressure problem. But you might still want to get it checked out if you suspect a pressure problem

 

it only goes in the red after i have been driving for awhile and come to a stop, but if i put the car in neutrel it goes back to just under the halfway mark. when i turn the car off it does go back to zero. the needle does not move erractically.

 

When was the last time you did an oil change?

 

about 700 miles ago

 

Did you do it yourself? I wonder if the wrong weight of oil was put in, or there is too much in there. Check the level on the dipstick and make sure it isn't overfilled.

Also was the oil filter changed at the same time?

 

before i had the oil changed it was overfilled, so i had the oil changed by jiffy lube i checked the oil about every day for the past 2 weeks, oil level right where it should be.

 

How did it get over filled?..

Just a thought:

Is there gas in the oil? this will delute the viscosity of the oil very rapidly....and cause huge fluxuations in pressure readings...

Pull out the dip stick and smell it..To see if it smells like gas.... if it does..Then u have a whole new problem..That maybe causeing the fluxuation in oil pressure..

 

When I bought the car used I checked the oil thats when I found out it had been overfilled so I had jiffy lube change the oil they put 5w30, no gas smell in the oil.

 

Hopefully there wasn't any damage to the oil pump because of the overfilling.

It's easy to overfill these cars. It only takes 4.5 quarts, many people just buy the 5 quart jugs and throw the whole thing in. They are stupid.

Was the oil filter changed at Jiffy Lube?