D16 low oil pressure when going up big hills

2001 Volvo 770 Cummins N14

Few years ago I had a low oil pressure warning, my mechanic was pulling his hair out change and oil pumps trying to figure out what the problem was.

We eventually found the problem in the dash, at a loose wire on the circuitboard where the oil pressure gauge is.

Have someone test your oil pressure with mechanical gauge on the engine separate from your dash gauge.

 

I have a friend who went through this. Up hill and stop lights his oil pressure would drop a lot. Come to find out his dip stick was never calibrated. He bought the truck used and it was not the dip stick that came with the truck when new.

He bought an after market dip stick new. It was long and no markings. They pulled up the specs on how much oil goes in the truck. They changed the oil and put new oil in minus 2 gallons and marked the stick. Put in one more gallon and marked the stick then cut off some excess.

 

Yes. The new dipstick was never calibrated and was too long so he thought he always had enough oil in when in fact it wasn't

 

So, go get your oil changed. Pull out your manual and see how much oil your engine takes WITH new oil filter. Tell them to put exactly that much in. Take dipstick out and see where level is. If stick is off then take a file and make a new mark on the dipstick.

You can also tell them to stop short by 3 gallons and make a mark. Then 2 then 1.

 

Check Posibility of Adding an manual Oil Psi gauge for testing purposes or try to change oil psi sensor to eliminate that out of the equation. The other thing i have for you is that did anyone recently work on the top end of the engine, volvo has a engine brake valve with two o rings on top if one of those o rings breaks than it will drop the oil psi to half of what it is supposed to be. this is the kind of issue you want to get figured out sooner rather than later because the aftermath from this is quiet extensive.