The oil pressure gauge fluctuates, and check gauge light comes on.

[CABOKING]

just bought 1998 explorer xlt 8 cyl. 148,000 miles. after warming up oil pressure gauge flutters and goes to zero, and check gauge light goes on, especially when braking. when you accelerate it goes back to the middle and the light goes off. any ideas

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread to the stock 95-01 section. Your oil pressure sending unit is probably going bad. You could confirm this with a test gauge connected to the port where the sending unit is located.

 

[inh]

Sounds like it is a bad connection on your oil pressure switch, or a bad switch.

 

[rgundran]

Hi Guys,

Don't me thread jack this thread, but hey my problem is exact.

Wasnt able to get a oil gauge. Auto Zone and Checker said they dont have any, "and its only available at the dealer". Whatever.

Anyways, got the oil pressure sensor switch from NAPA. Researched where its located at through this and other auto forums. Supposedly its "below the rocker arm on the LH side". Other forums give the impression that its a quick replacement job. I think I located it. IT is an SOB to get to!

Hours later:
I still havent been able to remove it. The replacement part has a one wire connector on it. The existing part has a nub or nipple on it. I went back to NAPA, The parts dude got the nipple part for me. He says "Its for the light". WTF does that mean?!

Am I missing something here? Am I eyeballing the correct part? The part I am attempting to replace is above the oil filter. It is so inaccessible, that I had to remove the oil filter and the lower radiator hose to be able to barely reach the wire to disconnect it.

This is 5.0 engine.

ARGH!!!

 

[gmanpaint]

Jack it up as high as you can, set it on a set of stands, get at it from underneath. Much easier to reach this way.

 

[rgundran]

It is on jackstands....


So what about the part issue? Whats the difference between the nipple connector and the plug connector? Are they both the same thing, just different styles?

 

[Turdle]

First--
the stock oil pressure gauge is not a gauge at all, rather a 6 psi on off switch due to the sender itself. You either have a on or off condition being displayed.

It is an electrical sender, however, you can get a " progressive" electrical oil sender also, and wire it to your present gauge. You will have no real numbers for reference, but will have an idea of what is going on.

The sender you purchased seems to me to be a " mechanical" type, in which pressurized oil is actually piped through a small tube to a mechanical gauge. these are more accurate by far, however fitting the gauge to your interior might be a challenge.

I hope this helps---

 

[99SportX]

It is an easy change. I got at mine with a deep socket and universal joint coming from the wheel well just above the frame rail. I can't remember if I removed the inner fender or not...

 

[rgundran]

Well it got it replaced. BTW, of the three items I've replaced, that was the number one PITA of the three. The other two were challenging (fuel pump, radiator), but this kicked my butt.

Oh and another kick in the butt: original problem still exists! ARGH! No oil pressure registers.

While eyeballing the pressure gauge, I noticed something that I never noted before: before turning over to start, the pressure indicated mid range. Is that right? Like I said, I never noticed that before, not that I ever looked for it.

So now I dont know what to do. I guess I'll fabricate an oil pressure gauge together and screw into where that PITA sensor is to gain a true reading. Other than that, I'm stuck.

Anyone have any input?

 

[Pjfriends1]

I have this same issue with my oil pressure gauge. My mechanic says its the oil pump. Yuck! $$$$.