I have cleaned my oil pan three times and flushed the motor for 20 minutes before changing and clean oil pick up. I get very small pieces out every time. its goes for a short time then starts doing it again. I was told that I may have to remove valve covers on the motor and start cleaning there and then flush the motor,clean the pick up screen again, then run oil for about two weeks and flush the motor again and then it should solve the problem. this is a 99 Dodge ram 1500 2 wheel drive with a 318 motor. this problem only show up when I am stopped at a light after the motor warms up. if I put it in neutral, the pressure goes back up from zero to about around 40psi. its a clogging issue but my question is how to solve it? Thanks for your time

Steve,
When I hear about these problems I usually try and get the answers to the following questions, I would like to help, if you can answer the questions I might be able to suggest a resolution to your problem.

1.What type(weight)and brand of oil are you using?
2.How did you flush your engine?
3.What flush did you use?
4.What oil filter do you use?
5.How often do you change your oil filter?
6.How often do you change your oil?
7.How long is a short time?
8.Is your oil pressure guage the original equipment supplied when the truck was manufactured?
9.How many miles are on the engine?
10.Have the bearing ever been replaced (Main and or Rod)?

I've cleaned up a lot of engines but never had that problem. I also won't use the 20 min flushes. I prefer something like AutoRx.

Once you answer those important questions we can try to help

I would check out the MMO Forums, you can become a member and contact the guy who is running the site. MMO might be able to help you out. I have had great results with the product.

Auto-Rx works great to, visit there site and become a member on the forum and ask questions.

Instead of me saying use MMO or auto-rx, do some research and ask some questions and then make a decision, both of these products are much better than a 20 minute flush.

i have also a dodge ram and i noticed that the oil light would flicker at stop lights. i changed the oil and replaced the oil sending unit/oil pump. the light started coming on at low speeds. i tried to pull and clean the oil pan but then a few days later the lights comes on again. i get upset and just ignore the light. please help me if you can.

Install a mechanical guage in place of the sensor and find out what the true oil pressure is. As I understand it there is an issue with the oil pressure sensor wiring harness. The oil pressure sensor works on veriable resistance and is effected by temperature.

I have a 99 Dodge grand caravan that occasionally has a oil pressure issue myself. I have driven it for 50 miles and the oil pressure light came on at ever single stop. After leaving the store it never came on again. This has made me wonder if the oil pressure bypass spring was not stuck while running.

Bottom line.

You need something with some solvency to it. A synthetic oil? I'm not a fan of brew your mix stuff.

When I've had stuff that needed a flush, I've run the harsh, do not drive with it, stuff, and done OK.

But I am not a fan of adding to a finely blended name brand oil.

I would, in a case like your, mix 4 fossil to 1 synthetic of thwe same weight to get the solvency boost. But it would be a true synthetic, not a super refined dino. So M1? Amsoil? Dunno.

And you need to change the filter at some short intervals for a while. No point in breaking crud lose unless you also take it out.

Of course, knowing true oil pressure will help too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RobertC,

I like Taterandnoodles answer the best. The symptoms you describe could be consistent with an actual systemic loss of oil pressure (bad) or a loss of signal to the oil gauge/idiot light (scary but not that serious). You can't figure our the right course of action until you determine the actual nature of the problem.

I'd think about pulling the sender and seeing if there are any obstructions in the well.

How many miles are on this 318 engine?? Are you the original owner?? Perhaps the engine is worn out .....

Not a clogging issue. If you pull the oil pan again, buy and install a high volume oil pump and install it while your in there. Its a bandaid fix for excessive bearing clearances. They are fairly cheap and available. The chunks you mentioned are a bad sign,probably timing chain or gears. Poor quality OEM timing gear sets develop alot of slop and can wear quickly after that. It could also be valve train wear or failure. New oil pump and timing gear sets are fairly easy fixes and you might get lucky and stop further damage from debris. Any of the solvent type of engine flushes will LOWER the oil pressure due to thinning and aggravate your low oil pressure at idle.