Sometimes my car refuses to start. It happens randomly maybe 2 times every 3-4 months.

When i try to start the car the check gages light is on and the oil pressure gage is not moving! Can it be the oil pressure sensor or the oil pump?

Any ideas?

Its a 99 3.8L

 

What is the oil pressure normally when you are running your car? No security light issues when it will not start? Do you have any codes?

 

The only code that I have is a O2 sensor that I need to replace.

The normal oil pressure when I start the car is right at 40, after it warms up it drops a little bit but goes back up when I press the gas.

 

Check the wires on the sending unit. Usually if the sending unit is bad, it will leak oil and will be very erratic or just stop showing pressure and never work again. I think that there is a oil level switch on the oil pan that will not allow the engine to start if it does not sense enough oil in the pan as well.

 

Thanks osduck5 for the reply. I'm going to check the switch that's on the oil pan tomorrow but can you tell me the location of the sending unit. I checked Alldata but they only give me the specs and nothing about the location.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Oil sending unit is just above the oil filter. It is a black plastic piece a couple inches long screwed into the front of the engine with a couple wires from the wiring harness plugged into it.

 

Ill check into that sometimes next weekend. The car started fine this morning and I changed the oil today. I looked at the gage and the oil pressure is at 60 (not at 40 like I said before) which I'm pretty sure is normal.

thanks again for the help.