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Tiny
CALEPLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 105,000 MILES
When my truck is cold, no problem. When Truck warms all the way up, and I stop at traffic light, I watch oil pressure fall on gauge. I raise idle, oil pressure goes back up. This doesn't happen when moving, only at idle. Have done the kerosene treatment to clean sump, can not afford to have engine removed to clean; no more goop coming out. Have replaced IAC vavle. The idle doesn't drop, oil pressure does. Sending unit for gauge replaced. Mechanic tested pump with mechanical gauge and pump is working. I live in Florida, have now got a less than 10 mile radius to drive, This is scary. Any ideas? I do not have money to throw at this.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 11:33 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
What do you mean by "the pump is working"? Was there a low pressure reading when read with a mechanical gauge? If not, then you are likely just looking at a bad oil pressure sender which is minor.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 11:45 AM
Tiny
CALEPLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
As in my question above, The sending unit was replaced. Mechanics thought that fixed problem. Did not. Then they idled truck all day on mechanical gauge. They said couldn't find the problem. Had mechanic take truck home, didn't experience problem. This was months ago, have since lost job, have no money. The problem has gotten worse since then. When IAC valve was replaced, it was a question of whether was oil pressure or idle. Idle does not change, only oil pressure. This does not happen when cold, or when truck is moving, only when stopped and at idle. I can not do stop and go traffic, as truck is manual trans, and only have two feet. Please help.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 11:59 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
This isn't a big mystery. The mechanical test either proves there is no pressure problem or it doesn't. If it proves that you have low pressure, then you probably need a new oil pump. If you're putting cleaning solvents in the oil, then you're making the problem much worse. If the mechanical test proves the pressure is OK, then you simply have a gauge problem.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 12:04 PM
Tiny
CALEPLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Is this really that simple? Wouldn't oil pressure drop when engine is cold? Or truck is moving? Why is only when stopped and at idle? Please explain, I need to understand.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 12:39 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
The lowest pressure is always at idle because the pump is at it's lowest RPM and the warmer the engine, the lower it gets as the oil gets thinner from the heat. Your only concern is that it never drops below about 5 to 8PSI
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 12:45 PM
Tiny
CALEPLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
So, the oil pump is bad? Thank you for taking time to answer.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 1:23 PM
Tiny
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  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
No, I never said that. You still haven't told me what the lowest pressure reading that was taken with a mechanical gauge was.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 1:39 PM
Tiny
CALEPLEY
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  • 7 POSTS
I don't know what readings were, only that I was told the oil pump was fine. They leaned towards sludge in sump, which is why the solvents were used, there was a lot of gunk. To clean sump any other way involved pulling engine, just couldn't afford. I thought that if oil pump was problem would have symptoms all the time, not just hot at idle. One of those either it works or it doesn't.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 2:38 PM
Tiny
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  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
If the inside of your engine is sludged up, the very worst thing you could do is use a solvent that will loosen it up so it can travel into places where it can cause real problems. Either the pump is maintain sufficient pressure or it isn't. If sludge in the sump was your problem, the result would be low pressure even with the mechanical gauge. So again, either the pressure reading is sufficient or it isn't.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 2:43 PM
Tiny
CALEPLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Ok, so what you are saying, is I need to do mechanical gauge now. Wish I could, but can not afford. Am broke. IS there a way to tell at home, without gauge? Without blowing engine? No, they weren't saying engine sludged up, they were saying sump sludged. Warmed engine, turned off, added 1 cup kerosene to oil, ran 5 mins, then drained oil, changed filter, put new oil in. The semi-solids that came out were nasty, this was repeated again. Last oil change, no more yuk. Am woman, in case you couldn't tell. Was advised this by 3 different Ford mechanics, now you are saying was bad to do? I always did my maintenance, never more that 3000 miles per oil change. The only problem ever had was loss of coolant, This engine had bad seal, was replaced early on. Never had any sign of coolant in oil, but do continue to loose coolant, slowly.
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Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 AT 3:43 PM

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