Car history, 2001 GT 5-speed (T-45). 205k miles, all stock minus unknown brand of cold air intake, off-road X-pipe, and Flowmaster mufflers. I purchased car (12/14/14) with 178k and a lot of abuse problems. Most of them have been fixed.
What I have noticed, now that it is cold out side, (below 40*F), is that when I start the car after it has been sitting long enough for all the fluids to cool down (over night or more then 5 hours), the oil pressure gauge does not go to its normal position. It stays on the bottom, (L) until the car warms up. I don't notice any rod or valve noise (like when running low on oil). I checked the level and it is full. When the gauge (I know that the factory gauges are not real accurate) comes up to its normal location, it doesn't take a slow rise. It is like it is getting no signal, then all of a sudden, jumps to its normal place, just above 1/2 way to the (H). Revving it does nothing to make the gauge move.
Yesterday morning it was 19*F when I started the car for work. I let it warm up for about 1 minute before I started my drive to work. I drove through my sub-division at slow speeds (30 mph) for about 1 mile until i reach the main hwy. Then it is up to 55 mph for 3 miles. I watched the gauge, it stayed on the (L) until I got 2.1 miles on it. Then it went up to the normal place for the rest of my trip to work (12 miles). Same thing after sitting out all day when I leave work. Gauge doesn't come off (L) until I get about 1.7 miles of mixed driving.
I run Valvoline High Mileage 5W20 oil and Motorcraft FL-820S filter. I noticed this as of the last few times that it has gotten cold out. I have had an oil chance (500 miles ago) and there has been no difference. It only seems to do it when the fluids get cooled off and it is below about 40*F outside.
I don't think the oil is not circulating. The engine sounds the same when it is warm. No rattling, no knocking.
I wonder if the sending unit could be bad and when it gets cold, it does not send a signal to the gauge?
Where is the sending unit on the 4.6 Romeo?
Do you think I should just toss in a mechanical gauge and bypass the factory one?
Thanks!
What I have noticed, now that it is cold out side, (below 40*F), is that when I start the car after it has been sitting long enough for all the fluids to cool down (over night or more then 5 hours), the oil pressure gauge does not go to its normal position. It stays on the bottom, (L) until the car warms up. I don't notice any rod or valve noise (like when running low on oil). I checked the level and it is full. When the gauge (I know that the factory gauges are not real accurate) comes up to its normal location, it doesn't take a slow rise. It is like it is getting no signal, then all of a sudden, jumps to its normal place, just above 1/2 way to the (H). Revving it does nothing to make the gauge move.
Yesterday morning it was 19*F when I started the car for work. I let it warm up for about 1 minute before I started my drive to work. I drove through my sub-division at slow speeds (30 mph) for about 1 mile until i reach the main hwy. Then it is up to 55 mph for 3 miles. I watched the gauge, it stayed on the (L) until I got 2.1 miles on it. Then it went up to the normal place for the rest of my trip to work (12 miles). Same thing after sitting out all day when I leave work. Gauge doesn't come off (L) until I get about 1.7 miles of mixed driving.
I run Valvoline High Mileage 5W20 oil and Motorcraft FL-820S filter. I noticed this as of the last few times that it has gotten cold out. I have had an oil chance (500 miles ago) and there has been no difference. It only seems to do it when the fluids get cooled off and it is below about 40*F outside.
I don't think the oil is not circulating. The engine sounds the same when it is warm. No rattling, no knocking.
I wonder if the sending unit could be bad and when it gets cold, it does not send a signal to the gauge?
Where is the sending unit on the 4.6 Romeo?
Do you think I should just toss in a mechanical gauge and bypass the factory one?
Thanks!
