Oil pressure gauge

[Tom]

I suspect that these two events are coincidental, but ....

When I checked the oil level on the coach en route to Moab, the dipstick said it was 2 quarts below full. I added oil and, after allowing all the oil to drain to the pan, I confirmed that it registered just at the 'full' mark on the dipstick. Shortly afterwards, I happened to be driving and noticed the analog oil pressure gauge pegged hard over. My first reaction was to check the oil pressure in VMSpc and it was reading in a normal range.

In the old days one could tap a misbehaving gauge and it would read normally. If not, a 2x4 could be used for increased accuracy. I haven't been inclined to take the dash apart and risk pulling off a wire or two from another gauge or switch. Is there something different about these gauges that says I should buy a new gauge instead of trying to apply forceful creative calibration?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Chances are the ECM is reading the pressure and then telling the "gauge" what to display. In other words, the thingie on the dash is just a display and not  gauge at all.  Often they aren't continuous reading either, but instead a step function, with the ECM controlling the step levels.  Tapping it won't do much of anything unless the needle is physically stuck (doubtful). I doubt if its the gauge, but it might be a wire or connection. Assuming the step levels are analog, e.g. multiple voltage levels, a short or high resistance would change the reading.

 

[Tom]

Sounds like I have to remove it anyway. Thanks.