Looking for a spot to monitor oil low oil system pressure.

I am sure it's been beaten over and over again but I did some searching and well I found some things but don't have the time to read for days. I want to monitor low oil pressure. I have an Amsoil bypass so I have the billet aluminum oil filter cap with a -4 fitting so I can tap there but when I tap on to that I only read 25psi at idle with a hot engine. I know this is because of the relief valve for the oil cooler. When I hit the pedal even in park it jumps to 80psi even at 2000rpm. But is that all the system has at idle 25psi really? I can't see lubricating mains and rod bearings at 25psi. Is there another spot that would give me a more accurate system pressure. Thanks Ryan

 

I drove a 1966 ford one ton with a 352 for 2years that wouldn't raise the oil pressure needle off the peg at idle and made less than 10psi on the road. Thought the gauge was bad for a long time but when I finally changed it the new one read the same! Thought it was a goner but I sold it to a neighbor who was still driving it when I moved out of state.

Pressure may behave differently at different points in the system. Maybe you could try a T fitting on the factory port and keep the factory sender, or use the fitting on the front of the oil cooler cover. You can replace this special factory fitting with an AN fitting. It's a bit of a pain to get to but doable.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...test-port.html

 

I was just headed back with that link.

 

Wow that's a great thread. Holly Molly though that's some work to get at that fitting. There's no other way maybe from the bottom to get to the fittin? It seems nuts that ford would make it so difficult to get to a test port. If so I will be getting to it some how. Thanks so much for your help. It's ashame you can't go off of the filter cap. It's weird how it's goes to 80 with just a little throttle response even at idle. Sucks its 25psi though. So the engine really isn't at 25psi.

 

The Ford factory tester just snaps on that fitting [quick disconnect type] The adapter and gauge just clear the fan, or so I have seen in pictuers. Never have actually seen one even when I went to ford.

 

I've heard of people removing the factory oil pressure "switch" and installing it there. Unless you can T it in, the dash gauge would read zero.

 

Putting a "T" into the oil "switch" or dash electric sender sounds like a much better choice. Anyone see a problem with this. Does that "switch/gauge sender" do anything other then the dash? Shouldn't be a problem to "T" it. Anyone see this as wrong?

 

The factory sender is just a one step switch that drives th gauge to the center when it sees 7PSI. The PCM doesn't monitor low side oil pressure so no CEL, wrench light or code will be set. Your oil pressure gauge will just lay on the peg when it's running.

 

I bought the fitting that screws in place of the oem sensor, and you screw a 1/8" aftermarket sending unit into it. (Haven't done it yet, another thing on my to do list)

I think I got it from Grainger....lemmee look.....

 

Question, I am misunderstanding why my gauge will lay on the peg when running if I "t" it off. If I disconnect of course yes. But it i "t" it's still going to see the 7lbs. Is this not correct? Also do you happen to know off the top of your head what size fitting the sender uses? Is it 1/4npt,1/8npt?

 

No, it will work fine that way. Though I read you just wanted to swap it out with a real sender.

 

Male 7/16" - 20 SAE-ORB is your oil psi switch size.

Here's the fitting if you eliminate the stock sender and install a typical 1/8 sending unit. Or may help you determine what T fitting to get.

https://grainger.com/product/PARKER-...Adapter-39A308

 

Awesome. Thank you for the help. I think this going to be the way I go. I will def "t" it off so the gauge it the truck still comes up. I am going to a hydraulic supply store tomorrow and they usually have all the fittings I ever need. I don't have a pillar gauge set up I use the Edge CS. So I am not sure on how or where I will be putting the gauge but I will figure that out. I will take a pic and let you know how it goes. Thanks again for all the help

 

I have mine teed in and am running the stock idiot sender and a real gauge. All I ever see is about 20-25lbs hot and idling. It will go up to 80 (I've seen it over 100 with a full mechanical gauge cold), so I think you will get the same reading you're getting from your cap. You can also tap into the oil temp port, but it takes a different fitting than the pressure gauge port. I bought the parts to go in to the temp port, the hydraulic shop gave me the wrong parts, and they fit perfectly into the pressure port.