The stock oil pressure gauge is unreliable. Most people who still have them report readings that vary widely and don't necessarily correspond to what the operating pressure should be at any given point. I like what one guy recently called it--an analog idiot light. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Sounds like the work you had done freed up the passage to the sender, making it read higher. Doesn't mean that it's accurate now though. As long as it's reading something you should be OK.