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Oil pressure gauge

Hi Folks,

I have a 1999 Ford Explorer SUV 4x4 with a 4.0L engine. I noticed that when the weather gets cold, when first started, the oil pressure gauge needle does not jump up to it's normal position but stays laying down like it is when shut off. I started to notice this happening last winter. Check eginine light illuminates as well. Once engine warms somewhat or maybe just the engine compartment, needle jumps to normal position and check engine light goes out. I can usually drive about a block and it straightens out, but have to drive it further, sometimes a kilometer in colder subzero weather. When this happens there doesn't seem to be any excess noise from the engine like it's lacking lubricant or anything.

Now, this only happens when the weather gets cold. Normal summer time operation this doesn't happen. It's different than just cold engine, it seems to be directly related to weather temperature, and I start to notice it at about -2C and colder. Usually after sitting overnight.

I'm thinking that this is probably a faulty oil sending unit, if changed, this problem should go away. Would this be the correct thinking?

Thanks

Allan

Reply to
Allan
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id try that too alan. make sure connection is tight also on sending unit.lucas

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Reply to
ds549

The same thing happens on my '99 also. Word for word. I have never found out what makes it happen but it DOES NOT affect the real oil pressure, just the stupid gauge. The Ford store where I bought it new said they all do that........

/Richard

Reply to
Richard

I'll try the connection first, maybe just dirty. Thanks

Allan

Reply to
Allan

Hi Richard,

I agree, it doesn't seem to be effecting the real oil pressure at all. But I prefer when gauges work.

I'm going to check the connection first before changing, don't imagine it's a very costly part anyways.

Thanks

Allan

Richard wrote:

Reply to
Allan

The "gauge" is a real meter, but connected to a pressure switch. It reads pressure/no-pressure. If you have to replace the switch (screws in) you can search the archives and find the real pressure transducer available from Ford that can replace it and actually have a working oil pressure gauge. There is a resistor that has to be shorted out behind the dash cluster to get full use of the meter. That is what prevents the "gauge" reading from just reading full-scale when pressure comes up, or you can accept the actual fluctuating pressure readings just using the lower half of the gauge.

It always irritated me that Ford chose to make a mechanical idiot light instead of a working gauge, but I guess the service folks got so many complaints from folks about how the needle moved up and down that this would keep them happy. Few vehicles have such a gauge, anyway. I recall a period in the 70's when makers eliminated everything except the speedometer and the gas gauge, so we're better than that, at least.

Reply to
Vic Klein

The same thing happened on my 2000 XLT. I took it to the dealer and they said that the sensor was bad. They changed it and that was that.

On a cold morning try plugging in the block heater(if equipped) for a few hours to see if anything changes.

Reply to
Tazz

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