bobkyle2

.........what??........ did i read this wrong...so you guys are saying that the oil pressure gauge cannot show low oil pressure?....

ottawaguy

Sure it will.....At 6 psi the gauge will go all the way to the left.
At 7 and above it will stay dead center.
I suspect thought that some will lean a little one way or the other(calibration?), but it should not bounce around. Unless they changed something that is the way it should be for his 02. Not sure about your '08

billyzack

I bought a $7.00 pressure switch and no more problem. Drove 120 miles to Tucson and back in 105 degree heat and no problems. Thanks for the help. Billy

ottawaguy

It could have been the connection at the sender. I used to have to move mine about once every 6 months...

Having said that...you only spent 7 bones and the problem is solved.
All well that ends well.

TDolce

Can you elaborate on what you meant by "moving" it? I'm NOT a mechanic,..but I'm willing to try anything to solve this problem. I just replaced the sensor for 8 bones and it (idiot gauge) still fluctuates up and down in idle...causing the oil light to also turn on and off. What else could be causing this and is there a diagram or photo that shows what I need to "move" ?

The truck never stalls or shakes or shows any sign of trouble other than that stupid gauge and light going crazy (after driving for about 15 minutes). which stresses me out at every light.

I'm always worried that the oil pump is going.....

Sorry for coming across as an ignoramus.....but I'm trying to figure this thing out....

ottawaguy

Dude...it's your first post ....no such thing as ignoramus for first timers...lol
First...Welcome...!!!!!!
Congrats on coming to a great site. Sorry to hear you're having problems with your rig.
Having said that, ..
what I meant was just wiggling the wire at the connection on the pressure sender.
It has a threaded post, but the wire just slips on. I would just wiggle it and I was good for a month or two. If your oil pressure light is coming on, that may be an entirely different situation. Hopefully other will pipe in, but I've never heard of the light coming on when just a ground or connection problem.
I hope it's not a major...!
All the best!

TDolce

Thanks for clarifying,.....well,...the idiot light (oil icon light)flickers on and off based on where the idiot oil gauge moves during its' fluctuating on the dial.

I think based on what I read on an older post, someone else mentioned that the light is triggered by the gauge on the dash so it is just coming on as it should....

but again,...as soon as I step on the gas or put the truck in park,....everything is right back to normal and no light or gauge fluctuation. Only in idle and only after the truck has been running for about 15 minutes does this weirdness all occur.

Now my truck sits in my driveway because I'm afraid to drive it.


frustrated in Tennessee..

Facts: 1997 Ford F150 4.2L V6

ottawaguy

Not very useful sitting in a laneway.....sitting....
Logic would dictate thought that if the gauge went completely left and you are getting a light....this should almost immediately be accompanied by noticeable noise coming from the engine as there is no more oil to lubricate the internals of the engine. If everything sounds fine, you can pretty much bet that it is just problem between the sender and the gauge. I think it's like ten bucks for a sender, so I'd start with that and let us know what happens.
It worked for Billyzack

TDolce

I like your logic.......my brother in law said he will look at it again this weekend....said he will get to the bottom of it....

He Feels like it's nothing major as well.

pickupsrule

Please pickup dudes, get along save it for the jerks who want to ban or tax pickups because they "use too much gas".
I can answer this because I had the EXACT SAME THING.
Mine was under the truck and not in the dash. How did I know? Because the gauge immediately went to nothing, back to good, back to nothing, the oil light came on, then went off. I said to myself " no way is that failed oil pressure, that's electrical".
I crawled under the truck, located the sending unit (great job of hiding it by the way Ford). I pulled the connection off, cleaned both the wire connector and the sending unit connection, put it back together and it has never done it again. I also changed the oil because if the oil is too thick it can mess up the sending unit and yes the dudes are correct, that is not a true oil pressure gauge, it is simply a fancy oil pressure light that looks like a gauge. The gauge sender also controls the oil light on my truck. I was going to buy a new sender but since the problem was permanently fixed by me, I saved about $55.00 (which sender you need depends on the exact date of manufacture so BE CAREFUL). One is $18.00 and one is $55.00 at the dealership but at least they knew not to sell me the wrong one if I had bought it. After all, they are the Ford dealership and they know what they are doing.