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Moving oil pressure gauge

Hi all. I just purchased a 93 Cobra. Needless to say, I'm in love.

In addition to the usual Ford mods, the last owner put a C&L TB on it, K&N, fuel pressure indicator, headers, no cats, new exhaust.

But my question is, the oil pressure gauge moves. Always in the safe zone, but it moves. My last Mustang NEVER moved. At idle it drops, when you get the tach up, it rises. Car only has 40,000 miles on it but I have a feeling some of those were put on 1/4 mile at a time. It's a smokin' fast car.

I wonder if the sender if faulty. The oil is at the safe level. I was always told don't worry if the needle is in the safe zone, but I'm not sure what would make it move.

Can I please get your thoughts?

Thanks all.

Brad

Reply to
BradandBrooks
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I think in a lot of Mustangs the oil pressure "gauge" is really just an idiot light. It always reads in the exact same spot if the pressure is normal. I know my 98 Cobra is that way. I think my 95 GT was the same, but I believe my 87 was a real gauge.

Reply to
Mort Guffman

Sounds like it's a real gauge. Sometimes Ford actually uses real gauges and sometimes people convert the idiot gauges to real ones. At slower engine speed the oil pressure is lower then at higher engine speeds. My 88 and 89 Fox bodies had real gauges, my 99 has an idiot gauge.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Welcome to the world of a real gauge. If your oil pressure gauge never moves, that means the sending unit is and on off type like an idiot light.

Reply to
WindsorFox

my 93 5.0 has a gauge, but stays high at one spot, does not move. It was at a lower point before the engine rebuild. But it never moved like you indicated.

Reply to
Mas Plak

Wow, no way. I never would have guessed that! Thanks guys. As usual, you guys are the best...

Brad

Reply to
BradandBrooks

A true oil pressure gauge will move according to the viscosity/temperature/pressure of your oil, because your oil pressure fluctuates, even from idle to more than idle.

Most Ford vehicles come from Ford with IDIOT gauges, not true gauges, they just move to a set point and stay there until your pressure drops below a switch point, just like the idiot light, they do not show you an actual pressure reading..

Reply to
My Name Is Nobody

My '71 M-code (351 Cleveland four barrel) has an oil pressure gauge that jumps all over the dial. Perfectly normal.

After reading the threads, I never knew Ford made "idiot" oil pressure gauges.

mike

Reply to
goodnigh

Well, I'm not going to be any help at all (as usual).

TFrog - '93 LX 5.0, oil gauge remains pretty much stationary. CFrog - '93 GT, oil gauge moves with engine revs. Drops down at idle, picks up with acceleration.

See what I mean?

dwight

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Reply to
dwight

My 89LX works like your C.

Reply to
WindsorFox

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