Sticky Oil Pressure Gauge

[cstew47]

When I start my 01 Sport in the morning, for about a minute the oil pressure gauge needle doesn't move, then, it pops up. I am hoping it is a sticky gauge and not an oil pressure problem. Anybody else have a similar experience?

 

[Falconkeeper]

This last winter, my oil pressure took forever to come up in very cold weather. I listened for any noise that would indicate lack of oil in the engine and no noise, the engine ran smooth. I figured that the sender was sticking in the cold. I will change it when the weather cools off. In warm weather, the gauge goes right up on start up. If you don't have any noise and your engine doesn't seize, I would say that your sender is just sticky.

 

[my98nnj]

Check the electrical connection at the sensor, make sure it's nice and clean.
If the problem is still there, replace the sensor.

 

[SoNic67]

Replace the sender unit ( threaded in the block). Sounds like it is clogged up.

 

[ponch68]

I agree to replace the sensor. Also, if you don't mind making a little mess; pull the old one out and start the car for a brief second or two and let the oil pressure blow out anything that may be clogging your sensor port. It will get a little messy and definitely don't do it for more than a few seconds, but it will clean it out.

 

[cstew47]

Thanks for the input. I agree that I don't think it is a pressure gauge problem. If it was the oil pump, I think it would recover more slowly.

 

[RobWilJas]

Thanks for the input. I agree that I don't think it is a pressure gauge problem. If it was the oil pump, I think it would recover more slowly.

Unfortunately no. The oil pressure gauge is not a real gauge, it's more like an idiot light, it's either on or off. When the pressure is below 5psi I think it is, the needle is at the bottom, when the pressure is above that the needle is half way up.

 

[SoNic67]

Oil pump would have less pressure at idling with hot engine (thinner oil), not at start up.
My guess (above) is that oil drains from the sensor overnight and takes a wile to be pushed back into the seder body due to obstructions.

 

[jeff spahn]

Unfortunately no. The oil pressure gauge is not a real gauge, it's more like an idiot light, it's either on or off. When the pressure is below 5psi I think it is, the needle is at the bottom, when the pressure is above that the needle is half way up.

Very true statement. Ford found most people don't understand an oil pressure gauge (gage in auto graphics world). They also didn't want an idiot light because that only really told you when it was too late. So, in true committee form, they put an idiot light in gauge form. The gauge will only tell you if you have pressure or no pressure, you get no "readings" from the gauge.

If your gauge stays at the bottom and then later pops to the center you have a limited number of problems. The gauge could be broken, the sender could be broken or a wire leading from one of these is broken. If then gauge never comes up you could have an additional problem which will present itself soon in the form of a seized engine.

Terrible solution but if you want to fix it and get real oil pressure readings that will vary with oil viscosity, temp and oil pressure and all their variations, you'll need to install an aftermarket one (or retrofit a true pressure sender and make it work with factory gauge of which I have no clue how to do)

 

[SoNic67]

It's a regular 1/4" treaded hole - you can install any mechanical gauge that has that adapter, like this one.

 

[jeff spahn]

It's a regular 1/4" treaded hole - you can install any mechanical gauge that has that adapter, like this one.

Yes, that will work like I was talking about but it won't make the in dash gauge read real oil pressure. That is what I don't know how to do because I never bothered to figure it out.

 

[SoNic67]

I was going to use a real sensor like the ones used before on Ford engines. I got a 1984 F150 that threads in but the gauge itself needs to be calibrated for the old style. I understand that they added a resistor inside the dash/gauge to point the needle to middle and that resistor needs to be removed in order to make it work.

 

[jeff spahn]

I was going to use a real sensor like the ones used before on Ford engines. I got a 1984 F150 that threads in but the gauge itself needs to be calibrated for the old style. I understand that they added a resistor inside the dash/gauge to point the needle to middle and that resistor needs to be removed in order to make it work.

Awesome. I am glad someone knows. I had no idea about the resistor