"Engine" warning light briefly on

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Jun 8, 2022 | 06:56 PM

15W-40

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Joined: Oct 2020

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From: Bellingham

"Engine" warning light briefly on

I had been driving 60 mph for about 45 minutes when I noticed my "ENGINE" light was on. It's the light down low on the left by the turn signal indicator. I'd never seen it on before, so I slowed down a bit and checked my gauges. I know they're notoriously inaccurate, but the coolant temp gauge was below the N on NORMAL and the oil pressure gauge was somewhere in the middle. No weird noises or performance issues.

Within seconds of me seeing it, the light turned off. I got home, checked the oil, and it is full. I'm maybe 2,000 miles into my oil change, so it's due soon. I checked the radiator temp with an infrared thermometer, and it read 190 F and the coolant is full.

Do you think I should check anything else or just keep driving it?

Jun 8, 2022 | 07:14 PM

Prototypemech

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Joined: Nov 2013

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From: Mojave, Ca

Kinda weird. IDI engines dont have computers so theres nothing to trigger that light. I didnt even know IDI's had a "Engine" light on the dash. On the 91-up, we have a dedicated annunciator panel that warns the driver about high fuel filter pressure, water in fuel, engine over temp, and a few other sensor. I dont think the '89s had anything like that. Perhaps the PO wired in the ENGINE light for some sensor.

Jun 8, 2022 | 11:49 PM

90Ford73

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Joined: Oct 2014

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From: Alberta Eh

My 90 has an engine icon, as well as a light that says engine or check engine iirc? I’m not entirely sure what triggers them, but they are there.

Jun 9, 2022 | 02:13 AM

Robfinger

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 90Ford73

My 90 has an engine icon, as well as a light that says engine or check engine iirc? I’m not entirely sure what triggers them, but they are there.

Red "engine" light is also known as "replace engine" light - it comes on when oil pressure is too low, coolant temp is too high, or at the age our trucks also when a wire for one of the aforementioned sensors has rubbed thru and is grounding on something.

The yellow "check engine" light does nothing on an IDI, it ain't connected to anything. On my own truck I've wired it to tell me when oil level is I think 3qts low (might be 2), using a sensor off a Mustang.

Jun 9, 2022 | 03:51 AM

tjc transport

i ain't rite

Joined: Mar 2005

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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.

as said, the only thing that will trigger that light is no oil pressure, high coolant temp, a bad sensor, or shorted out wire.

and you would know if you had no oil pressure or high coolant temp when running down the road by the way the truck was running...............or not running.

Jun 9, 2022 | 02:33 PM

Fixnstuff

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Joined: Apr 2015

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From: W. of Seattle, Kitsap P.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 15W-40

...

Do you think I should check anything else or just keep driving it?

I agree with a wire occasionally grounding out.
Read this topic:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...-question.html

Jun 10, 2022 | 09:11 AM

15W-40

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Joined: Oct 2020

Posts: 75

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From: Bellingham

Well, I'll add more to this saga today...

Yes, the truck has a red engine light that is tied to coolant temp and oil pressure. Thankfully the engine light hasn't come back since that one instance.

However, today, the battery light came on and stayed on while driving. The voltmeter on the dash read normal. I got to work and put a multimeter on the batteries while running and the battery light still on. Charging voltage is normal at 14.2V. There must be something on this truck that's haywire with the warning lights. Maybe there's a common wire for the engine and battery warnings?