Why you should change your oil

[94BULLITT]

Most people probably don't even watch a oil pressure gauge.

 

[Soundguy]

Could be, I know Dodge's use a switch to show pressure to the ECM. The ECM then uses coolant temp and rpm inputs to determine what the dummy gauge shows, not a real reading at all. I have installed Isspro gauges in my truck, including a real oil pressure gauge.

interesting.. some sort of 'data' hash, showing you a snapshot of engine condition.. but giving you no real hard data.

In my 450 i have some gauges ( aftermarket of course ), on the drivers cab windshield post..real gauges..

 

[Hay Dude]

That's because Ford doesn't use an oil pressure gauge. It's an on/off switch that just grounds with any pressure over about 8psi. This makes the gauge go to the midpoint.

As far as I know GM is the only domestic or otherwise that still uses a proper functioning gauge.

I did verify our GM trucks have "real" gauges on most of the cluster. Ford has more idiot gauges. Our GM truck tans temp gauge travels up slowly, like it should. The Ford gauge reads "normal" before I drive out the driveway in winter.... lol.

Beware of Ford trans temp gauges. They are really useless unless you watch it all the time. I'd rather have the "EWS" like in our bigger CDL rigs. A real proportional gauge and a buzzer & light if the trans temp, engine oil pressure or air brake pressure reach high/low levels. Here's a good example of a Ford trans temp idiot gauge. Mine wont really warn you until it's too late:
dieselmann's editorial

 

[94BULLITT]

I did verify our GM trucks have "real" gauges on most of the cluster. Ford has more idiot gauges. Our GM truck tans temp gauge travels up slowly, like it should. The Ford gauge reads "normal" before I drive out the driveway in winter.... lol.

Beware of Ford trans temp gauges. They are really useless unless you watch it all the time. I'd rather have the "EWS" like in our bigger CDL rigs. A real proportional gauge and a buzzer & light if the trans temp, engine oil pressure or air brake pressure reach high/low levels. Here's a good example of a Ford trans temp idiot gauge. Mine wont really warn you until it's too late:
dieselmann's editorial

The only problem is the gauges don't work all the time in a GM truck. Gm uses the same gauge setup in some vehicles like Ford and many other manufactures.

 

[Carl_NH]

My 2000 Tundra 4.7L has oil and temp gauges not a switch. The old ford 71 4WD F250 with 360 engine on the farm had a guage but always ran on the low side. Another Ford story, i worked for Agway as a farm service tech and when I started got the "old truck" a 72 1 ton dually with a service body, 360 engine and 160K mi. Just said "check the oil every day" well it used a quart every two days, and we ran that truck to 200K and never let me down anywhere - just oil and gas and go.

My first own truck was a used 89 GMC 1/2 ton 2WD 6 cyl and 5 speed with 90K mi - would get 22 hwy MPG - only problem was the brake lines rusted at 110K mi in 1998.

So have had good experience with all makes and models, I think good maintenance = good experience with most things.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I sure miss Builder.

Chris

 

[murphy1244]

My first truck was a 1970 Ford Ranger Deluxe with a 360 cu C6 trans, oil bath air cleaner, and a spin on gas filter. That thing was a tank.

 

[clemsonfor]

My 2000 Tundra 4.7L has oil and temp gauges not a switch. The old ford 71 4WD F250 with 360 engine on the farm had a guage but always ran on the low side. Another Ford story, i worked for Agway as a farm service tech and when I started got the "old truck" a 72 1 ton dually with a service body, 360 engine and 160K mi. Just said "check the oil every day" well it used a quart every two days, and we ran that truck to 200K and never let me down anywhere - just oil and gas and go.

My first own truck was a used 89 GMC 1/2 ton 2WD 6 cyl and 5 speed with 90K mi - would get 22 hwy MPG - only problem was the brake lines rusted at 110K mi in 1998.

So have had good experience with all makes and models, I think good maintenance = good experience with most things.

I believe this to be true!

 

[crashz]

I sure miss Builder.

