Oil Pressure Problem? Perhaps the gauge?

[blackmercedes]

A funny thing is happening with our 190E 2.6.

As soon as you some to a stop, or other idle condition, the oil pressure gauge flops (yes, FLOPS) right onto the zero mark. Bang against the post. Once driving, it zips up to 3 bar as normal, but then as soon as I come to a stop, FLOP!

Well, needless to say this freaked me out a tad, so I zipped home and ran 'er into the garage. With the engine at idle, and the gauge at zero (am I brave or stupid?) I hopped out and listed for bad noises. None. No lifter noise, no chain noise, no death rattles at all. Then I pulled the filler cap and checked the valve train. No shortage of oil in the top end. Everything seems normal. Tha cam is sitting in a nice bath of dino-juice and everything is whirring around just like it's supposed to.

I won't be able to get a mechanical gauge onto it until next week. Opinions?

[manny]

Bad sending unit would be my first guess, but I'd still check it with a mechanical gauge.

[Pete Geither]

John, I am going through the exact same thing with my TE right now. I had a new oil pump installed,,, you guessed it,,, not cheap, and the issue still exists. I am going for the new sending unit and o rings and filter, and if THAT doesn't fix it,,, I'm going to put some black tape over the guage and forget it. I understand that Mercedes quit putting oil gauges in the new cars for the same reasons.

[suginami]

John,

The same thing happened to my car, and it was the sending unit.

Have you checked your schedule about meeting for dinner next Sunday or Monday night?

[blackmercedes]

Sorry about the delay! Getting to Calgary for me is pretty tight right now (3 hours each way, or so) so it's been tough to try to find a way to get there and back around my schedule right now. I can't overnight into Monday since I have to be here Monday morning, so Sunday evening would mean driving back, very late.

Let me work on it another day, see what I can do...

Thanks for the advice guys. I had always thought that the failure of the sending unit would mean a truly broken or wonky gauge. This business of rising to 3 bar once underway had me thinking that the gauge must be okay, and I actually have no pressure at idle. Scary!!

Everything seems normal though, and there is plenty of oil in the top end, which has me thinking that the pressure is okay. Hopefully. !!

It's funny, this old car. I've put about 100km's on the C230 in the last six weeks. The old 2.6 is still nice to drive. However, with gas at $.90 a litre (a hair over $4.00 a gallon) this morning, the much-more-miserly C230 will probably be called back into full time service for a while.

[suginami]

Thanks, John.

I didn't realize it was a three hour drive each way. I'd still love to break bread with you and enjoy a glass of wine, but if it's too much trouble, I completely understand.

FWIW, you are welcome to bring your wife.