oil sending unit
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,824
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From: Dixie - Tennessee
Welcome to FTE!
Hmm... It's either your oil pump, your gauge, or your sending unit. Personally, I have never heard of anyone having a bad sending unit. This is a fairly easy fix if it is the case though. It seems to me that if it's a bad sending unit, the gauge just wouldn't read at all. It really sounds like the oil pump to me.
Most of the time, it's the oil pump on these older engines. I have heard alot of the same issues similar to this. You could run into some money there. I'm only guesstimating on this issue... Let's wait and see if someone else posts a response.
Nightrain
Hmm... It's either your oil pump, your gauge, or your sending unit. Personally, I have never heard of anyone having a bad sending unit. This is a fairly easy fix if it is the case though. It seems to me that if it's a bad sending unit, the gauge just wouldn't read at all. It really sounds like the oil pump to me.
Most of the time, it's the oil pump on these older engines. I have heard alot of the same issues similar to this. You could run into some money there. I'm only guesstimating on this issue... Let's wait and see if someone else posts a response.
Nightrain
Last edited by Nightrain; Dec 24, 2004 at 01:10 PM.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 43
From: Concord, NC
It's just a switch, and if it's below 7 psi or so, the gauge will read nothing. Once it gets above that threshold it pops to the normal position when the switch closes. This means the sending unit works, but for some reason you have very low (or no) oil pressure at start up. What weight oil are you using? Try running a thinner oil when it is really cold outside.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,824
Likes: 1
From: Dixie - Tennessee
Good point on the thinner oil... That makes more sense, especially when it's cold. It's worth a check anyway...
BTW, aren't these engines *supposed* to be run with 5W-30 anyway?
Nightrain
BTW, aren't these engines *supposed* to be run with 5W-30 anyway?
Nightrain
Last edited by Nightrain; Dec 24, 2004 at 03:09 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: N. Gwinnett Co. Georgia
Had an oil pressure reading of just below the N in NORMAL and was truly worried that I had an oil pressure issue. This is on a 7.5L engine. Changed the sending unit for the heck of it and it reads properly. Our fleet mechanic looked at the old unit and speculated that a piece of rebar that had come up to the hood between the firewall and tranny bellhousing had impacted the unit and caused improper operation due to a crack in the plastic part of the unit. When you sell building materials you spend a lot of time on unimproved jobsites. At any rate the sending usit is a cheap fix if it turns out to be the culprit. Good luck and Merry Christmas.
Tex
Tex
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 352
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From: Tillamook, Ore
Originally Posted by lab76us
I have a 95 F-150 5.0L and in the cold weather my oil guage sending unit is peged at the low end for a couple of minutes then pops to the normal position. Do I have a problem??????
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,556
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From: Concord, NC
Where the gauge reads is irrelevant - as long as it has moved from full low on the gauge, then the switch is telling you what it is supposed to - that there is more than say 7 psi of oil pressure. The only way you will find out something is to get an aftermarket gauge on there.
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: port coquitlam B.C. Canad
had the same problem, first had really low readings on the gauge from a ford rebuilt engine.mechanics were quick to change sender/sensor unit appeared to have normal operation of unit thereafter.$20.00 fix. Oil change just recently for a hunting trip 20-50
on mechanics recomendation given type of driving etc. very slow responce of oil pressure gauge on start up (especially -5 -10 C ) mornings changed oil back to
10 - 30 no problem with slow oil gauge responce. Mechanic said to listen for noisy lifters when starting up a sure sign of low oil pressure and therefore require further investigation
Hop this is of some help
Merry xmas to all
Jacobite
on mechanics recomendation given type of driving etc. very slow responce of oil pressure gauge on start up (especially -5 -10 C ) mornings changed oil back to
10 - 30 no problem with slow oil gauge responce. Mechanic said to listen for noisy lifters when starting up a sure sign of low oil pressure and therefore require further investigation
Hop this is of some help
Merry xmas to all
Jacobite
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: N. Gwinnett Co. Georgia
If the stock gauge is just telling you it has at least 7 psi, I at a loss to understand why on a cold morning my gauge reads between the A and L in normal after start up and when it reaches operating temperature it goes to the R to M position... until I apply throttle and start to drive, then it rises to the M to A, mostly A position as if it is reading pressure. This is a stock 460 cid, well basically, with stock gauges. To diagnose the oil issue we hooked up a Hydraulic type pressure gauge and it read 28 to 30 at temp at idle and 48 to 54 at normal driving RPM (around 2,000 to 2,500). Why is this happening if all it reads is at least 7 psi. Is something else influencing the gauge? It pretty well matches the direct pressure hydraulic gauge readings. Go figure?
Tex
Tex
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: port coquitlam B.C. Canad
all I can say is, ifn my problems and therefore lack of trust in the factory specked parts gauges,I am considering installing a regular oil pressure meter/gauge.I have put Ford on warning that I am not confidant that all is well with this rebuilt long block.I do think that given the number of complaints on this site re : poor operating/inaccurate oil pressure gauges that Ford H.Q. would show some intest in rectifing its customers concernes,maybe as simple as a tech.blurb explaining how and why. if not resorting back to the old system.I think that Ford had better improve it's custemer relations before it's to late. As I for one am fed up with the apparent lack of intrest.dealership reffers you to H.Q. ,H.Q. refers you to custemer sevice at a local dealership who cannot get an answer from H.Q. this is possibly a problem with the Canadain division.
My rant for the day
Jacobite
My rant for the day
Jacobite
Trailering
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 21
Likes: 5
From: Arkansas
Oil guage and sending unit
all I can say is, ifn my problems and therefore lack of trust in the factory specked parts gauges,I am considering installing a regular oil pressure meter/gauge.I have put Ford on warning that I am not confidant that all is well with this rebuilt long block.I do think that given the number of complaints on this site re : poor operating/inaccurate oil pressure gauges that Ford H.Q. would show some intest in rectifing its customers concernes,maybe as simple as a tech.blurb explaining how and why. if not resorting back to the old system.I think that Ford had better improve it's custemer relations before it's to late. As I for one am fed up with the apparent lack of intrest.dealership reffers you to H.Q. ,H.Q. refers you to custemer sevice at a local dealership who cannot get an answer from H.Q. this is possibly a problem with the Canadain division.
My rant for the day
Jacobite
My rant for the day
Jacobite
