This is my 2001 Ford Ranger 2.3L Duratec 4-banger. Gauge (2" face) mounted on steering column. Notice the nylon pressure line is sheathed in clear plastic tubing. The larger piece of clear tubing behind the gauge was so that I could slide it up over the nut.


Next the point of passage through the firewall. I poked a hole in a big rubber grommet right beside the hood release cable and shoved the nylon line through. The clear plastic hose stops about 3/4 inch short but behind the floor covering. You can see the nylon line inside the sheath.


Here is where it comes out the front of the firewall. You can see how the plastic sheath stops short of the firewall as I did not want it jamming the nylon line where it enters the grommet. It comes out between the intake manifold (top) and brake booster (below) and above the steering shaft.


Finally, the connection to the oil pressure port. At the left you can see the line coming down from above the steering shaft and looping down to the port, right beside the oil filter. I have a short (about 1.5") extension off the port so I could get at the connection for the nylon line more easily. The larger line for the last several inches is not full of oil, just discolored. There is some oil where this hose overlaps the other as I liberally squirted 3-in-1 Oil on it so it would slide back in place once the connection was made. The hose clamp is because the sheath gets pretty hot here and the extra oil I used at this end makes it slide off.


Notice the green wire which connects the old dummy gauge sender to ground so the Check Gauges lamp will not be lit. The green wire goes to a bold that used to hold the wire harness, which now is zip tied to a metal loop. If I had put the wire harness back on that bolt it would have pushed hard on the oil pressure line.

 

Well TallPaul how is the oil pressure gauge doing & how about sharing what you have you learned about your oil pressure during different times in your drive cycle????

 

Here are the approximate pressure readings:
Cold Start in mild weather: 85 psi
Cold driving off mild weather: 95 psi
Cold Start in cold weather (like 30F): 95 psi
Cold driving off in cold weather: 110 psi
Cold driving off and getting on it some: 120 psi
Hot (after 15 mile run) idle: 20 psi
Hot at road speed (2000 rpm): 40 psi
Hot on freeway (2700 rpm): 52 psi

Hot pressures seem fine, but those cold pressures seem rather high.

This is on Redline 5w20
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I still need to properly wire up the lamp in the gauge. I could not find a fuze in the interior that was controlled by the light switch. I don't see any easy way to bring a wire in from under hood and don't want to be drilling holes in the firewall. Other option is run it off the key on circuit for which there are several fuzes in the interior. I'll include a switch so it is not on in the daytime. At the moment it is hooked to a modified map light with a switch that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I gutted the lamp in the map light and soldered the wires to it.

 

Yah I don't remember my ole 3.3L I6 Zypher, using 10W-30 Havoline, having a cold oil pressure reading above about 65 psi & hot idle was between 15-20 psi, fully warmed up highway was usually around 54 psi.

Whos oil filter are you currently using????

 

Oil filter is a K&N but all indications are that the pressure port is after the filter according to this Duratec engine:

 

It is good that you found an adaptable filter mount.

Much easier that using the "T" method that I use.

Did you consider using an electrical unit vs. the

mechanical unit?

Are comfortable using the K&N filter vs. Motorcraft?

 

I should have noted those are photos I googled, but are the same for my engine. That filter mount is the factory mount. I am running only the gauge, not the original sender.

A T would be nice but no room. If I had the time to remove the filter mount, probably could drill it out and thread a second port.

Electrical more hassle to hook up, less responsive. I had a couple mechanical gauges on hand. This one is from the 1980s was still in the package. I called Sunpro and they said no reason for it to be off if going back to zero. Kill engine and needle gently goes down and stops at zero peg. If it hit the peg hard I woudl have reason to suspect damage. I may put the other Sun gauge on that I bought new 5 years ago to see if I get same readings. We'll see, may peg needle on a 10F day. They do make 150 psi gauges (this one is 100 psi). A shame I didn't yank the AutoGauge mech oil pressure gauge from the motorhome I sold in 2007, that was a nice gauge.

K&N is fine, supposed to be a super high quality filter. I removed my first K&N last month and it was a joy to use a wrench on the end where they have a nut welded on. I would run Wix/NAPA Gold or Motorcraft as they all have the base plate mounted bypass valve.. I like Baldwins but the one for the Ranger has a dome end bypass. Maybe run the Baldwin B2 (FL1A size) if there is room. I run the B2 on the Aerostar 3.0 which specifies the smaller FL400s.

By the way, when I told Baldwin tech folks that "I don't care for the dome end bypass as it causes the bypassing oil to flow over the dirty media on its way around." They replied:

Pretty odd that the filter manufacturer uses such non-techinical terms as "front" and "rear" for the filter ends!

 

Here is the night view of the dash (engine off):

 

The good news is that it went down to 12F last night and was about 13F when I fired up the Ranger this morning. Oil pressure at 13F was the same as at 30F, so 95 psi must be the relief valve setting.

 

Switched out the Redline 5w20 and filled it with Amsoil 5w20 and now the oil pressure cold on a 30F day is 85, maxing about 95 as I drive off. Also comes down quicker as I drive but still maintains the hot pressures as with the Redline.