Oil Pressure too low?
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8th Gear
Joined: Apr 2024
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Oil Pressure too low?
I'm new to these trucks and recently bought a 1991 Ford F250 with the 5.0l. (302) I have a aftermarket oil pressure gauge already hooked up and the oil pressure seems really low at idle.
It runs rough as I have to buy a few other things (EGR and Idle stuff) At idle, it sits at around 7PSI.. Once I get it around the 2k mark it gets to about 20-25PSI. Am I just overthinking this or is it too low? These measurements are with the motor being at operating temp after a 20 mile drive.
It runs rough as I have to buy a few other things (EGR and Idle stuff) At idle, it sits at around 7PSI.. Once I get it around the 2k mark it gets to about 20-25PSI. Am I just overthinking this or is it too low? These measurements are with the motor being at operating temp after a 20 mile drive.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 849
Likes: 14
From: Fayetteville, NC
That is pretty low. Mine sits around 55 psi at idle. Like Mudsport said, when's the last time the oil was changed? Have you pulled a valve cover off to look underneath? I had one years ago that had low oil pressure like that and the inside was full of gunk. I don't think the oil had ever been changed.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,716
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From: Chillicothe
Hell my 325k mile 5.0 is 20 at idle and 45 to 50 on the highway. And I have not always been nice to it.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,456
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From: Near Salt Lake City
I agree about checking the oil pump pickup
Check it with a borescope through the oil drain plug hole at the next oil change
The silicone one piece pan gaskets deteriorate and get sucked up into the oil pump pickup tube
Use a direst pressure gauge to check the actual oil pressure
Check it with a borescope through the oil drain plug hole at the next oil change
The silicone one piece pan gaskets deteriorate and get sucked up into the oil pump pickup tube
Use a direst pressure gauge to check the actual oil pressure
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,822
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Not certain of the quality of the aftermarket gauge, but typically, good gauges cost a lot of money and people usually don't go down that route.
Find a gauge that you know is good, then go from there. Properly maintained engines have oil systems that last longer than the engine.
My 5.8 has a factory oil pressure gauge and one day it was reading low. The first thing I thought [after checking the oil level] was to replace the faulty sensor.
Find a gauge that you know is good, then go from there. Properly maintained engines have oil systems that last longer than the engine.
My 5.8 has a factory oil pressure gauge and one day it was reading low. The first thing I thought [after checking the oil level] was to replace the faulty sensor.
Thread Starter
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8th Gear
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Not certain of the quality of the aftermarket gauge, but typically, good gauges cost a lot of money and people usually don't go down that route.
Find a gauge that you know is good, then go from there. Properly maintained engines have oil systems that last longer than the engine.
My 5.8 has a factory oil pressure gauge and one day it was reading low. The first thing I thought [after checking the oil level] was to replace the faulty sensor.
Find a gauge that you know is good, then go from there. Properly maintained engines have oil systems that last longer than the engine.
My 5.8 has a factory oil pressure gauge and one day it was reading low. The first thing I thought [after checking the oil level] was to replace the faulty sensor.
Thread Starter
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8th Gear
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Okay I'm going to look into renting one of those and testing the oil pressure and change out that oil pressure sensor. Crossing fingers these two will solve my answer. Thank you everyone for the help. You all have been wonderful!
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,831
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That is a bad idea. The quality of new parts is hit and miss so now you are introducing variables into the system.
