96' Explorer 4.0 2WD XLT OIL PRESSURE PROBLEMS

[stewflg8tr]

Oil pressure idiot gauge started jumping then bottomed out---could tell by sound of engine there was no oil pressure. Changed oil, replaced filter---pressure gauge read fine, no problems. 2 weeks later while driving oil pressure went to nothing again. Any ideas???????? How labor intensive is it for a weekend warrior to replace oil pump????? Any info appreciated.

 

[MustangP51]

Welcome to the forum.

Changing the oil pump requires removing the oil pan, and usually the engine is pulled to do that.

First you want to make sure that it is actually the pump that is bad and not the gauge. Try hooking up a mechanical gauge to the engine and check for oil pressure. It sounds to me like it could be the oil pressure sender.

 

[jose22]

I have similar problems, when I start my Explorer the gauge starts going up and down very quickly,sometimes stays down for a few minutes and then goes to normal reading, so I guess for now im going to check the oil pressure sending unit and see if thats the problem and not something worse