Oil guage
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Senior User
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From: Virginia
Oil guage
My 2001 B4000 has developed yet another problem. When I start the truck after it's been sitting a while and the engine is cold, sometimes the oil guage sticks at low. I can turn the truck off and start it up again and it works normally. Also the other day, as I accelerated, the gauge jumped back and forth as I accelerated. I change my oil (i use synthetic) on a regular basis. Anyone else had this problem? Any advice?
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Durham, NC
Your oil pressure sending unit "switch" is bad. Keep in mind, it is not a true pressure gauge, it either will show no pressure, or half-scale, which happens when around 7 PSI of oil pressure causes the sending unit "switch" to close.
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From: Connecticut
I have had the same problem - I just haven't had a chance to replace the oil pressure sensor. I think it's near the back of the engine towards the bottom of the block on the 4.0 L - I'm still searching for the one on my 3.0 L ....
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From: Durham, NC
The sending unit on the 3.0L is behind the head on the passenger's side. I have no experience on the 4.0L, but If I had to guess, I would look around where the oil filter is mounted......
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Have you thought about switching to a mechanical oil guage? These are typically easy to install and are a lot more reliable then electrical ones. Just buy a decent one so you don't get stuck with crummy oil line connections, make sure your oil line is not near anything hot so you don't burn through it and develop a leak and you're in business.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Virginia
Maybe a little later on down the road i will try the mechanical gauge. For now though, I just want to fix what's broken. And even if I switched to a mechanical gauge, I'd still have to figure out where the sending unit is located... still haven't been able to figure out where it is though.
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From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Bob Ayers
The sending unit on the 3.0L is behind the head on the passenger's side. I have no experience on the 4.0L, but If I had to guess, I would look around where the oil filter is mounted......
Do you have a photo of it ?
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Durham, NC
Originally Posted by blueranger99
Thanks for the info. I'll check it out this weekend.
Do you have a photo of it ?
Do you have a photo of it ?
I've replaced mine with an analog sending unit, which is a lot larger than the
oil sending unit "switch".
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From: SW Va
Not sure where the oil pressure sending unit is on the SHOC 4.0L engine, but the OHV 4.0L engine illustration I have, shows it on the drivers side, about midway up the side side of the oil pan casting. So that should put it close to the drivers side engine mount area.
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From: Higginsville, MO
Anyone ever wondered why Ford never puts an actual guage in their vehicles? Why do we just get dummy lights with needles? Even the gauges that do work have H or C hor H and L. Cant I get some numbers on these things? Is it so hard to put a temp reading on a engine temp guage or voltage numbers on the volt meter or how about some PSI readings for oil pressure? I have never met anyone that was overly fond of Fords gauge packages.
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From: Durham, NC
Originally Posted by Eric.S
As long as the motor is nice and quiet, if you want to fix the gauge for free, i added a resistor into the line to fix the "low" oil pressure that the gauge displayed, Its typical of ford gauges.