Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
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Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Hey everyone I'm a newbie with a problem I could use some help with. My truck has the 4.2 six, and the trucks been fairly problematic since I bought it last April. It has 62,000 miles and the oil changes have been regular since I bought it with 39,000 miles. Anyway I had to have the leaking front cover gasket replaced last November(6000 miles ago), and yesterday the oil pressure gauge showed a slight fluctuation at idle. It's still in the normal range and reads fine when driving. This only seems to be happening after it has been driven on the highway for several miles, and only when the idle drops to it's lowest at about 750 RPM's. The oil level is full and has just been changed within the last 800 miles. The idle is slightly rough and slightly noisey, nothing I thought was abnormal, and also the oil light occasionaly flickers at the same time. Is this a common problem after the front cover has been replaced, or is it unrelated. When I changed the oil I used 5w30 Proline (Pep Boys off brand I think) Any and all help would be appreciated..Thanks.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Hi sawcut and welcome to FTE 
Hopefully your problem is just your oil pressure sending unit. First thing I would do would be to install a good mechanical gauge to get an actual oil pressure reading. Most shops have a gauge to do that with if you dont want to buy a gauge.
If a gauge shows your oil pressure as being low that's not good
You might want to look at some of the posts in the 4.2L forum.
There are links in the posts there to other sites with some info too.
Hopefully your problem is just your oil pressure sending unit. First thing I would do would be to install a good mechanical gauge to get an actual oil pressure reading. Most shops have a gauge to do that with if you dont want to buy a gauge.
If a gauge shows your oil pressure as being low that's not good
You might want to look at some of the posts in the 4.2L forum.
There are links in the posts there to other sites with some info too.
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Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Thanks Dave, I posted the same message under the 4.2 V-6 forum, and I haven't had any responses yet. I replaced the oil pressure switch yesterday and today it was even worse..so I took it down to a shop to have the oil pressure checked, it had 10PSI at idle. The shop wasn't sure if it was within specs. because their manual didn't list the pressure specifications, so I'm waiting to hear back from them. 10 PSI at idle sounds awfully low. As a side note I had them check the front suspension because of a lot of wander, even after I replaced the tires, and after only 62,000 miles, all four tie rod ends and the lower ball joints are shot. I bought this truck 11 months ago with 39,000 miles and have had to replace and repair a crap load of stuff...and now this. This is the second F-150 in a row I've had excessive problems with...starting to like the looks of the new Dodge more and more with every repair bill.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Billings MT
Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
10 PSI is not good. I don't know the specs, but I have never seen an engine with anything lower than 10 or 15 for operating pressure. Let me ask you this, when it is cold in the am, does it run fine, and then loses pressure about 10 miles down the road?
If so, it's probably your oil pump. I had one do that, despite everyone disagreeing on it being the oil pump. What happens when they start to go is once they get warm, the seal inside begin to bypass and it doesn't get the oil up in to the block.
If it's always bad, I have worse news, I can't help you.
Hope this helps
If so, it's probably your oil pump. I had one do that, despite everyone disagreeing on it being the oil pump. What happens when they start to go is once they get warm, the seal inside begin to bypass and it doesn't get the oil up in to the block.
If it's always bad, I have worse news, I can't help you.
Hope this helps
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
The spec that Ford gives is 40-125 psi@2500 rpm with the engine hot.
Did you see the front end when they checked it? The lower balljoints is very common but I haven't seen all that many of these with worn out tie-rod ends....especially all 4. But it's possible
Did you see the front end when they checked it? The lower balljoints is very common but I haven't seen all that many of these with worn out tie-rod ends....especially all 4. But it's possible
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Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Well luckily I bought an extended warranty with the truck, but it still doesn't cover diagnosis, broken bolts or other incedentals and I generally have to pay a bunch more stuff along with my $100.00 deductible. I talked with the mechanic and he said that he called a trusted friend/service manager at a local Ford dealership and he said if the oil pressre gauge was flucuating and acting erratically that it was probably a spun cam bearing(?). He also said the spec on the oil pressure was 25 PSI at idle and 45 PSI at 2500 RPM's. Whatever the case is the motor is trashed and needs replacement. Now it's just a fight with the warranty co. to spring for it without a bunch of crap. I saw first hand how much movement was in the tie rod ends and they said tie rods and ball joints were common problems...anyone want to buy a gem of an F-150!!
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Good luck with the warranty company and let us know how you make out
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Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Well the latest word from the warranty co. was, and I quote "if it's a maintenance issue we will not cover it". Even though I proved oil changes every 3000 miles for the entire time I had it, and told them I was not the original owner and I don't know what the previous owner did to maintain it, they simply continued to repeat the same thing word for word over and over. Basically if they found any sludge(the inspector from the warranty co) or anything else I had to pay for it myself along with whatever the shop charges for the inspection. The warranty co. (Easy Care sold to me through Ford) and Ford themselves told me that I was SOL, and they really didn't care one way or the other. With the motor losing oil pressure, the front suspension needing replacement, the trans thunking, the front brakes toast and the truck giving off a strange burning smell after driving it a while and all this with only 62,000 mostly highway miles, I was plenty pissed. So with this being the second POS F-150 in a row I've owned it's now GONE and a brand new Dodge sits in my driveway. I've owned lots of Ford and Dodge trucks and I never had this many problem will ALL my Dodges combined!! Sorry guys I appreciate all the advice and help but I WILL NEVER OWN A FORD TRUCK AGAIN!!!
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
Oil Pressure Problems...Help!!
Hi Sam,
Sorry to hear how things worked out
In my experience, quite often aftermarket warranties are hardly worth the paper they are written on. A true Ford, or Dodge I suppose, warranty is the only way to go.
Even though you've defected over to the dark side feel free to pop in here and let us know how your new truck is
My father in law just wrote off his Ford and didnt get the deal he wanted on a new one so he went and bought a new Dodge diesel and he loves it so far. I kinda like it too.....I'm a Ford mechanic and know nothing about Dodges (that I'll admit) so I dont have to work on his truck anymore
There are some Dodge truck sites similar to this one too.
ie www.dodgetrucks.org
Sorry to hear how things worked out
In my experience, quite often aftermarket warranties are hardly worth the paper they are written on. A true Ford, or Dodge I suppose, warranty is the only way to go.
Even though you've defected over to the dark side feel free to pop in here and let us know how your new truck is
My father in law just wrote off his Ford and didnt get the deal he wanted on a new one so he went and bought a new Dodge diesel and he loves it so far. I kinda like it too.....I'm a Ford mechanic and know nothing about Dodges (that I'll admit) so I dont have to work on his truck anymore
There are some Dodge truck sites similar to this one too.
ie www.dodgetrucks.org
