oil pressure gage problems
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oil pressure gage problems
i have a 02 ranger. 3.0 auto. sometimes when at a stop sign or light the truck sometimes idles rough and the oil press. gage flickers up and down. what could be the cause of this problem. the flickering up and down is intermittant.
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From: Homer, Alaska
Does the 02 have a "check guage" light? If so, does it flash too? I'm not sure about the newer models, but my 95 guage is not much different than an idiot light. The needle reads mid range if there is more than (I think) about 7 psi pressure. Basically it is telling you there is pressure, but not how much. If the engine is idling rough and dropping rpm, the guage is probably correct and the pressure is fluctuating. I would try to find out why it is idling rough and fix that first to see how the guage reacts. The next step would be replace the oil pressure sending unit. You can also hook up a temporary pressure guage and run the vehicle to see what the pressure is really doing. That will answer a lot of questions. Good luck.
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yes it does have a "check guage" light but doesnt come on. the check ingine light is on but that is from when i forgot to hook the o2 sensor back up after i redid the oil pan gasket.could carbon buildup on the pistons cause the rough idle problem? it has new plugs(platinum) and new wires (ford).i have been told that the 3.0 is bad about carbon building up on the pistons.
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From: Homer, Alaska
A lot of things can cause the rough idle. Do you do a lot of city driving or do you get out on the highway? I think I would pull the codes and clear the CEL just to make sure something else is not wrong. Then take it out on the highway for a road trip. That should clear any carbon problems if there are any. Then replace the oil sending unit. Then keep us posted.
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From: Homer, Alaska
Another thought about carbon buildup. You can pull a spark plug and look down on the top of the piston with a bright light and you should be able to see if there is a lot of carbon there. You may need to turn the engine to move the piston up or down but you can usually "bump" the starter to do that. You should probably remove the coil wire so the engine won't start.
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From: Alvin, Texas.
Funny thing about rough idle. The Brake on/off (BOO) circuit will set off a code if a brake light is toast and give a rough idle....thanks to the Haynes for that tip. (Of course, everyone here invests in that tool and knew that...right?)
Either way, check the code and maybe it's the O2 sensor and nothing more.
Either way, check the code and maybe it's the O2 sensor and nothing more.
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My '00 Ranger has an oil gauge problem as well. It reads "no pressure" for about the first 3 or 4 miles on cold mornings, then "snaps" to normal pressure. Sometimes it flickers before it reads normal. Once the engine is warm, it works fine. It usually never does this when it is already warm outside. I read somewhere on the net that this is a common problem.
The only time it scares me is after I change the oil!
I'd really like to find a sensor to replace it with that reads "real" oil pressure, not just "none" and "normal".
The only time it scares me is after I change the oil!
I'd really like to find a sensor to replace it with that reads "real" oil pressure, not just "none" and "normal".
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From: Travelers Rest SC
I just had a problem with my '86 Ranger oil pressure. At an idle it was normal; as I accelerated, it dropped! This is the opposite of what I would expect. Turned out the wire on the sender was loose; I guess the added vibration of acceleration was causing it to lose contact. Scared heck out of me! I tightened up the connector: problem solved.