Check oil light ??

pat julian · Oct 5, 2017

'93 Ranger ..for the last month or so the check oil light has come on at times...when I check the oil it's full...once several months ago it came on and I checked..it was a quart low...so been keeping an eye on it since then...but the light has been coming on sporadically...turn the engine off..and upon restart it usually is out...I'm guessing some sort of sensor going bad ?? any help appreciated ..thanks :beer:

fastpakr · Oct 5, 2017

Does the light come on when you park at a certain angle, or randomly?

pat julian · Oct 5, 2017

I've seen it do both...but most often on level ground,,for instance this morning in the driveway started the truck..oil light came on..cut the engine off..restart...no light..

ericbphoto · Oct 5, 2017

What engine?

Mine just did that yesterday. But I know for a fact that the wire coming off my level switch is bare and has been for quite a while. I think mine probably just shorted out. Next time I started it, the light was out. Oil level with engine cold was about 3/8" into the hash marked area on the stick. So i know there was plenty of oil.

Mine is the 3.0L. The sensor is on the passenger side of the oil pan.

Eric B

scotts90ranger · Oct 6, 2017

I believe the sensor is normally open when there is oil in the pan and when it is about 2 quarts low it is supposed to come on (my Ranger has leaked a fair amount of oil in the past... so I know from experience). If you have plenty of oil in the pan either the sensor is bad (not likely, it's one wire and I've thrown a rod and haven't hurt the sensor...) or the wire is shorted somewhere.

pat julian · Oct 6, 2017

it's a 2.3 with 461,000 miles on it..I'll just keep an eye on the level.. i drive 200 miles per day and check fluids every say..thanks

tomw · Oct 6, 2017

Do you have separate 'check oil' and 'oil pressure' indicators? A light & a gauge?
The oil pressure sending unit is located on the side of the cylinder head, rear, drivers side, and has one wire connector. There are two types, depending on light or gauge. The warning light style is NC, and opens at about 8psi, ballpark. The gauge style is NO, and closes when pressure is above about 8psi.
I did not know there was an oil level warning system for the 2.3, and it should be mounted to the side of the oil pan. If it is going crazy, I'd check the wire for chafing insulation and looseness of the connector. That check applies to both senders.
tom

fastpakr · Oct 6, 2017

My '94 definitely had a separate oil level warning sender.

adsm08 · Oct 6, 2017

Ha, my oil light comes and goes as it pleases. My sensor isn't even plugged in.

pat julian · Oct 7, 2017

Im have an oil light and a gauge..the gauge reads just past half at idle..even if the oil light comes on...must be a sensor issue...

adsm08 · Oct 7, 2017

Well the sensor is calibrated to turn the light on and notify you of low oil before it becomes low enough to effect pressure. Wouldn't be much of a warning system if it didn't tell you about the problem before things were being damaged.

WarHawk-AVG · Oct 9, 2017

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,1993,ranger,3.0l+v6,1137912,electrical-switch+&+relay,oil+pressure+sender+/+switch,4588

Delusional · Nov 22, 2021

Mine just went out today and I found this old thread. All I see listed is a level sensor for a 2.9L V6. Anybody know if it is the same for the 2.3L I4?

scotts90ranger · Nov 22, 2021

It's most likely the same sensor, just a single wire in the drivers side of the oil pan

Shran · Nov 23, 2021

Delusional said:
Mine just went out today and I found this old thread. All I see listed is a level sensor for a 2.9L V6. Anybody know if it is the same for the 2.3L I4?

The part posted by Warhawk-AVG is the oil pressure switch, not the low oil level sensor. Different parts in different locations. I have had the low oil level sensor leak on multiple vehicles, I am fairly sure it's the same part on most or all of the Ranger engines, but in any case if it's leaking and you can't find one, you can replace it with an oil drain plug. I have done that on a couple 4.0s. O'Reilly sells a big metric drain plug that fits it...I don't recall the part number offhand, take your sensor in and match up the threads.

Check oil light ??

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