(Disclaimer: I've already fixed this problem! I'm posting here for the other 2 million Bonneville owners that have had wacky oil pressure readings at one time or another......)

OK, here'* the deal with the used motor that I put in my '98 a couple of weeks ago that I got from a '98 SSE that got the worst end of the deal in its battle with a telephone pole:

Oil pressure gauge reads 50psi at idle and cruising. Quick acceleration, however, drops the gauge immediately into The Red Zone. Bad. Engine speed goes up, oil pressure goes down; engine speed goes down, oil pressure goes UP. WTF?

Oil pressure switch is brand new. So, Peanut Gallery............what'* the diagnosis?

Yes, the other sending unit was replaced for a reason.....the reason being that an idiot (me) snapped it off when installing this motor into my car.

Pickup tube not on completely sucking in air?? Or something bloacking the screen? Like a piece of teh low oil level sensor??

or

Problem with oil drainging backing the engine?? (probally not unless it was really gummed up)

Nope, the pickup tube was secure. Pickup screen was spotless. Oil draining back to the pan perfectly. Gauge checked out fine.

Just a wild guess.... maybe the oil pressure sending unit (sensor) connector was connected upside down?

Nope, all wiring was good, and has been verified as such now that the problem has been fixed.

I forgot to ask the first thing to check.. Was the oil level low?? This would definately cause those exact symptoms.

Nope, oil level was dead nuts perfect full.

Gremlins did it. Or underpants gnomes.

Ha! My life would be far too simple if I could just blame crap like this on gnomes! Fortunately/unfortunately, this problem had a real cause.