We just had our son's sound system that he bought installed in his Tahoe. Life is wonderful--BUT WAIT! Today I am driving the Tahoe because my car is in the shop. As I was going through the driveup window of the bank, I had it in drive but my foot on the brake. The oil gauge, which is normally at 40 when I am stopped was "wiggling around" about 1/8" in either direction. Is this normal? I put it in park and it just did it a little after that. I never noticed any flucuation before. What the heck? We just had an auto electrician check it out Friday so we were sure everything was OK before the sound sytem went in. He said it needed a battery (which we bought a special "sound battery" at the stereo shop)--that the alternator tested fine. But today I noticed the alternator was running towards the 9 instead of the 14 .
Do we have problems?

 

Since the electrical system is now suspect and the oil gauge is based on 12 volt reference, you can go to a auto parts store like Advance Auto, etc and they'll check battery and alternator for free on the truck.

Not sure what a special "sound battery" is. Not really into the audio scene but there are plenty of others on this forum who are.

 

Oh Mr. Shark, where would I be without you! I am assuming it is a BAD thing the oil gauge is doing? I will take that Tahoe to the Auto Parts store in the morning and have everything checked out. Ya, I love being a middle-aged housewife drivin' that bumpin' Hoe around [](my son doesn't have his permit yet--he lives vicariously through my driving) Boy, do I get some funny looks from kids and adults alike--especially people I know. BTW--the battery is from StingerElectronics.com. I think that sound place saw us coming[sm=insomnia.gif]

 

Unless you know they do these checks, better phone ahead and verify. If batt & alt check out OK, then might have someone (dealer or your own mechanic) put a gauge on the oil system and verify pressure. I assumed your oil level is OK.

 

You know, Mr. Shark--I have not checked the oil since we bought it at the end of August![sm=badidea.gif] The guy we bought it from had just had the oil changed so I assumed it was OK. DH looked at the dipstick when we bought it but that was all. We have hardly driven it since we got it. Nothing underneath--and I look at all our cars. I shall trot out with my Viva paper towels in the morning and check it. I always have this dilema about checking oil. Do I run the car first and let it set for a few minutes? Or do I do it cold? On a flat suface? In the driveway? Your opinion please! Oh, and did I say[sm=thanx.gif]

 

You're welcome. Best checked cold & offon a flat surface to get a true reading but you can move it to flat surface and check it. I was just concerned that it might be several quarts low. If you checked when you got it and it's not leaking or smoking bad, then you're probably OK.

 

Went to Kragewn-had alternator annd battery tested--both good. The guy who did the testing suggested the sending unit on the oil pressure may be going bad. He said it is a much easier thing to replace than the oil pump. Any ideas orcomments?

 

That's a possibility. Might be cheaper to replacethe senderthan to have a mechanic hookup a gauge and get an actual reading. I'm guessing the oil level checked OK.

Curious tho as to why you were only getting a nine volt reading before. Unless the engine wasn't running and the key was in the run position.

 

It's just a dry cell battery used in mobile electronics. I had the same in my old 04 Yukon and if the amplifier was on it tended to run less than 12 volts sometimes dipping down to the 9ish range at idle. Once you get moving the voltage stabalizes back.

 

That could be the problem then if the ref. voltage is 9 instead of 12.

Never heard of a dry cell car battery. How does that work? Is it like a NiMH? Or something like that?