showing NO oil pressure

[Pistons23]

2000 Ford Ranger/Regular Cab/Short Bed
2.5/Auto

when i start the car the oil pressure guage will move about an 1/8-1/4". it doesnt even make it to the red line. the engine seems to run fine. ive only been moving up and down the driveway until i resolve this issue. i have no idea what it can be. my haynes manual doesnt have a troublshooting section for no oil pressure. someone please help.

 

[rangerracer738]

Have you tried replacing the oil pressure sending unit. I know your truck is not that old, but my 91 2.3L ranger did the exact same thing and i stuck an aftermarket gauge in it and it showed 60 lbs of pressure.

 

[Simple_serf]

+1

Check the pressure with a guage.

 

[Ranger5.0]

+2 on that

 

[Pistons23]

how would i go about checking the pressure?

also, how would i figure out if its the oil pressure switch or the sending unit?

 

[Ranger4banger97]

+3

 

[Ranger5.0]

ok, a switch is either on, or off...sending units tend to be more analog. Dont bother checking the oil pressure, if you had 0psig then you would hear the engine suffering by now. If you wanna upgrade you can get a mechanical oil pressure gauge and be done with the foolishness ford gave us for a oil pressure monitor. Remove the oil pressure switch, hook up the capiliry tube, fise itinto your ca, mount the gaugehook the line up and be done with it

 

[Rocky Ranger]

It is most likely the sending unit. I know Ford got cheeeep on my '95 the gauge goes up to one same spot and stays there, hot, cold, low, or high RPMs, no movment of the needle. Good news, they are easy to change, and not very expensive.

 

[Pistons23]

thanks for all the replys. my local ford dealer wants $26 for a new oil pressure switch. im just going to cough up the money and try that

 

[Dave R]

That's not unreasonable for a dealer.

 

[Ranger5.0]

its not a sending unit, or a sensor, its a switch, its either on, or off. It will read good oil pressure untill the pressure has droped enough to open the switch, and then the gauge drops, which is like, 10 psi, so its kind of pointless. if the needle on the dash jumps around, then its a wiring issue, or the presure switch is krapping out.