Rynofx88
Member
- Joined
- March 1, 2018
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 1
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2004 NBX
2004 4.6 Explorer NBX. 4WD. 230k miles. If anyone has some thoughts on this issue, I would appreciate it. Not sure how much of this is relevant, but I'll throw in everything that I can think of: A few months ago, after an oil change at a Valvoline quick lube location, I decided to take advantage of a drive through car wash. I didn't realize that this one included an undercarriage wash - which I would normally stay away from. Within a few minutes of leaving, I noticed the oil pressure was reading abnormally high. This is a standard analog gauge with a H and an L, and several hash marks inbetween these. The normal pressure rides dead center. I quickly pulled over and shut the engine off. I noticed that the gauge needle did not drop back down to rest near the L. I checked the oil, and generally just looked around, but couldn't find any other signs of anything wrong. When I started it back up again, the pressure climbed even higher - shut it off, the needle dropped to about the half mark. I drove back to the Valvoline station, had them check it again - nothing showing. So I drove home, stopping on the way to pick up a new oil pressure sending unit just in case this was the problem. While in the process of replacing the sending unit, I double checked the oil filter they used was the right one (I normally do my own maintenance - but was busy and needed to get it done - so used a quick lube station) The filter was the correct one and nothing looked suspicious about their work, so I figured it was just a bad sending unit. Maybe the undercarriage spray caused some problems? Either way, with the new sending unit, the problem seemed fixed. But within a month or so, I noticed the same intermittent problem happening again. The oil pressure will read fine for a week or more, then suddenly will read super high. Shut it off and the needle doesn't bottom out. Restart and it reads higher than before.
These are my observations during the last few months of this issue:
There is no change in the way the explorer runs, sounds, rpms, uses oil ect. I did another oil change myself, and still this persists.
There is no check engine or warning lights or codes that have popped up associated with the pressure readings.
It seems to me, the pressure still reads "half" on the analog gauge. It's just if the needle only returns to 1/4 when shut off, then when it's restarted, pressure reads about 3/4. Shut it off, the needle maybe returns to 1/2. Back on, and now it's straight up reading H. It's even gone clear over counterclockwise to a reading of about the 10:00 position.
At some point, while shut off, it will return to normal and everything will read normal for a few days. Then at some point I'll be driving and notice a high reading.
Just recently, it has given a few lower than normal readings.
I can't really determine if anything is actually wrong, or if its just something with the dash gauge that is faulty. It's actually been doing this for about 6 months now, and I hate to say it, but I assume if it was something major, it would've broken down by now as the frequency of these high readings is definitely increasing.
I've maintained the explorer well. High mileage synthetic oil. It uses some, but I would say a normal amount for such high overall mileage. It doesn't leak.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? And if it is a faulty dash gauge (how do I fix it?) or is there something much worse that I should be concerned about.
Thanks.
These are my observations during the last few months of this issue:
There is no change in the way the explorer runs, sounds, rpms, uses oil ect. I did another oil change myself, and still this persists.
There is no check engine or warning lights or codes that have popped up associated with the pressure readings.
It seems to me, the pressure still reads "half" on the analog gauge. It's just if the needle only returns to 1/4 when shut off, then when it's restarted, pressure reads about 3/4. Shut it off, the needle maybe returns to 1/2. Back on, and now it's straight up reading H. It's even gone clear over counterclockwise to a reading of about the 10:00 position.
At some point, while shut off, it will return to normal and everything will read normal for a few days. Then at some point I'll be driving and notice a high reading.
Just recently, it has given a few lower than normal readings.
I can't really determine if anything is actually wrong, or if its just something with the dash gauge that is faulty. It's actually been doing this for about 6 months now, and I hate to say it, but I assume if it was something major, it would've broken down by now as the frequency of these high readings is definitely increasing.
I've maintained the explorer well. High mileage synthetic oil. It uses some, but I would say a normal amount for such high overall mileage. It doesn't leak.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? And if it is a faulty dash gauge (how do I fix it?) or is there something much worse that I should be concerned about.
Thanks.
