Ok ive got a couple of questions to ask and any input would be greatly appreciated. I have a 1990 ford f150 with a 302 h.o me and my father had put in 3000kms ago and has run great up till yesterday afternoon. I went for a drive to a city about 200 kms or so from here i had made it to about 10 to 15 kms outside of the city when my oil pressure gauge dropped to nothing i instanly pulled to the side of the road and shut it off ( i know the gauges are nothin more then idiot lights on these trucks). I went outside after lettin it sit for about 15 mins and checked the oil it was 1 quart over full (i had checked like 2 days earlier and was a hair below the top of the crossed hatched area).The motor seemed hot to me as well cos when i pulled the dipstick out it nearly burned my hand when i went to wipe it off but i had checked the coolant and there was plenty inside. So after all this i went back in the truck and started it it was slow startin like a battery was slightly dead and had a bit of a knock so i shut it off. i had it towed to my house. My first thought was the oil pump had went but it was only 3000kms old. My father went out today and started it and it ran smooth as kitten he took it for a drive down the road and said there was no knock of any kind or tappin but the oil gauge after the truck had warmed up dropped to nothin he let it run and there was no problems with it all. My question i guess is would a bad oil pump work fine one time then quit the next? why would my oil readin be 1 quart over? and if the oil pressure gauge was bad why then when i shut it of the first time and had started it did it start to knock but today when my father drove it it was fine? sorry for the long post but tryin to shed some insight on the problem and avoid unnessary questions any feedback or personal experiances would be greatly appreciated

 

more then likely you got worn main bearings. as the engine warms up the oil get thiner then leaks out the main bearings. common problem in the 302 engines. my 89 f150 did the same thing after putting a new oil pump and mechanical gauge same results oil pressure would drop to nothing and you could hear center mains knock when you first started it up and when it got warm. you can {a} put in a new or reman motor i would stay away from a salvage yard motor or {b} what i did dump straight 50 weight i pefer vavoline they even make a 60 weight if you can find it. and then ad a little bit maybe 12 ounces of 80w90 this will quiet it down a bit then just drive it you will be supprised how long that 302 will hold up mine was still going strong when i sold the truck.

 

The motor is brand new or it only has 3000 kms on the motor . It is a 302 h.o long block for a mustang i used all my intakes and accersorys out of my truck motor on it its only been in for 3 months now and has no probs thus far so i dont think its worn mains but thanks for your reply . Anybody else got any insight on this prob

 

oh sorry didnt know it was new motor. jus courious though is it a reman? any way go get a mechanical gauge and see what it says you may just have a bad sending unit.