since i've has this car the oil pressure gauge hasn't worked. it shoots straight to max right when i start it. what could cause this? what kind of gauge is it? mechanical, one with a sender, etc? and also how would i remove it? do i have to take the whole dash apart?

thanx for your help-j

The sender on this engine is a typical failure. Either the sender itself is bad, (its located in the middle of the passenger side of the engine, toward the bottom of the block) or the circuit is grounded out. A grounded circuit makes the meter peg high.

Start by replacing the sender, it is failure prone and CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. Then inspect the wiring harness (I think it is a two wire connection) for insulation failures.