Hi,

During the recent hot weather in Melb. My EL seems to be loosing oil preassure.

It start off just a bit lower than normal, but after stop/start traffic for a while it virually zero's out and I get 6 beeps as a warning.

I pull over check the dip stick and it's got heaps of oil, I check the oil filler and can see oil sitting around the cam.

Is it just likely to be a sensor that failed, or just the heat, or maybe something else ?

Sounds like it could be the Oil sender?

the nasty 'fix' is thicker oil.
the proper fix is an oil cooler

Thanks guys. Not sure I like the thicker oil idea.

I was hoping it might just be a pressure sender, any idea where it's located ?

I also theorised that it was 8000km since my last service and maybe the extreme weather had broken down the oil and it wasnt working so well. So I embarked on a little exercise to change the oil today.

Its odd because I havent done this for years, I'm lazy in my old age and have just been taking it to the ford dealer every 10k. Whilst it was draining the oil however I was shocked to see these clumps come through the drain hole. After it had drained and I looked at the oil, I found 3 pieces of something that looked just like masking tape!

I have no idea how it got in there, but its now got me worried about the ford dealer. I dont want to be a conspiracy theorist, but it looks fishy to me.

So I've filled it up with some cheap Castrol Magnatec stuff I got down at the BP and the pressure seems better. I'll keep an eye on it and see how it goes, with a bit of luck some of the oil channels could have just been clogged by this rubbish causing a bum reading.

If it still happens, I'll try replacing the sender unit, if that doesnt solve it I'll start looking for a cooler.

I'm getting the same thing in the warmer weather, and don't particulary want to use a thicker oil when its only happening on the 40+ degree days on idle... How much would an oil cooler set you back?

my nf fairlane was doing this.I tried new sender,different oil etc.but it made no difference.I finally noticed when oil pressure read low on the guage volts were also fluctuating.It turned out to be faulty earth lead between battery and block.

If all the above suggestions do not fix the problem the "proper" fix is to replace the big end and main bearings. Fitting an oil cooler is a band aid solution. These cars are made for Australian conditions and made to run in 40 deg heat. Your bearing clearance is to large and is dropping the oil pressure when the engine is hot and the oil thins.
Let me guess it only beeps when your idling on a warm/hot day? if you give it a little rev the pressure will come up but will inevitabley drop back down and it will beep again? but when your driving the car the oil pressure is fine? or when the engine is cold or on a cool day the oil pressure is fine also?

Its bearing clearance.

If this is the problem change the oil pump while your there changing the bearings as you will have the engine out, or just rebuild the whole engine. Its not as hard as you think it is.

Or another band aid solution is to run a thicker oil. You may get away with a 50w or may need to go to a 60.

Out of interest how many km's are on the engine?

I had exactly the same symptoms as yours. Bad earth between engine block and negative battery terminal. New cable has resolved the problem and all is well. Check out this thread from my recent experience.
post954587.html

Last edited by alfy12 on Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

It may also be the pressure spring in the oil pump has broken, as it happens on most e-series 6's.

Out of curiosity, whats the build date of your car?