1999 Mounty 5.0 aka My Great Bad Idea

[97Sandbox]

I didn't hear any top end noise at least.

Any recommendations for a good quality gauge? I hear a lot of the aftermarket stuff with nylon lines is junk.

Is it easy enough to pull sender and see if it's plugged?

 

[allmyEXes]

 

[97Sandbox]

Looks like a nice kit!

Is it a bad idea to use a cheapo as a temporary install for diagnostic purposes? Not sure if their pressure readings can be trusted.

Looks like this is what I need to take out, clean, and reinstall for starters?

 

[410Fortune]

Sender can get straight shot at it from in front of drivers tire long extensions… super easy access

 

[97Sandbox]

I was wondering. I got a hand on it from the engine bay, but wasn't sure how I'd get a wrench down there

 

[410Fortune]

What year is engine?
Your 302 should have the 99-01 oil sender in it
The 96-97 sender might play funny with your 99 dash

 

[97Sandbox]

Everything in the engine is '99 and untouched to my knowledge. Other that the light refresh stuff I did of course.

Is it at all likely there's just crud that's collected in the sender that's blocking it? The mileage I've been putting on the Mounty to bed in the clutch is honestly more than it saw from the time of the engine refresh up to the start of the manual swap.

 

[allmyEXes]

Those pictures are not from a kit. I had an older oil gauge. I bought a new copper line. It is related to parts people purchase for turbo applications.
The brass piece is from an Australian 5.0 application.
There are several good gauge kits and if they come with the vinyl line, which I don't really care for, you can search the internet or someone here might can tell you where to get the copper line with the ends already made on the line.

 

[410Fortune]

I use Bosch 3 gauge kit from Amazon in some projects, oil water voltage 2-5/8” good price all mechanical easy to adapt

Not usually are they plugged but I have seen a. Chunk of carbon partially lodged in a sensor causing issues

Usually you remove them, look at them, clean them, ohm test it… compare ohms to new one… then install new one and find out the gauge still doing the same thing
But we have to go through these exercises just in case it’s something simple

 

[allmyEXes]

@97Sandbox To install the copper line behind the PS/AC bracket, you'll have to loosen the bracket far enough to get the line/ferrule to slip behind it. The bracket has cast on bosses to make the bracket stand off of the head a bit. Just make sure that the bosses don't crush the line. You can install this way if the line can be attached to the brass extender. If you are unable to, you will need to take some parts off the engine to get in there.

 

[97Sandbox]

Definitely gunky, but definitely not clogged with sludge.

What do you ohm between on a single wire sensor?

Going to see if I can get a sender locally and try to swing a trip to harbor freight for their oil pressure test kit.

 

[97Sandbox]

Hooked up the HFT gauge and had 30 psi at idle so I ran it up to operating temp and got the following results:

• 750 rpm (idle): 10 psi
• 2000 rpm: 22 psi
• 3000 rpm: 24 psi
• 4000 rpm: 24 psi
• 5000 rpm: 26 psi

Experts let me know what you think, but I'm thinking my oil pump is not keeping up.

 

[410Fortune]

What did the inside of the engine look like?
I ask because these oil pumps… man they turn = they push oil.
Only thing that stops them and results in low oil pressure (instead of none)
Is carbon or sludge in drains and pickup screen
Or bad crank bearings

What oil are you running?
Maybe time for some marvel

 

[97Sandbox]

I only had it open down to the heads, it wasn't great but it wasn't awful inside. Here's a pic when I first pulled the intake off last summer:

I did have that lifter tick at one point, so there's definitely been some crud circulating inside. I was careful to vacuum out then flush the pan with kerosene then fresh oil before I put the timing cover back on, but I can't guarantee there was nothing in there that could've made its way to the pickup.

It's currently running full synthetic 5W-30 which still has the marvel mystery oil in it. I haven't done a second oil change since the refresh (drove it less than 1000 miles in the last year).

 

[Turdle]

Could be a chunk of blue towel ( or other debris) got in oil pan at timing cover time, and is getting sucked up to screen?

 

[97Sandbox]

It certainly could have. Maybe something that was stuck somewhere or too big to flush out the drain hole.

Is there any way to sneak a piece of hose through the drain plug opening to the pickup screen and vacuum off any potential debris?

 

[97Sandbox]

I was reading more and it sounds like a clogged pickup will typically reduce oil pressure across the whole rpm range, not just higher rpms.

Would worn bearings be the more likely cause of the "plateau effect" I'm seeing? Like everything runs fine at low rpm but as pressure tries to build, the higher volume/faster flow of oil just squirts past the bearings?

Mainly wondering if I should go 10W-40 and run till it gives up or try anything else to see if something can resolve the low pressure.

 

[CDW6212R]

I agree that something is probably restricting oil flow at the oil pickup screen, or some excess wear on the bearings. I haven't had an oil pressure problem with any of my many 302's. They all came with the identical OEM oil pump, like Jamie said they basically always work and would not lose much pressure or volume over ages of miles.

I have run all kinds of oil viscosities in my Fords, from the 70's 10/40W to the tried and true 20/50W, and the late model 0/20, 5/20, 10/30, 10/40. My last 95 Crown Vic had some valvetrain noise long after a valve spring broke, I'm sure the Know County Sheriff's department abused the engine, thus sold it at 98k miles. I tried various oils, including 20/50W for one oil change, nothing really stopped the mild noise, but the thicker oils helped a little more than nothing(the OEM recommended 10/30W).

So for the 302 which is built like all SBF's have been, they do not require late model super thin oil like some modern engines do(variable valve timing requires specific viscosity). You can use anything you want to, I'd suggest a synthetic 10/40W to see if it helps at all with pressure. That Marvel Mystery oil is great for some cleaning internally, but it does thin the viscosity, change the oil now and see how it does.

 

[410Fortune]

Diesel oil
Or
High concentration of marvel
Will break up sludge over time

We had a 302 drop to 0’at idle
Few treatments of diesel oil and then Mobil one completely restored oil pressure on that engine

Your picture above that’s pretty “carboney” 302… lots of black soot and a little goo in the corners.. Typical of a 302 without proper oil changes (or they ran Pennzoil or Quaker state) jahahaha just razzing you pen oil and qs fans
With that said I can tell you I have seen way worse
At least there does not appear to be any sludge… just carbon

Must be bad engine week here on ef

With at least 10 psi at warm idle this 302 should be just fine if you can clean inside and restore the oil Passages

Good news!!
Your oil pressure dummy light is working
Below 8psi they drop to 0

 

[Turdle]

After diesel flush, Put a different filter on , other than. Fram, try 10-40 oil , see if that wakes it up