Oil pressure help

[Patriot304]

Oil pressure gauge on my 88 f250 is acting strange. It was stuck up pretty high for a while but my buddy said it prolly just wasn't working but today when I stopped at red lights etc it would drop to low and engine light would come on but go off as soon as I gave it some fuel. Motor sounds the same all the time. What do y'all think my problem is? Thanks

 

[Thewespaul]

Check your oil level, if that’s good, unplug the oil pressure sender and install a mechanical oil pressure gauge. The engine light comes on when you have less than 5 psi oil pressure

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Check your oil level, if that’s good, unplug the oil pressure sender and install a mechanical oil pressure gauge. The engine light comes on when you have less than 5 psi oil pressure

X2 on the mechanical gauge. Some people like the aftermarket electric gauges and those work just fine. I prefer the mechanical ones myself. Also, if your sender isn't working right, and it appears to not be working right, it could be doing this. It could be "reading" 5 PSI and turn on the light, when you really have 15 PSI. IIRC, the minimum spec for oil pressure is 10 PSI at a hot idle. Unless your engine has some extremely serious wear, your oil pressure will be fine despite what the factory gauge says, assuming that your oil level is good like Wes said.

 

[nostrokes]

An now for everyone's entertainment the amazing dancing oil pressure gauge!!!!!

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But on the serious side go mechanical.. the stock gauges suck.. they are just glorified idiot lights

 

[snicklas]

It could also be an electrical issue. Bad ground or sender. I’ve had a few vehicles have the gauges act wierd from electrical gremlins......

An aftermarket gauge would prove if you actually have oil pressure issues. But, if the engine sounds happy, it more than likely is.