Oil Pressure drops to Zero at idle

When my 96 3.2L Rodeo gets hot in slow traffic, the oil pressure needle will drop to zero until I either start moving or put it in neutral. Then it jumps back up above 30. The Oil light never goes on... Any chance this is an issue with the sending unit and not the engine?

your oil pick up screen could be plugged with junk.

Sea foam may help to unplug it.

Always drian your oil when it is good and hot.

When my 96 3.2L Rodeo gets hot in slow traffic, the oil pressure needle will drop to zero until I either start moving or put it in neutral. Then it jumps back up above 30. The Oil light never goes on... Any chance this is an issue with the sending unit and not the engine?

How many miles are on the engine and what weight and brand oil are you using?

155,000 miles and 10W30. It did this once at the end of last summer when it was hot and then no signs of the issue until I was stuck in traffic the other day when it was hot.

155,000 miles and 10W30. It did this once at the end of last summer when it was hot and then no signs of the issue until I was stuck in traffic the other day when it was hot.

Sounds like a high resistance connection in the oil pressure sending unit. Try disconnecting the sending unit pigtail, see if it looks corroded or oxidized then put some dielectric grease in the connector and put it back together.