2002 Ford Explorer oil pressure

ANQUINETTE1

MEMBER
2002 FORD EXPLORER
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
13,300 MILES

My oil pressure light is coming on. When I get off the gas the gage goes down and when I get on the gas the gage goes back to normal. Now when I start it up I hear some noise. Have I messed the motor up?

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 AT 6:55 PM

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,747 POSTS

How low does it get, and what type of noise are you hearing?

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Friday, April 23rd, 2010 AT 7:49 AM

ANQUINETTE1

MEMBER
2 POSTS

The gage goes all the way down. The noise is very low. Mabey a low rattling I never ran it hot or anything

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Friday, April 23rd, 2010 AT 3:28 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,747 POSTS

If it doesn't sound like a knock, it may just be a bad oil sending unit. What I recommend is checking the pressure with a mechanical gauge. Most parts stores will lend or rent them to you.

All you do is remove the electric one your car came with and screw the mechanical one in. It will give you a more accurate reading. If the pressure stays around 10PSI at an idle, you should be fine because chances are sending unit is bad. (Cheap part / easy to replace).

If, however, you feel it is a knocking from bearings or rattle from lifters collapsing from lack of oil pressure, then you may have a bad oil pump or partially plugged pick-up screen.

I have to be honest, when pumps go bad, they usually go all at once and not slowly unless the screen is plugged.

Let me know.

Joe

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