Today while driving I noticed the low oil pan pressure light was on and the gauge read zero. I figured it was just the sender again because I replaced it about 6 months ago and all has been good since.

Then my truck starts to sound like a diesel not real loud but very noticeable, never done that before, other than the noise the truck idled nice and smooth and the rpms were normal.

I stopped right away and checked the oil which was good so then when I go to re start the engine it is the same sounds like a diesel and reading zero oil pressure.

Just as im about to shut the engine off and call a tow truck the gauge jumps back to normal and the truck started running fine with no noise.

So now I got a truck in my driveway that im afraid to drive and i have no idea on what to check first.

Anybody got any ideas???

2001 F-250 Crewcab 4x4 V-10

 

If you heard nosies and no oil pressure,time to pull the pan and chk the pump screen or the relief valve spring on the oil pump.Before doing that I would also do a mechanical pressure test.The pump itself could be failing.
Have you own this truck from new and know its oil change history?
What kind of miles on this truck?
What oil and filter brand being used?
Don't drive it till its fixed or bigger $ will come out of your pocket in the long run.
Rich

 

Just bought the truck about a year ago dont know the history.

Truck has about 80,000 miles.

Fram oil filter and motorcraft oil.

Thanks, definitely not going to drive it, I'll see about checking those things as soon as I get some time.

What a time to have problems right before memorial weekend.

 

Well I can tell you to ditch the fram filters they suck !!!!!!!bad drainback valves within the filter the leak and don't hold the oil up in the valvetrain area.
Not your main problem but could a cause of longterm wear on start up.

Rich

 

i have to back rich up.
drop that oil pan and clean it out , at 80k with not knowing the service history my bet is a sludged up pick up screen and top end drain backs in the heads.
and yes throw those elcheapo orange and black walley world filters away. they have the motorcraft right along the side of elcheapo's for about $3.29 each.
good luck man let us know what you find

 

The Fram isn't causing the issue - don't use the basic PH2, use the TG2 or XG2 with silicone anti-drainback valve.

Back to the noises: Sounds like either a stuck relief valve in the oil pump or the pickup screen is clogged.

But with that sudden "no pressure" and then getting pressure, that really sounds like the relief valve in the pump.

Good thing? It's not in the pan.

Bad thing? It's behind the timing cover, and the entire front of the motor has to come apart.

 

If it were mine I would do a drain, "risoline engine flush", quick idle for no more then 3 min, drain, new cheapo oil filter, 6 quarts of cheapo bulk recycled 5W30, five min of idle, drain, MC-FL820S oil filter and 6 quarts of MC 5W20 oil and watch it for next few driving cycles... if oil pressure is not rock steady get the oil pump refurbished

 

Pardon my ignorance on this... but what exactly is a "risoline engine flush"? How does running a fresh oil change for a few minutes and then draining it, flush stuff out?

And what problems, besides this one, would call for a "flush" of this type.

Again, sorry for my ignorance on this. Just never heard of it before.

 

"risoline" in quotes is just one name for any of the typical motor flushes sold in all auto parts stores... usually a petroleum based solevant that must never be run very long and certainly never drive with it in you motor

The cheap filter and cheap oil are to make sure you get as much of the "risoline" crap back out of your motor so it does not dilute and contaminate the good oil and filter you need to be running

I suspect your motor has a build up of sludge and crap from infrequent oil changes and crap oil and filters

"risoline" type solovents can break down this crap and flush it out with out too many ill effects if done properly

I will say it again... do NOT run this crap as oil! It is not oil and will destroy all your bearings

 

Plus the pan has to come off to get it off,I believe there are 2 bolts on the underside hidden by the oil pan.

Rich

 

Really... that stinks.

 

I've driven around 100 miles since I did the engine flush and the oil pressure has been good, hopefully that took care of it.

thanks everybody

 

50BMG

Just because I am **** and always worry about oil pumps and sludge..after the flush and fresh oil I do a second change to new oil and filter at 500 miles just to get the rest of the diluted crap out.

And not to suggest it is funny to pass on a problem to another fellow Ford lover...BUT.. if my V10 had run any amount of time like you described (oil starvation) with definite clattering and obviously all the bearings ran near dry for any amount of time...I would trade away the truck at soonest economically good opportunity. Down the road she will be a problem child and I spend way too much time off the beaten path to trust her any more.

OTOH.. she could end up being a long lived and very reliable commuter truck...your call,,,, just my .02 cents

 

seems that since the advent of the elcheapo car wash type oil change places .the problem of sludge has become a major problem, mostly due to the quality of what they call a filter and fact that many of them use a recycled oil that they pay 75 cents a gal for. plus another 75 cents to a dollar for the cheapo filter from gruope 7 fame.
when todays motors start claking it's time to try a flush as fred said , or pulling the valve covers and oil pan then giving the top end and pan & pick up a good cleaning even replacing the pickup as some of the ones i pulled had such a hard coke like depoisit in them even choke spray could not melt it.
what i have seen in the shop always wond up with the pan and covers off as the pickup was sludged up rock solid and the return drains pluged up.