Got a Ranger today..
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Got a Ranger today..
Well, I went and got a 99 Ranger 4x4 extended cab today..automatic..3.0. It runs and looks good. I have a question though and need some help. The oil level gauge...as long as i'm going down the road, it reads fine...whenever I go to stop, it starts bottoming out, then going back up, bottoming out, then going back up..after I stop, I can put it in park and rev the engine, and when I do, the oil level gauge goes up and down with the revs...any help is greatly appreciated..
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From: Eastern WA
I assume you mean pressure in each place the word level is used. These oil pressure gauges are nothing but an idiot gauge in that they are designed to read somewhere around mid range when there is about 7 PSI of oil pressure. Given your description of what is happening, I would make it a point to put a real, mechanical gauge on this engine and take a reading at idle, low and high speed cruise RPM's. I'm also confused by your description. You note that all is well going down the road, but if you stop, put it in park, and I assume raise the engine speed to the same speed as when cruising the problem occurs, then the gauge wanders. Is in fact what is happening?
*I wonder when the oil filter was last changed.....
*I wonder when the oil filter was last changed.....
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Okay..it's hard to explain what its doing...It doesn't gradually bottom out...it acts like their may be a short in a wire or something is actually what it acts like..like it loses power, and goes all the way down, then will get power, and go back up to where it's supposed to be reading (when you press the gas)...it isn't like, a gradual raise or lower in the reading...its straight down, or straight back up to what I believe is the correct reading....maybe that will help...I mean..it goes so fast, that you can hear the needle smacking the side of the gauge...so maybe that will help some..
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From: Maine
Originally Posted by probedude
I wonder if the previous owner put in a 'real' sensor and now the gauge is correctly reading oil pressure? Like CB9M said, put in a real gauge and see what's happening.
When it goes down, does it move slowly, like a mechanical gauge, or just drop like a rock? As Bill said, the factory "gauge" is run by a switch that only registers "pressure" or "no pressure" and will never read anything but zero or normal.
Does anyone know if he can tell which sending unit he has by looking at it in place?
edit: you posted at the same time I did
Sounds like the sending unit might be bad. I don't think they're terribly expensive.
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The weird thing is, that while i'm sitting in park...its all the way down, if I press the gas, it will fly up to where I think is normal (really fast..not like the oil pressure is actually going up as I press the gas)
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Post Fiend
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From: Eastern WA
Your first problem description is the basis for my suggestion, which I still stand by. By using a real gauge, you can determine the actual pressure and thus rule out bearing and oil pump issues as well as a few other things. IMO, given your description this would be a real smart thing to do.
On edit: your last post is all the more reason to hook up a real pressure gauge and see what is really going on. It's consistent with honest to God low oil pressure and there's nothing weird about the gauge (ie, idiot gauge) response that you are noting. That gauge just might be doing it's job
. It *could* be a sender that somehow is out of range; I'd error on the safe side and investigate if it were mine.
On edit: your last post is all the more reason to hook up a real pressure gauge and see what is really going on. It's consistent with honest to God low oil pressure and there's nothing weird about the gauge (ie, idiot gauge) response that you are noting. That gauge just might be doing it's job
. It *could* be a sender that somehow is out of range; I'd error on the safe side and investigate if it were mine.
Last edited by CowboyBilly9Mile; Nov 19, 2005 at 09:25 PM.
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From: Maine
Originally Posted by michaelbarry
The weird thing is, that while i'm sitting in park...its all the way down, if I press the gas, it will fly up to where I think is normal (really fast..not like the oil pressure is actually going up as I press the gas)
I'd replace the sending unit if I were you. I'd also try to avoid driving the truck, in case it actually doesn't have oil pressure (there IS oil in it, right?). I just looked on Autozone.com, the sender for my 4 cyl. is $9, yours is probably about the same.
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Yeah, I agree, you do need to quickly fix that problem. It does sound like the sender is way outta wack. That being said, if it's not, and everything is right with it's transmission of the signal, you are getting less than 7PSI of oil. Your engine will be dead before long.
I second the "get a real gauge" suggestion and see what's going on. This is one problem you can't afford to just guess and check, it's very much an engine longevity issue.
I second the "get a real gauge" suggestion and see what's going on. This is one problem you can't afford to just guess and check, it's very much an engine longevity issue.
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Low oil pressure wouldn't have anything to do with it sounding like a squeaky serpentine belt, would it?...Sorry, i'm not very mechanically smart. I'm not totally stupid when it comes to it, just don't know alot about it. It just started the sqeaking today..it squeaks if its turning under ~1500rpm...I looked at the belt, and it didn't have any cracks, but maybe its just wore out. How do you go about connecting a mechanical oil pressure gauge?..
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Sounds like the bearings are going bad in something the belt is connected to. Get someone in the cab to hold it around 1200 (does it squeak there?) or wherever you can get it to make the noise. Then take a long screwdriver and CAREFULLY touch it to all the items the belt connects to. Place your ear on the other end of the screwdriver. It will pinpoint the sound and you can work from there. WATCH OUT FOR THAT FAN!!!
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Then take a long screwdriver and CAREFULLY touch it to all the items the belt connects to. Place your ear on the other end of the screwdriver.