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Oil ? Gauge

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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 11:50 AM
  #1  
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Oil ? Gauge

I have an '89 F150 4X4 Lariat 4.9L M5OD and I have 4 gauges on the left of my cluster; (clockwise) altimeter, oil, coolant temp, and fuel. My question is what does the oil gauge measure? Does it measure pressure?

If it measures pressure, my reading is low. How do I diagnose this, if it is a problem? Oil pump failing?

Thanks
 
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 12:49 PM
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It measures whether or not your oil pressure is over 7 psi. Do a search on oil pressure gauge in this forum, it's been talked about before.
 
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 03:14 PM
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Ford didn't start the dummy guage thing until '90 I believe. At any rate, it's not very accurate, so it may as well be a switch anyway.
 
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 03:21 PM
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My 89's got a dummy gauge.
 
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 03:22 PM
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hmm, maybe it was '89 and I didn't remember correctly. Anyhow, my '87 isn't any more useful than a switch would be, so it doesn't matter too much.
 
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 07:28 PM
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My 88 is the idiot light with a needle too. If you ground it out completely it goes to the low side...
 
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 12:05 AM
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If you have the dummy with a needle, is there an accurate aftermarket electric that will just bolt in to the block and use the factory gauge?

Buddy with a '47 Chebbie was switching his from mechanical, he says just as accurate, less mess.

What do you think?
 
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 12:48 AM
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This link might interest you if you want to mess around with your gauges a bit...

Dummy Gauge
 
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 10:26 AM
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'86 was the last year of the "real" oil pressure sender, according to the parts catalog at the dealer.

Jim
 
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 10:55 AM
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I have a "real" sender on my '87, and I there was one on an '88 that I got a wiring harness from.
 
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