[roreri]

Got a problem with my 02 – 7.3 F250 - 174500 miles.
I was driving home from our date night and the “Check Gauges” idiot light came on. Well I checked my gauges and the oil pressure was down to nearly nothing.
Truck was running fine with no signs other than the two dash indicators.
Now I’m just afraid to drive it.
I changed the oil just because, and cranked it up and here is what happened.
Check Gauges light came on
Oil pressure just barely up from nothing.
30 seconds and the oil pressure goes up to normal and idiot light goes off.
A minute or so later oil pressure goes down and light comes back on.
I ran the AutoEnginuity programs’ tests and looked for codes. All tests passed and there were no thrown codes.

I hope I have explained clear enough for all, but ask me questions or if you have a magic pill I can give my Clifford, I would love to hear.

Thanks in advance

 

[dwright5460]

I'D put a mechanical pressure guage on the block to check low pressure to see actual, to verify if you have a problem, or spend the money to replace the sending unit

 

[RT]

Exactly right. There is a port in the picture I linked below where you can put a mechanical gauge. I think you can rent one from Autozone, but even if you have to buy one, you can get one for about $20. Ideal pressure is 50 psi at idle and 75 psi at 2000 RPM when the engine is cold, dropping to 25 psi idle/50 psi @ 2000 RPM at operating temperature. Anything above 10 psi is acceptable, although how it got to 10 would be a concern. If it happened gradually as you approached a million miles on the motor, I wouldn't worry. If it was 50 one second and plunged to 10 the next, I'd shut it off and find out why.

My engine is at 225,000 and I'm about 2 psi less than ideal right now. I run a mechanical gauge so I watch my pressures daily.

Also - the sending unit is a "switch", not a true pressure gauge. Below 10 psi and your gauge reads low, above 10 psi and it reads "normal". That's why you can't trust it to monitor what's really going on with an engine.

 

[roreri]

Thanks, that is what I'll do this weekend, time permitting. But on a side note, there was a forum here somewhere that had links to mods and diy stuff for the 7.3, any idea if it is still around, somewhere ?

thanks!
RoReRi

EDIT... in the words of the late Gilda Radner.. Never mind. I found it!

 

[RT]

http://www.guzzle7pt3.com

 

[Absolute]

If the truck is running I'm 90 percent sure its the sending unit. Mine used to go up, then shut off and light come on, then turn on. Funny, when I drove it the gauge didn't work. Every time the wife drove it , it worked. I have mechanical as well so knew it was the sender.

 

[roreri]

If the truck is running I'm 90 percent sure its the sending unit. Mine used to go up, then shut off and light come on, then turn on. Funny, when I drove it the gauge didn't work. Every time the wife drove it , it worked. I have mechanical as well so knew it was the sender.

You are absolutely right !!! I went to test the sending unit by unplugging the wire that went to it, well guess what. Oil was seeping out of the inside of the plug.
I'm guessing that ain't right. Gonna try RockAuto or NAPA to see if they have one.

Thanks everybody !!!
RoReRi