Oil pressure guage...

[Darrman]

Seems my oil pressure guage is a little lower than normal, actually its sitting on the "o" while its usually on the "r". Not the end of the world, but I have noticed that the guage is not moving, even when you cut the truck on and off. Can someone tell me if their guage drops with the key off? Thanks

 

[quicklook2]

you do know that it is a glorified idiot light, right?

it only move if pressure drops below 7 psi.

i think mine drops to read zero but i will have to look.

 

[X-North]

It only if you stop your engine..put it a off take pff your key and then turn it at on without starting the engine. When you restart the truck it will go again to normal. It must be like me only a loss in voltage due to resistance in the circuit. Dont worry ...To test your dash gauge for proper working unplug the wire from the oil pressure and probe it to the ground of the body. then go inside your truck and the needle should go to the extreme right after the L of Normal. If no then you have your trouble its a loss in the circuit. If it go to the extreme left then your gauge is ok and that only mean that your engine pressure sender is having a bad resistance inside itself. Change it if you will but like he said its an idiot light...but if it finally fail then you gonna stop the truck on the highway because of a No oil pressur ..and it will be only a bad resistance. I know i did it...but shortly after that the oil sender broke internally so it began to drip oil from there and i lost all my oil on the higway...so 250$ of towing for a 15$ part.

My final advice....Change it right away. Idiot light yes for the idiots who prefer to ride with a broken gauge the gonna let the oil drip soon.

 

[Maniak]

There are several threads about the fake oil pressure gauge (analog idiot light).

You can do a simple change (short one resistor and replace the sending unit) to make your gauge move based on oil pressure changes.

~Mark

 

[dkchrist]

or just install a real gauge

 

[huntman58]

or just install a real gauge

I have the same deal .I would love to change it out for a real on dose any one make on that will fit the 93 ex dash ?

 

[Darrman]

Well I was going to have a look at it this weekend, but all of a sudden its working again, and is reading correctly. Weird. I would normally be inclined to fix it, I hate stuff that doesnt work, but I will just wait and see here.

 

[X-North]

I had the same problem. But could suspect a defective oil pump? When I start the truck the oil needle is not moving but after a ride and getting some bumps the needle go to the normal and its fluctuate a lot.I probed the wire direct on the battery ground and it goes to the NORMAL word. I got around 6 volts too...but 6 volts?? is it normal when you probe it directly ??? So if its normal i suspect my oil pump or my sender even if its only 3 months old.

 

[dkchrist]

i think that all the gauges are just "idiot" lights so there is no reading that it will take it just shows that there is at least 7 psi or so of oil pressure. Darrman i had problems with gaskets sticking to the oil filter boss and making it leak oil FAST nearly lost an engine but got it shut down before it pumped all the oil out and it would have been noticeable with a true pressure gauge. I cut a hole in the dash and installed one myself or you can get a pod for the A pillar. It is just kind of a additional factor of safety. I will see if I can borrow a camera and get some pictures.

 

[X-North]

I probed it and it went ok but now i must know...is it really the oil pump that suck not enough oil or itsmy still new pressure gauge that is already broken.
I am searching on ebay for an old 1-10 psi or 1-20 psi marine gauge that will resist to sludge and oil..I will bolt it directly on the block and look at it only by opening the hood. I dont want to test something, go back in truck, go in hood, retest re-go in truck

 

[Maniak]

I probed it and it went ok but now i must know...is it really the oil pump that suck not enough oil or itsmy still new pressure gauge that is already broken.
I am searching on ebay for an old 1-10 psi or 1-20 psi marine gauge that will resist to sludge and oil..I will bolt it directly on the block and look at it only by opening the hood. I dont want to test something, go back in truck, go in hood, retest re-go in truck

Your oil pressure will be between 20 and 60psi or so.

Just pick up a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge (with plastic capilary tube). You can then hook it up to the engine and zip tie it under the hood or run it out of the hood and zip tie it to a winshield wiper for your testing.

~Mark

 

[X-North]

ok i tought that the base oil pressure was around 7 psi

 

[huntman58]

Your oil pressure will be between 20 and 60psi or so.

Just pick up a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge (with plastic capilary tube). You can then hook it up to the engine and zip tie it under the hood or run it out of the hood and zip tie it to a winshield wiper for your testing.

~Mark

cool I was wanting to know the base psi my self. Just dose get to me that you pay for a gage package and still get nothing but a fancy light . I plan to add a gage to my ex soon as all a long I was trusting the dash one grrrrrrr

 

[Maniak]

The factory sending unit on the first gen X is just an on/off switch.. that switches at around 7 psi (problably why you thought 7psi was the operating pressure).

You can put on an older style sending unit (70's Ford) that is a real sending unit. You then can modify your factory gauge (short our a resister on the back of the gauge) and then your factory gauge will be a real gauge (just w/out numbers).

~Mark