Low oil pressure or bad gauge?

[Frank]

Recently I started noticing my oil gauge showing awfully low. I mean between the last line and the red. It doesn't seem to fluctuate much with rpm. It gets worse the warmer the engine is.

92 5.0, questionable history and mileage. Doesn't smoke, runs strong, no rattles. The oil level on the dipstick is at or above the full mark every time I check. The oil looks fairly clean. No scent of gas in the oil.

Tomorrow I am going to change the oil with 30w and a new Motorcraft filter. I don't know what filter is on it, may be a Fram from a previous owner. My buddy mentioned he has been having the same problem with his fox. I am just wondering if this is a common issue with the gauge or sender maybe? Its got me uneasy.

[dcs13]

could be a sender going bad, or could be the oil pump taking a crap. I bet a sender is relatively cheap and easy to swap. Sludge can get up in there and cause issues. Of course, sludge in the motor is bad as well. Best course of action would be to check it with a mechanical gauge though. Easier to fix a motor thats losing oil pressure than one that totally lost it and ejects a rod through a new hole.

[Baba Ganoush]

Oil sender is cheap and easy repair. You might be able to ground the sender wire and see if the gauge peaks, works on older gauges but I forget if it will work on yours. This will eliminate the gauge as the problem, because 99 percent of the time it's the sender.

[FastFox]

I had a similar problem with a 93 Fox. Changed the sensor and the problem was solved. Runs past 1/2 where it should.

[Baron Von Crowder]

check pressure with a mechanical gauge. Hell, even a cheapie from harbor freight will tell you something, even if not 100% accurate. Could be the sender or the actual gauge on the dash.

I got a roller 302 from a customer a few years back that swapped out his due to low oil pressure. Started up the new one, same low pressure. He put a sender on to find out there wasnt anything wrong with the old one.

[Frank]

I didn't get to mess with it much today, but saw it had a Fram filter on it, so I changed it out with a new Motorcraft, but no improvement. I'll put a gauge on it.

Worst case if I were to change out the oil pump, can it be done without pulling the engine? Can you life an engine enough to clear removing the pan with that front sump?
I know its going to be a pain in the ass, but so is getting a hoist and everything it will take to pull the motor.

[Baron Von Crowder]

Ive never seen an oil pump wear. Sludge could restrict flow, but pressure is made in the bearings. If the oil pump that is constantly oiled is worn, the rest of the regions would be worse.

[FastFox]

Low oil pressure

I still bet on the sending unit. When you change it out, clean the hole out with a little wire in case there is a little "Crap" in the passage. That hole is small, and it would not take a lot to restrict it. I have seen few oil pumps fail.