3.0 Factory Oil Pressure Gauge Flakes Out

[Wicked_Sludge]

electronic gauges should be limited to measuring the electrical system (ammeter, voltmeter). the problem with using electric gauges to measure things like pressures and temperatures is you are still relying on the electrical system to be 100% for an accurate reading. one slightly corroded connection and your gauge will not read right and you wouldnt even know it.

ive had "hot, pressurized" oil (in reality, very little oil..and even less heat...actually makes its way to the gauge) in my passenger compartment for almost half a decade now with no problems. "back in the day", cars came like that from the factory.

 

[Half Nuts]

I've had exactly the same problem as the OP, but assumed from the very first time it happened that it HAD to be the sender, seeing as it would happen, as he says, after a little time at speed (on the highway), and nothing would change...
One would think that if it were getting < 7psi of oil on the road, lifters would collapse and performance would suffer, and as that wasn't the case, I figured it was no big deal.
The truck still does it to this day (still haven't found the time to get and hook up a mech. gauge.)

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

the reason ford set the pressure switch to close at 7 PSI is because thats the minimum pressure they figured it takes tro float the crank at idle. it actually takes closer to 30PSI to properly protect the engine under a load (cruising down the freeway), but if they set it to 30PSI, the oil light would come on whenever the vehicle was idling...and that would just confuse people.

but <7 PSI while going down the road can happen without any noticeable change in the engines sound or performance. ask stegomon, he just lost his 3.0 due to driving down the freeway with no oil pressure:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35411

 

[WNY964x4]

I've had exactly the same problem as the OP, but assumed from the very first time it happened that it HAD to be the sender, seeing as it would happen, as he says, after a little time at speed (on the highway), and nothing would change...
One would think that if it were getting < 7psi of oil on the road, lifters would collapse and performance would suffer, and as that wasn't the case, I figured it was no big deal.
The truck still does it to this day (still haven't found the time to get and hook up a mech. gauge.)

the reason ford set the pressure switch to close at 7 PSI is because thats the minimum pressure they figured it takes tro float the crank at idle. it actually takes closer to 30PSI to properly protect the engine under a load (cruising down the freeway), but if they set it to 30PSI, the oil light would come on whenever the vehicle was idling...and that would just confuse people.

but <7 PSI while going down the road can happen without any noticeable change in the engines sound or performance. ask stegomon, he just lost his 3.0 due to driving down the freeway with no oil pressure:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35411

yea listen to wicked , i drove my truck , and it was doing the same thing as yours , and i though nothing of it since the truck performed no different , big mistake , i figured it was just the sensor , big mistake , because of my foolishness , i just got done spending 6 weeks replacing my engine

your engine make funny knocking noises if you continue to drive it