89 Oil level/pressure issue; After driving for more than 30 minutes at freeway speeds (65mph or so) when coming to a stop light the engine oil gauge w

GST Mike · Oct 10, 2005

I recently brought a 89 fullsize with a 351 and had only used it for short trips up until yesterday (short trip being 10 miles or so).

After driving for more than 30 minutes at freeway speeds (65mph or so) when coming to a stop light the engine oil gauge will start to fluctuate and go to Low with the engine light flashing at me, if I put the car in neutral or rev the engine the oil gauge is fine.

I checked the oil level and it's fine.

Any idea's?

Mike

Gacknar · Oct 10, 2005

Install a mechanical oil pressure gauge and see what is really going on with the oil pressure. The factory gauge is a dummy light.

bmc69 · Oct 10, 2005

What he siad. Having a mechanical guage is a good idea and you definitely need to install one, at least temporarily, to find out what your oil pressure really is doing. That said, it sounds like your oil pressure is a bit low at idle when hot..which is the point where the lowest pressure any engine will occur. Do you know what weight oil it has in it?..how long ago it was changed? How many miles are on the motor?

GST Mike · Oct 12, 2005

bmc69 said:
What he siad. Having a mechanical guage is a good idea and you definitely need to install one, at least temporarily, to find out what your oil pressure really is doing. That said, it sounds like your oil pressure is a bit low at idle when hot..which is the point where the lowest pressure any engine will occur. Do you know what weight oil it has in it?..how long ago it was changed? How many miles are on the motor?

No idea, I just picked the truck up. I will switch the oils over the weekend and see if that helps. I have some gauges laying around my place of work that I can use so I will install one as well and report back here with my findings. Thanks for the help so far folks.

Mike

87EBBronco · Oct 12, 2005

Common problem. My 302 does it too and I still need to put in a mech guage. I've found my best results are with 20w-50 (but I'm in FL) and this last time I threw in a bottle of Lucas. 3 weeks and the engine is still holding enough presure at idle that I haven't seen my engine light yet.

Maybe one day when my kids stop costing me any extra money and class stops taking all my free time I'll get that guage and install it.

89 Oil level/pressure issue; After driving for more than 30 minutes at freeway speeds (65mph or so) when coming to a stop light the engine oil gauge w

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