oil presure prob
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 37
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From: West virginia
oil presure prob
I have a 1990 E150 with a very weird 302 FI engine and even the rear end is a bit of a mistery. i took it to the shop and they did not know what to make of the rear end as it as a round thing on it that is somehow spring loaded but it does not seem to do anything. but the problem is this when i first start the engine i have a good oil presure around midle to high normal as the engine warms up it starts coming down but it stays in the normal rang and as the rpms go up so does the presure but after about 20-30 min of driving the presure will drop to the very low end of the normal zone but some times it will be good for the entier day and acting normally. I have no idea what it is unless it is the oil pump. i have changed the oil presure sending unit and have done regular oil changes. besides this the engine runs great. any ideas.
thank you
thank you
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 1
From: Indiana
fiittllc
The 302 is probably getting tired and has too much bearing clearance in the bottom end. When the motor heats and the metals expand the bearing clearances increase and the oil pressure goes down.
The 302 is probably getting tired and has too much bearing clearance in the bottom end. When the motor heats and the metals expand the bearing clearances increase and the oil pressure goes down.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 877
Likes: 1
From: Colorado, U.S.A!
I have an 89 E-150 302 with a wandering gauge. Several years ago, I put a mechanical gauge on it and the stock gauge will wander while the mechanical one stays rock steady. It has been suggested that I have a bad ground to the gauge, but I haven't looked into it. Soooo, I suggest putting a mechanical gauge on there before you do anything else.
That thing on the rear axle is a damper of some sort, maybe it reduces rear axle windup or something. My 89 has one and so does my 96 explorer. I'm sure that someone who knows exactly what it does will post here and enlighten us both!
That thing on the rear axle is a damper of some sort, maybe it reduces rear axle windup or something. My 89 has one and so does my 96 explorer. I'm sure that someone who knows exactly what it does will post here and enlighten us both!
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: West virginia
The only thing is that when the engine warms up the oil presure will sometimes be just fine. the other odd thing i noticed was when i was sitting at a traffic light at an idle the oil presure just all of suden moved all the way over to the high end of the normal range. the engine was at normal operating temp. it also seems that when the weather outside is cool the oil presure is higher. any ideas?
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
Likes: 4
From: Oak Harbor, OH
Sound's like you are looking at the stock gauge in the dash. It is nothing more than an idiot light with a needle. Go to the local auto parts store and biy a REAL oil pressure gauge (one with a hose that it uses to get oil into the gauge and read real pressure) sound;s like the sending unit is going bad for the stock gauge as has been said in this thread numerous times already.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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I would put a new sender on it. It could be the gage and it could also be both but the sender is easier and cheaper and wouldn't hurt to try. I doubt it is the engine with a problem as you say it goes up and down. That weird round thing on the rear end is probably the vibration damper common on conversion vans. I wouldn't go to a mechanic that can't even figure that out. Don't let him take it off. I guess you meant the rear end of the van anyway or did you mean the rear end of the motor? My oil pressure on my truck just took a dive a week ago. It has always run 60 psi. It's got over 300,000 miles on it since I overhauled the motor! My wife was out driving it one day and when she got home she said the engine was making knocking noises. I went out to investigate and it didn't pick up oil pressure for about 15 seconds. right before I was gonna shut it off it started to move and slowly made it's way to 30. Needless to say mine is done for. I am gonna rebuild it again sometime but for now I am building a 351w for it instead. I need more power for our slide in anyway. Good luck with yours.
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: West virginia
just replaced the oil sending unit about 6 weeks ago. It is enough to drive you nuts. it is sounding like the gage the more i here about it. the sending unit is one for a normal working gage not an idiot light sending unit. ( i thought this at first but after testing it i knew otherwise). I wonder if the thing on the rear axle has anything to do with the fact that the van was once set up for a wheelchair lift. it still has the hydrolic plumbing under the body.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
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From: Oak Harbor, OH
I would go buy a real gauge and test it. What brand of sender did you get? If you didn't get it from FOrd then it won;t work well.
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Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: West virginia
Thank you for your all your help i am going to get a real gage and test it. hopefully it will tell me more what is going on. I got the gage at autozone and it is said to be made to oem specs but that does not really mean that it is ( i ran into this before) one more question but not related to this i am going to start a new thred for it if i dont see one there i was wondering if anyone knows of a good place to get tips on turning my van into 4X4