Instrument cluster question
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Central KY
Instrument cluster question
Hey guys...I know that on my Ranger the oil pressure gage is nothing more than a warning light. It doesn't really measure oil pressure at all. Is it the same way on the 1997-2003 F-150s??
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: SoCal
Instrument cluster question
Yes. Ford uses a switch instead of a sensor. You can tell by turning the engine off then turn the key back on without starting the engine. As the oil pressure drops, the gauge will suddenly drop to zero, not decline slowly as an actual gauge would.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Instrument cluster question
Well That's bogus, Why would they stoop to that level? I know the one in my Mustang works and is accurate when I compared it to a mechanical gauge. I like to know when I'm losing oil pressure before it's already gone!! Jimmy
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: SoCal
Instrument cluster question
It is incredible. How much could they possiby have saved? The good new is on some vehicles you can make the gauge work. Not easy but possible. Apparently Ford started this around mid '96. They put a resistor in series with the gauge to make the gauge always read about 70% if you had any pressure. Sometimes it is a pigtail between the switch and the wiring harness. Otherwise it is on the flex wiring for the gauges in the dash. If you jumper out the resistor an replace the oil pressure switch with a sensor, the gauge will work. In later production, the resistance is integrated with the gauge itself. I don't know if it is possible to eliminate it
Another problem is ford also put a low oil pressure light next to the gauge. I don't know how this would be affected if you change to the sensor.
Another problem is ford also put a low oil pressure light next to the gauge. I don't know how this would be affected if you change to the sensor.
Last edited by dbc; May 5, 2003 at 10:39 AM.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Instrument cluster question
This is so sad. Why bother putting a gauge in there in the first place if it isn't actually functioning as a gauge. I guess I could always install a T fitting and install a mechanical gauge, but I really didn't want to do that. It's not a race truck, I just like to keep an eye on things under the hood, being I am a mechanic and all.
Jimmy
Jimmy
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: San Rafael, NM
Instrument cluster question
Hey guys, come on! Your acting like Ford is the only one to do this. I don't even want to start with my brother in laws Chevy and all the cost cutting scheems there.
Let me tell you a storty about the Nissan truck I used to own. Retired it after 228K miles with nothing more than a wax pellet valve replacement. Could have probably gottem 300k miles if an uninsured motorist hadn't run through a stop sign for me to t-bone her. Anyhow, about 300 miles prior to its retirement I tried to install new u-joints in the drive shaft. 40$ do-it yourself job right? Wrong. Try $500 +. Had to replace the whole drive shaft because some genious pencil pusher in Japan decided they could save $.20 per vehicle if they eliminated the 'c' clips from the joints and staked the joints in instead.
$.20 X 5 million trucks sold = $1,000,000 saved. Probably sold much more than that world wide so the numbers would likely be larger. The pencil pusher probably got an incentive bonus for saving the executives big $. You get the picture? It stinks, but thats just the way the cookie crumbles.
Let me tell you a storty about the Nissan truck I used to own. Retired it after 228K miles with nothing more than a wax pellet valve replacement. Could have probably gottem 300k miles if an uninsured motorist hadn't run through a stop sign for me to t-bone her. Anyhow, about 300 miles prior to its retirement I tried to install new u-joints in the drive shaft. 40$ do-it yourself job right? Wrong. Try $500 +. Had to replace the whole drive shaft because some genious pencil pusher in Japan decided they could save $.20 per vehicle if they eliminated the 'c' clips from the joints and staked the joints in instead.
$.20 X 5 million trucks sold = $1,000,000 saved. Probably sold much more than that world wide so the numbers would likely be larger. The pencil pusher probably got an incentive bonus for saving the executives big $. You get the picture? It stinks, but thats just the way the cookie crumbles.
