Chrysler Repair: 1997 Cirrus 2.5L V6 Oil Pressure Light Flickers at at idle, light flickers, light flicker

Question
I have a 1997 Cirrus with 2.5L V6 that belonged to my wife's grandmother and has 87,000 miles on it, of which 6000 were put on it over the last 5 years.  Once the engine warms up, the oil pressure light flickers at idle.  Dealer said it was probably the oil pressure sensor, but is looks pretty new.  Has there been oil pressure issues with this motor in the past?  I plan on changing the oil....any recommendation on which oil to use?  Before I spend the cash to replace the sensor (dealer quoted $125.00) I would like to cover all the bases.

Thanks

Duane

Answer
Hi Duane,
This is not unusual in almost any brand of engine. The bottom line of course is the minimum pressure requirement at idle which is 6 psi and at 3,000 rpm which is 35 psi, when warmed up. The oil pressure light is not a precise device and so I would not worry at all about it; chances are it is actually going 'on' when the pressure drops below maybe 10 psi. If you want to eliminate the problem I would suggest that you buy the next higher "weight" of oil than is what you have in the engine now. That will raise the pressure enough to eliminate the light flicker and also still provide adequate lubrication. If you use 5W-20 try 10W-30, and if you already have been using 10W-30 go to 20W-40, etc. If you really want to know then have a mechanic with a good gauge remove the oil sending unit and measure the actual pressure at idle and at 3,000 rpm when the engine is at operating temperature.
Roland