Good day and thank you for any help I get.
To start off I have done lots of reading on every forum I can find to try an figure out my problem.
Here is what's going on. A few days ago I noticed my oil pressure gauge drop and come back up as I was shifting from reverse to drive. Then a few days later on my way home from work I noticed that when the truck was warmed up and I was stopped at idle the oil pressure gauge would drop to zero and the oil pressure light would come on.. Once I gave it throttle the pressure gauge would go back to normal. After researching for the night the next morning I started the truck cold (around 35 degrees) and watched the oil pressure gauge. It was fine until the tempiture came up then once I hit the brake to stop the high idle the gauge dropped to 0 and the oil pressure light came on. If I gave it any throttle the oil pressure would come up to normal but soon as I let off the pressure would drop off again.
I drained the oil, removed the oil cooler, and checked the oil pressure regulator to find it in normal operating condition. My new orings and gaskets won't be here until Monday so I cleaned up for the day. When picking up the oil drain plug I noticed quite a bit of metal shavings on it. I cut open the oil filter and found more shavings in it. Not a bunch but a few in every opening.
I have read about a lot of issues where piston cooling jets fall off and cause my issues. I tried hitting the oil pan with a dead blow hammer and listening for the jet but don't hear it. This is the first time I have changed the oil since buying the truck and am wondering if it was found the last time the oil was changed and the reason for them selling the truck.
I'm going to put a bore scope through the oil drain plug today and look for the piston cooling jets or anything not normal. Then when the oil cooler gaskets get here I plan to install them and a mechanical oil pressure gauge. To see what the pressure really is.
I'm not sure where to go from there so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

 

Sorry, the truck is a 99 F-250 with 188,000 miles. It has been 2500 since last oil change.

 

What engine?

 

Sorry again, 7.3 diesel

 

Oil pump is bad?

 

Logito,
Thanks for the taking a look at my issue. Everything I have read says the LPOP is not the issue and will not fix a low pressure problem. I will be looking into replacing it if I don't figure anything else out.
Thanks again.

 

The fact you have low idle oil pressure and shavings in the oil may indicate something has let go and the shavings have torn up various bearings. Excessive bearing clearances will cause low oil pressure at idle too.

 

Moving to the 7.3L forum!

 

I'm very curious to know what the final diagnosis and solution was to this problem. There were no comments after the topic was moved and I don't know if you are still receiving notices (It's the only topic you have posted to) so I'll send a PM to let you know I posted this.

I don't have a Power Stroke now but I am considering buying an OBS (Old Body Style) 1994.5 to 1997 sometime later this year, possibly a later model.

I am wondering if your truck previously had coolant leaking into the oil (via oil cooler?) where ethylene or polypropylene glycol mixed in the oil would have caused very quick damage to the bearings. From something I read, I recall that the bearings would appear blackened - maybe not after the leak was fixed and new oil though.

Thanks for any updates on this problem.

 

Doesn't the oil pressure gauge just use a switch? Try replace that cheap part first and check the wire.

 

We just went through something similar. No shavings, but erratic oil pressure on lie-o-meter (gauge).
Replaced the LPOP as insurance (not the issue though)
Ultimately is was blown injector o-rings.
Just a thought.

ZooDad