oil pressure gauge question

I just bought a 98 Explorer Sport. The oil pressure gauge reads exactly
dead center all the time the engine is running, whether at 600RPM or
4000RPM. Is this normal? This is my first Ford and I every other car
I've owned showed some fluctuation in oil pressure with varying engine
speed.

Thanks in advance for any response!

Red

It is that way by design, it is really more like an idiot light, indicating
you have some oil pressure, not how much..


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I just bought a 98 Explorer Sport. The oil pressure gauge reads exactly
> dead center all the time the engine is running, whether at 600RPM or
> 4000RPM. Is this normal? This is my first Ford and I every other car
> I've owned showed some fluctuation in oil pressure with varying engine
> speed.
>
> Thanks in advance for any response!
>
> Red
>

As I understand the gauge is just a mechanical "idiot light type indicator."
One voltage input is provided by the sender which the gauge reads as
"somewhere in the middle."

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I just bought a 98 Explorer Sport. The oil pressure gauge reads exactly
> dead center all the time the engine is running, whether at 600RPM or
> 4000RPM. Is this normal? This is my first Ford and I every other car
> I've owned showed some fluctuation in oil pressure with varying engine
> speed.
>
> Thanks in advance for any response!
>
> Red
>

Thanks!
I was really puzzled by this one.
So now my first project will be to install some "real" gauges 8*)

Red

wrote:
> Thanks!
> I was really puzzled by this one.
> So now my first project will be to install some "real" gauges 8*)
>
> Red
>

If you google around you will find that some people have modified the
idiot light gauge to work as a real gauge.

-Fred W

Fred W wrote:
>
> If you google around you will find that some people have modified the
> idiot light gauge to work as a real gauge.
>
> -Fred W

Fred -

I've Googled up a storm, and I'm not finding it. Can you give us a
pointer - I would really like to do this.

Bill

Bill Jeffrey wrote:
> Fred W wrote:
>
>>
>> If you google around you will find that some people have modified the
>> idiot light gauge to work as a real gauge.
>>
>> -Fred W
>
>
> Fred -
>
> I've Googled up a storm, and I'm not finding it. Can you give us a
> pointer - I would really like to do this.
>
> Bill
>

He
<http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.autos.makers.ford.explorer/browse_thread/thread/46706ab95d9f44fe?q=ford+%22oil+pressure+gauge%22+m odification&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&rnum=1>

or here (same place):

<http://tinyurl.com/6xcvt>

-Fred W

Many thanks, Fred, I appreciate the pointer. I think the same
bamboozling is going on with the voltmeter and water temp gauge, too.
They never seem to vary from a fixed position. Say, doesn't Ford charge
extra for the optional "gauge package"?

Bill
----------------------
Fred W wrote:

> Bill Jeffrey wrote:
>
>> Fred W wrote:
>>>
>>> If you google around you will find that some people have modified the
>>> idiot light gauge to work as a real gauge.
>>>
>>> -Fred W
>> ------------------------------------
>> Fred -
>>
>> I've Googled up a storm, and I'm not finding it. Can you give us a
>> pointer - I would really like to do this.
>>
>> Bill
>> -----------------------------------
>
> He
>
> <http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.autos.makers.ford.explorer/browse_thread/thread/46706ab95d9f44fe?q=ford+%22oil+pressure+gauge%22+m odification&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&rnum=1>
>
> or here (same place):
>
> <http://tinyurl.com/6xcvt>
>
> -Fred W

Bill Jeffrey wrote:
> Many thanks, Fred, I appreciate the pointer. I think the same
> bamboozling is going on with the voltmeter and water temp gauge, too.
> They never seem to vary from a fixed position. Say, doesn't Ford charge
> extra for the optional "gauge package"?
>

Voltmeter - yes. Same deal.
Water temp - Not exactly. AFAIR the water temp shows a "buffered"
version of an actual temperature reading.
You will notice that it actually does ramp up slowly as the engine
warms. But once the temperature is within a "normal" range the needle
will stay straight up. It will then have to seriously overheat or cool
way down before the needle moves from the complete vertical.

They say the idea (with all of these gauges) was to prevent people from
worrying about (and especially from requesting warranty service) for
"normal" fluctuations. I'm surprised they did not consider doing the
same with the speedometer? <g>

-Fred W

You sure, Fred? I thought the voltmeter was real, at least on my 92.

I've actually interviewed Ford engineers and asked about the oil pressure
thing, which is the same on virtually all Fords.. The pressure fluctuates so
much, they say, it really doesn't tell you anything. At least one regular
here who installed a real oil pressure gauge says he wouldn't bother doing
it again. I wouldn't worry about having a real gauge... your Explorer will
break down altogether soon enough, with or without an oil pressure gauge :O)


--
Regards,
Anthony Giorgianni

The return address for this post is fictitious. Please reply by posting back
to the newsgroup.
"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> Voltmeter - yes. Same deal.
> Water temp - Not exactly. AFAIR the water temp shows a "buffered"
> version of an actual temperature reading.
> You will notice that it actually does ramp up slowly as the engine
> warms. But once the temperature is within a "normal" range the needle
> will stay straight up. It will then have to seriously overheat or cool
> way down before the needle moves from the complete vertical.
>
> They say the idea (with all of these gauges) was to prevent people from
> worrying about (and especially from requesting warranty service) for
> "normal" fluctuations. I'm surprised they did not consider doing the
> same with the speedometer? <g>
>
> -Fred W