Oil pressure gauge install

[Claymoreranger]

I have a 96 2.3 ranger and wanted to know how to add a oil pressure switch since I don’t truck the stock one. Also if any one knows how to hook up coolant temp switch as well.

 

[franklin2]

Here's an article on it. You just need to find the sender unit. If you are not worried about the factory oil pressure gauge working, you do not need to install a tee fitting and do all that. If you run into any problems and need adapters, regular plumbing fittings from the hardware store will work.

Aftermarket, piggy back, oil sender installation - The Ranger Station

Article & Pictures By Forest Ranger Last year I was driving down the road and my engine oil pressure gauge all of a sudden got possessed. After a few hours in the shop I found that the factory sender switch … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

You need to find the temp sending unit for the gauge, and replace it with the unit from the guage set you buy. I am not very familiar with the 2.3, so I don't know where it is located. But you can't use a tee on this temp unit, the probe needs to be in the waterflow.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I have a 96 2.3 ranger and wanted to know how to add a oil pressure switch since I don’t truck the stock one. Also if any one knows how to hook up coolant temp switch as well.

idk about the oil pressure switch location, but for coolant temp you can buy an adapter to plumb the sensor into. they clamp on to the hose. I have one spliced in to my lower hose and heater to waterpump hose.

 

[Dirtman]

There technically isnt a oil pressure guage on your truck. Ford put a physical guage in the dash but connected it to a switch. Simply on or off. So when the switch is "on" the guage goes to the halfway point. It's never actually reading the pressure. Its a completely useless fake setup.

To use a true guage you need to use a real sensor. NOT a switch.

 

[G8orFord]

It's not completely useless, it does tell you that you have at least ~7psi of oil pressure (assuming the switch isn't stuck).

 

[Eddo Rogue]

As much as Id like to know exact oil pressure, its not like you could do anything about it if it was too low or none...at least not on as a roadside or driveway repair. This is why an idiot light is enough.

 

[G8orFord]

Someone that pays attention to a functional gauge can tell when a problem may be arising and be able to save some money on repairs. I had a put a digital gauge on my 2004 F250. The signal was fed into Torque Pro and had a warning set if the pressure dropped below 20psi.

 

[sgtsandman]

I agree. A real gauge will clue you in if the pump is going. Better to have warning an not have a damaged engine due to oil starvation. It’s a project I’ve been wanting to do. I just haven’t done it yet.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Well I stand corrected, and now have another project to do...

 

[Dirtman]

Oil is sleppery

 

[sheep herder]

Oil keeps engines going vroom.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

I agree. A real gauge will clue you in if the pump is going. Better to have warning an not have a damaged engine due to oil starvation. It’s a project I’ve been wanting to do. I just haven’t done it yet.

It would also warn of a sudden, major oil leak, like what happened on my '03 Sunfire. Oil pressure (should) fall, I'd think, as it leaks out. It was fine (but might have been low) when the engine was started. Drive for a two to four miles, and the oil light comes on. (my ex was driving). Because it only had the light, and there was no way to know what was really going in, I told her to keep the RPMs up (bad idea if there's NO oil in the crank case!). We were only going two more miles, when we got there, we checked the oil (dry dipstick).