Oil Gauge Question | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Oil Gauge Question

Optimus Joe

Member
Joined
July 16, 2019
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Location
Florida
City, State
Saint Augustine
Year, Model & Trim Level
96 Explorer Sport
So I did and instrument cluster swap due to a bad speedo. The new speedo and odo work great, but an interesting thing I have noticed is when I start the car, the oil pressure gauge goes right to the mid point. I have driven it for a bit and not seen an real movement on it at all. It just stays right in the middle of the gauge. When I shut the car off, it goes down to the bottom.
How do I know if I have a bad gauge. Is that something I can test myself?

Thanks
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





That's normal. It would be more accurate to call it an "oil pressure indicator" rather than a "gauge" because it doesn't really measure anything. It simply displays the fact that your oil pressure is above the minimum. If it's above minimum, then the "gauge" goes to the middle. If it's below the minimum, then the "gauge" is flat. It really only has two positions--middle for "you've got oil pressure," and flat for "no oil pressure."
 






That's normal. It would be more accurate to call it an "oil pressure indicator" rather than a "gauge" because it doesn't really measure anything. It simply displays the fact that your oil pressure is above the minimum. If it's above minimum, then the "gauge" goes to the middle. If it's below the minimum, then the "gauge" is flat. It really only has two positions--middle for "you've got oil pressure," and flat for "no oil pressure."
So, the fact that my old one crept up while this one bounces to the mid point, probably means that my old one was broke as well?
 






So, the fact that my old one crept up while this one bounces to the mid point, probably means that my old one was broke as well?

Did your other gauges act funny too? For example, my temp gauge will go up the instant I add electrical load (turn on the headlamps, a/c, blower to max, etc...) and go back down the instant I turn things off. My alternator and engine temp needles will "sweep" slightly in synchronization with the turn signals when they're blinking.

I haven't replaced my instrument cluster yet, but it was suggested that my issue could be the instrument cluster voltage regulator.
 






On my old cluster the speedo and the odo would work for a short time and then die. The oil gauge would creep as described. All of the others were fine and appeared accurate. I went to a junkyard and for $35 got a new cluster. I spent another 12 on the odo gear and the speedo and odo work great. Of course it came with new fuel, battery, oil, and coolant gauges and other than the oil, all appear the same as the others.
 






Your info says you have a '96. What year Expl did you take the gauge cluster from? The older models had a real oil pressure gauge, later models have the idiot light with a needle. It's not a gauge, just an indication that you have at least 5 PSI of oil pressure. The needle will no longer move around, it will just sit in the middle of the gauge's sweep. Completely normal.
 






Your info says you have a '96. What year Expl did you take the gauge cluster from? The older models had a real oil pressure gauge, later models have the idiot light with a needle. It's not a gauge, just an indication that you have at least 5 PSI of oil pressure. The needle will no longer move around, it will just sit in the middle of the gauge's sweep. Completely normal.
It was pulled from a '95 Ranger.
 






Did you happen to notice the build date stamped on the Ranger cluster? I'll bet it had been replaced with a newer unit.
 






Did you happen to notice the build date stamped on the Ranger cluster? I'll bet it had been replaced with a newer unit.
No, I did not. When I replace the smaller bulbs with the T5's I'll take a look. What year do you believe they went to the dummy gauges?
 






No, I did not. When I replace the smaller bulbs with the T5's I'll take a look. What year do you believe they went to the dummy gauges?

'97 or '98? I'm pretty sure my '97 had a dummy gauge, but I can't say for sure.
 






Back
Top