My battery, oil and temp gauges have been doing a weird little menage-a-trois lately.

I noticed that my temp has been fluctuating between 1/2 and 3/4 (and sometimes hotter). I have a minor leak, and I originally thought the fluctuation was from an air bubble after I refill. But then I noticed that the oil pressure would sometimes jump (not glide, jump) up to near-max at the same time the temp jumped up (or vice-versa). And, at the same time, I would sometimes see the battery gauge twitch to the right.

(It's extra annoying because the problem is intermittant. Sometimes I'll start up and take a trip and the gauges are perfectly normal (about halfway) the whole trip.)

So I wonder if it could be:
1. some electrical problem with the alternator that's causing the jumps
2. maybe my water pump or alternator or oil pump is occasionally binding up and slowing down the other two
3. something else?

Thoughts?

 

Do all the gauge problems happen simultaneously?

 

I'm thinking electrical since the stock oil and batt lights are idiot lights in disguise.

 

Seems like they usually do, at leat most of the time. I'll have to watch a little better to see if it's all the time.

 

Check the grounds between battery and body, and battery and engine block.

 

battery is a real gauge