Never thought I'd see that!

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I sure miss Builder.

Chris

Did he leave TBN???

 

[Diamondpilot]

Did he leave TBN???

He is still here. Just look..... lol

Chris

 

[crazyal]

I don't know about other brands but Toyota used different sized sending units for oil pressure. The simple idiot light switch was pretty small while the sensor that actually read the pressure is quite a bit larger. If you have a good OBD reader that can read each sensor you can tell what you have.

 

[Soundguy]

I did verify our GM trucks have "real" gauges on most of the cluster. Ford has more idiot gauges. Our GM truck tans temp gauge travels up slowly, like it should. The Ford gauge reads "normal" before I drive out the driveway in winter.... lol.

Beware of Ford trans temp gauges. They are really useless unless you watch it all the time. I'd rather have the "EWS" like in our bigger CDL rigs. A real proportional gauge and a buzzer & light if the trans temp, engine oil pressure or air brake pressure reach high/low levels. Here's a good example of a Ford trans temp idiot gauge. Mine wont really warn you until it's too late:
dieselmann's editorial

now.. again.. .. that's NOT what I'm seeing on my ford PSD's. I have to be half way to work before my trans temp gauges are in the normal area. whent hey start they are at the bottom and travel up WAY slower than engine temp.

soundguy

 

[clemsonfor]

Are we POSITIVE there is not 2 gauge packages? One with gauges/idiot warning sensors and one with REAL gauges??

They do some stupid things among all manufactures with split year things as well as little changes like this from year to year.

 

[Peacock]

Are we POSITIVE there is not 2 gauge packages? One with gauges/idiot warning sensors and one with REAL gauges??

They do some stupid things among all manufactures with split year things as well as little changes like this from year to year.

On a gas Ford they haven't used an actual oil pressure gauge since the early '90's I'd guess. Maybe a hi-po model had them, but not the run of the mill vehicles.

 

[Soundguy]

Are we POSITIVE there is not 2 gauge packages? One with gauges/idiot warning sensors and one with REAL gauges??

They do some stupid things among all manufactures with split year things as well as little changes like this from year to year.

all i'm saying is i know FOR SURE that my trans temp does not come up for at least 5-8 minutes of driving at highway speed. hay dude's comment of his trans temp coming up right after start when he pulls out of the drive is not what I am seeing. 5 minutes ago I just had to move my f250 around the shop yard to facilitate moving equipment... trans temp gauge had just started to creep TOWARDS the normal white area when i parked it. it was no where near the middle where it normally runs whenthe truck is warm.

so I can say that one for sure.. no guessing.

So this does make one wonder if perhaps the more heavily configured vehicles have more premium gauges? IE.. jo-bob average f150 gasser vs a f250+ diesel.. the diesel /. hd package is plenty more $$$

 

[Ford850]

Ford has real temperature readings for transmissions. You can monitor them to the degree in the gauge mode on the digital cluster too. Radiator and oil on F-150's are idiot gauges I believe.

 

[crashz]

Its dependant on model. My 1997 and 2001 F150's had real gauges that were damped. There was a simple mod to fix that. When the oil pressure sending unit quit on my 2001, only the guage would drop to zero. The idiot light and CEL would only be tripped if the second sending unit (that feeds the ECM) failed.

My father's 95 PSD was damped, but it appears that his 94 F350 has live gauges.

Much of the info from the gauge panel is actually needed by the ECM, so "real" data is there. Its just that many manufactures don't want to deal with the idiot behind the wheel when they see a change in oil/temp/volts and freak out.

 

[Peacock]

An actual sending unit on a 2001 f150?

That's the first I've heard that. No calling you a liar or anything, but I've replaced a lot of oil sending units on those generation of trucks they've all been the on/off variety.

 

[sld]

Trans temp on superduty's is definitely a real gauge. I always thought engine coolant was too but oil pressure is a dummy.

My newest superduty traded the voltage gauge for the trans temp. While I like the trans temp I wish I still had voltage gauge instead of an idiot light.