Oil Pressure gauge

My oil pressure gauge seems to be reading low.The gauge reads it at the south end of the normal markers.A few months it read a little bit higher but not much.Could this be a sign of either the gauge is bad or the oil pump is starting to take a hike?

Originally posted by MartyPA:
My oil pressure gauge seems to be reading low.The gauge reads it at the south end of the normal markers.A few months it read a little bit higher but not much.Could this be a sign of either the gauge is bad or the oil pump is starting to take a hike?

When your oil pressure reads low, does your water temp gauge and gas gauge also read low? If so, that might be an IVR problem. You may also want to check that the wire connected to the oil pressure sensor isn't corroded or loose. Mine was corroded and loose at one time, and after I cleaned it and made sure the connection was good, the gauge started reading higher.

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Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .

No My other gauges seem ok.Guess I'll have to take a look at the possible wire problem.Thanks!

Probably a bad pressure sender.... pretty common problem. A new sender from Ford is only about $20, but a bit of a PITA to install. Removing the EGR valve makes installation somewhat easier.

You might want to use a mechanical gauge to check the actual pressure. I put a mech. gauge under the hood, so if the dash oil gauge starts to act strange, I can pop the hood and check the actual pressure.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

[This message has been edited by Jeff K (edited 03-19-2002).]

Jeff, what did you use/do so you could run both pressure gauges?

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NATO Member
88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, Main TC with K&N, 3"DP to 2.5"duals through Dynamax, Ric valve at 17+ and disconnected KS. Elite Bodega 16" chrome wheels. Autometer pod w/ A/F and Vac/boost gauges.140 mph Motorsports Speedo New engine: Total Seal rings and TRW pistons, ported and polished head w/ cc'd chambers,1.59"exhausts, SS valves, gutted upper, knife edged lower, A-230 cam, Race Engineering Adj Cam Sprocket, Crowlers, ARP head studs, and rod bolts. Walbro 255 HP pump and Kirban adj FPR, T-3. Centerforce II, KB subs and jack rails.

Originally posted by Pete D:
Jeff, what did you use/do so you could run both pressure gauges?

Dont remember exactly the size, but I got a brass T fitting from the hardware store with a NPT male on one end to fit into the threaded hole where the sender was originally, and NPT females on the other 2 ends of the T. I put the orignal sender on sticking out horizontally, and the fitting for the tubing that goes to the mech gauge coming out straight up. It is a tight fit between the now horziontal sender and the head, but it does fit. I was real careful to keep the mech gauge tubing well away from the EGR tube.


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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

Jeff, Thanks. I go the upper intake and valve cover off so I may try to plumb something in.
what did you use for a gauge. Any particlular size or brand?

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NATO Member
88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, Main TC with K&N, 3"DP to 2.5"duals through Dynamax, Ric valve at 17+ and disconnected KS. Elite Bodega 16" chrome wheels. Autometer pod w/ A/F and Vac/boost gauges.140 mph Motorsports Speedo New engine: Total Seal rings and TRW pistons, ported and polished head w/ cc'd chambers,1.59"exhausts, SS valves, gutted upper, knife edged lower, A-230 cam, Race Engineering Adj Cam Sprocket, Crowlers, ARP head studs, and rod bolts. Walbro 255 HP pump and Kirban adj FPR, T-3. Centerforce II, KB subs and jack rails.

Pete:

I suppose that...if you can get to it...you could also remove the plug in the back of the head and hook up a line and mech gauge there ?

As an idea...the Braided Turbo Oil Supply Line that PNRVegas sells could be used with a gauge on the other end.

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Dan Eaves
88TC 5spd, Crower 5.5" Sportsman Rods, Short Wiseco Pistons bored .030" Over, Ported Head with Polished Combustion Chambers, Gutted & Polished Upper, Ported & Polished Lower, Polished T/B, Ported E6, SVO T3 .63AR Turbo, Bosch Bypass Valve, 3" DP w/No Cat, 2 1/2" DynoMax single cat back w/DynoMax Super Turbo Muffler, RR Cam, K&N in Fenderwell, Gillis Boost Valve, Centerforce I Clutch, Removed A/C, Polished Wheels, Polished Valve Cover, Polished Crank and W/P Pulleys, Walbro 255LPH HP Pump, Kirban Adj FPR, and the DAMN Heater Core is new too !

NATO MEMBER (Vice Chairman...if it's a vice...I deal with it)

Pete... I just used a Sunpro gauge I got at some local parts store for about $12.

Dan.... Use a $30 braided line to feed a $12 gauge? I suppose you could, but why?

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

Originally posted by Jeff K:
Dan.... Use a $30 braided line to feed a $12 gauge? I suppose you could, but why?

Well, I actually just meant it as an idea...not necessarily the $30.00 braided line....but a line from the plug on the back of the head.

Shhhhhhh...it's Pete's money LOL !