I have a 1996 F250HD with a 460 engine. I bought it brand new in 1996 and have had it in my garage since. It has 3800 miles on it and the engine has been perfect except for a miss on one cylinder until now. I took it out about a week ago to get it re-registered and while I was waiting, I looked down and the oil pressure gauge read 0! It scared the hell out of me and I shut it off. When I had to move, i restarted it and the gauge went right up to normal. Then back down to zero as it idled. Now when it warms up a little, I get a zero on the gauge at idle. The engine sounds just fine though and if I blip the throttle, it goes right back up and stays up as long as it's any speed above idle. Until now the oil pressure has been perfect. Could it be the oil pressure sending unit? Thanks for any help...

 

1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums You would probably be better posting your problem on the `87-`96 F-Series page as this page is more for lube type.
However I would check the wiring connection to the oil pressure sender, may be loose.
There are plenty of guys on the page I gave the link to with similar trucks to yours and I`m sure you would get plenty of advice there. And pics would be nice as that sounds like an outstanding truck.
Good luck.

 

Buy a cheap mechanical gauge and check it. The pressure switch a 1996 has is just that, an on/off switch, not a true sending unit. So, if it is 7psi at idle and the switch closes at 10psi, the needle goes to zero, if it is 10psi or above, it goes to 1/2, if all the wiring connections are clean and tight. Ford started doing this in the 1980s.

Jim

 

Welcome to FTE.

With no untoward engine sounds, a good idea to put the oil pressure sending switch on your suspect list, as they & their connections are a common problem.

I like jims oil pressure check with a mechanical gauge idea too.

A 96 with only 3800 miles on it, that only averages something like 5.6 miles a week, not enough to warm it up real good, so I just gotta ask this question, has the oil & filter ever been changed????

 

Right next to the oil filter is a plug.....remove and replace with a fitting to hose to mechanical gauge. Compare the mechanical gauge reading to the pressure sensor.