I parked my SCrew in the garage Friday night and didn't start it again until Monday morning. It was the coldest weekend of the winter with the windchill around -15 to -20 all weekend. Anyway,
Monday morning I start my baby up and the oil light stays on and the oil presure needle doesn't get above the 1st mark on the gauge. I don't hear any value clicking or other noise that would indicate the engine is not getting oil. I shut it off and check the oil level, it was down maybe a quart, so I add some oil. Start the engine again, same indications........ I check the oil again and it's right up where it should be. So I start the engine again. This time I notice the needle goes up to where it usually is and then it drops back below the bottom mark and the oil pressure warning light comes on. I said the H-ll with it and took off for work. Well about the time the engine temp gauge gets above the bottom line, the oil pressure guage starts working. Everything was fine the rest of the day. Tuesday morning the same thing happens. Now, after work I start the engine and no oil pressure again until the motor warms up. I'm getting really upset with my baby.. This morning I start her up and everything is working fine. What the crap is going on. I'm only 1500 miles into this oil change and I change oil every 3000-3200 miles since I've owned this truck.
Anyone have an idea what the h-ll is going on?
Sorry for going so long but I have not had ANY problems with my baby since I picked her up.

Thanks in advance,

 

there seems to be a problem with the switch. i think the dealers are replacing it with a new one (diff part #). i have had that same problem, and quite a few others have as well. don't stress too much about it, and have your dealer replace it.

 

SSM Special Service Message #14907, 99-01 F-150s,
--engine cold oil pressure gauge reads zero or low--
solution=replace oil pressure switch with 1U5Z-9278-DA

 

Max, Thanks for the information. Just too bad my baby is out of warranty. This site is GREAT!!!!

 

In order to head off problems like this I went out and bought some mechanical gauges. Water temp, Tranny temp, and Oil pressure, I got the temp guages working, but am not sure about the oil pressure,
Well now the search function is non-functional and I can't see what others have done in the past.
Where do you guys think that I can T into? to get an oil pressure, locations? I still want my dummy light to work but I want a real reading as well.
Jes
ps. I fully agree This site Rocks!!!

 

You're Welcome !!

 

Bringing up an old thread. I have just now experenced the light/gauge issue. I have the extended warranty so I'll be calling my dealer today. Thanks for the info!

 

I haven't had that problem but I just bought a 97 4.6 with a pooched engine. Still runs great but it has a loud bottom end knock (and I am taking it apart). The point being I had zero oil pressure and the oil light was on. Turns out the gauge and the idiot light are both getting their signal from the same pressure switch. How stupid is that.
The oil pressure gauge is just a repeater of the idiot light.
Down the road I will look at splitting upt the signal, but will most likely add a seperate gauge, most likely a pillar mounted one.

 

To add a "real" guage, you have to replace the sender switch with a real sender unit.

Steve

 

Where is the wiring split to go to both indications? If it was a simple matter of adding a sender compatable with the stock oil pressure indicator needle, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Anyone know if that is possible?
Where is the wiring connected?
What sender would work, if the in dash "needle" is even capable of indicating oil pressure.

 

To make the in-dash "guage" function as a true guage, a two step process must be followed:

1) Replace the sender switch with an appropriate electrical sender unit

2) Locate and remove the series resistor that is in the guage circuit. Probably located on the instrument cluster PC board or similar.

The series resistor is there to cause the needle to deflect to approx mid-scale when the existing oil pressure switch closes.

I was going to do this mod on my old 93 Explorer, but never got around to it.

Steve

 

I got a new pressure switch the other day from Ford and there was a production change in 97. I originally got the wrong one (of course) which had a two spade connector. My 97 4.6L had had the original one wire threaded screw connector. Would someone here know what difference there is in the updated switch? In a perfect world it would be a spliting of the light and gauge signals.

 

Bring this back from the dead.

My 01 SC with the 5.4 has the jumping oil pressure gauge problem. Where is the sending unit located so I can replace it and test the wiring?

Thanks

 

Just an idea for you.
If you are not using 5w20 blend oil, and a good anti-drain back filter it could be the problem with the switch not working.

 

Thanks Bluegrass. I've always specified 5w-20 in the oil changes. Not sure about the anti-drain back filter. The oil has always been changed every 3-4000 miles. Usually at Jiffy Lube (of course that could be the problem...).