Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) February 19, 2010, 02:03:49 AM I went out the other day to start the Cougar and it was completely dead. I pulled the bettery, quite confused by the battery's totally dead state after sitting for just a little over a week, and connected it to my battery charger - nothing, 0 volts, time for a new battery. I hauled the three year old Everstart to AutoZone and picked up a bohemoth, the Duralast Gold DLG-65 (850 CCA / 1000 CA). Decided to change the positive battery cable since it wasn't in the best of condition and bought a coated terminal for the negative side. I guess these cars came stock with 1 GA battery cable? After listening to the guy at the part store blabber on about how I didn't need the 1 GA and how 4 GA would work fine, I bought the 1 GA cable anyway, 15 bucks. Finally got everything nice and tight and sat down to crank her up! I cycled the key a few times and cranked her up, after it started the oil pressure gauge read the minimum. Turned it off and restarted it, again nothing. In the past I've had the oil pressure gauge do this, I just figured it was the sender because it obviously had plenty of oil pressure. Usually restarting the car would fix the gauge, but I tried that a few times and still got nothing. Since the car has been sitting for a short while I'm kind of anxious to just let her rip without any idea of how much oil pressure there is, even if I know there is plenty. I guess it's time for a new sender unless anyone else has any ideas and believe me when I say, I'm all ears!I've read through some threads and I want to make sure I buy the right sender so I can get an accurate reading. I know most stock gauges are just dummy lights and give no real indication of value, I also know I'd be better off just picking up an aftermarket gauge. My plan for the car was to mount transmission pressure and transmission temp gauges where the stock equalizer was so if I can get away with using the stock gauge I'd rather do that since space for gauges is tight. I have the fully digital dash. What is the part number for the oil pressure sender I need? How big of a job is it to replace the sender?While I've got this thread here I have a few more questions. I read alot about the power steering whine and how common it is. I also read that even replacement pumps sometimes make alot of racket. My pump makes a decent amount of noise and I'm just about fed up with it. I found out that you can use the early-90's Econoline saginaw pump on 5.0 Mustangs, but it requires fabrication of brackets. Instead of going that route, how many of you have replaced your pumps and what brand did you go with? Does it make any noise?How do y'all usually clean your engine bays? Mines covered with dust, grime, dirt, oil, it's pretty bad looking and I've been wanting to clean it, but I'm worried about getting the wrong thing wet. I still have to fix a few wires under the hood with shrink wrap since the previous owner thought using wire nuts was a good idea, but other than that I've always worried about cleaning it up real nice and then it not starting afterwards. Also, what do you recommend for oxidation? The S.O. plate on the upper has seen better days and has some oxidation forming.I also have a few questions about my transmission, I know this really isn't the right place for them, but I figure if I've got your attention maybe I can get all of my questions answered in one thread. It shifts fine now, but I was going to spend a few dollars to possibly increase it's lifespan. Since I'm unsure of the car's maintenance past, or mileage for that matter, I've been a little leery about changing the fluid. I do however want to add a good cooler, deep pan, and maybe replace the valve body. What type of cooler do you recommend? What size should I get? Should I disconnect the stock cooler (radiator) and run just the new cooler or run both? How many of you have swapped to the deep transmission pan? Is there a real difference in operating temperature? I'm eyeing the TCI pan which adds 3 quarts capacity and has cooling fins. I'm also looking at the TCI Streetfighter valve body. Would I be better off with the TransGo shift kit or getting the valve body? The way I'm looking at it is less wear and tear and firmer shifts never hurt anyone.Alright. That about wraps up my questions. Sorry for the novel up there, once I get to movin' my fingers they dont want to stop. Thanks in advance. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #1 – February 19, 2010, 06:45:56 AM For the oil pressure sending unit, see here: http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=26435It wouldn't hurt to by an actual tester so you know what the pressure is as well. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #2 – February 19, 2010, 03:11:15 PM Quote from: V8Demon;310697For the oil pressure sending unit, see here: http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=26435It wouldn't hurt to by an actual tester so you know what the pressure is as well.I found one on Advance Auto Parts website. I entered the Cougar and it was listed as a compatible part, atleast it was listed in the replacement parts. Would this one work?ACDelco Oil Pressure Switch/SenderIt says "ALL MAKES; W/ELECTRONIC INST CLUSTER 1 INCH DIA HOUSING" in the description. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #3 – February 19, 2010, 03:43:43 PM When I had my 87 cougar, I mounted a small oil pressure gage in the right-lower piece below the steering wheel (where the Premium Fuel / Ride Control switches are on a TurboCoupe). A small gage fits there nice, and can be serviced with just 2 screws. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #4 – February 19, 2010, 08:17:43 PM Couple of questions. If I were to go aftermarket.What should I do about the stock gauge? Low oil pressure warning would be annoying.Where on the motor should I hook the gauge up at? The stock sender's location? Where exactly is that? The manual I've got for the car doesn't show the location of the V8's oil pressure switch/sender, just the V6's as far as I can tell. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #5 – February 19, 2010, 08:36:02 PM The sender is located just above the oil filter :D Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #6 – February 19, 2010, 10:17:57 PM I am probably shooting in the dark here but I wanted to mention an overlooked possibility. Not long ago I replaced the starter selenoid on the fenderwell and I inadvertantly left off one of the terminal eyelets that attached to one of the large posts since there were about four attached together. I was having gauge/idiot light problems suddenly after i replaced the selenoid switch and reattaching that loose connection fixed it. I figured since you mentioned that you replaced the battery cable that it would be a good idea to check behind it just in case... Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #7 – February 20, 2010, 07:57:23 AM Quote from: FloridaCougar;310765 The stock sender's location? Where exactly is that? Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #8 – February 20, 2010, 12:09:19 PM Quote from: FloridaCougar;310765Couple of questions. If I were to go aftermarket.What should I do about the stock gauge? Low oil pressure warning would be annoying.Take the cable off of the sender and ground it. This will make the gage read max, and you'll never hear the warning again :) Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #9 – February 20, 2010, 01:29:44 PM Quote from: Watchdevil;310780I am probably shooting in the dark here but I wanted to mention an overlooked possibility. Not long ago I replaced the starter selenoid on the fenderwell and I inadvertantly left off one of the terminal eyelets that attached to one of the large posts since there were about four attached together. I was having gauge/idiot light problems suddenly after i replaced the selenoid switch and reattaching that loose connection fixed it. I figured since you mentioned that you replaced the battery cable that it would be a good idea to check behind it just in case...I'd almost bet that it's a wiring issue. Intermittent function to begin with and then finally, after I mess with the cable, no function at all. It's very possible that it's wiring is made up of severals piece of wire and connected via conectors or some other stupid s#!t like that (thank the previous owner for that). I'll go clean the terminal and all connections and trace the wires and fix it.Thanks V8Demon, that's a good picture for reference. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #10 – February 20, 2010, 05:13:13 PM FWIW -- it IS tied into a couple of other things......Turning the heat on in my car for instance will make it read HIGHER......It's always done that in the 12 years that I've owned the car. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #11 – February 20, 2010, 07:39:15 PM Hopefully soon we'll see if it's the wiring. I went to the part store and picked up some 12GA and 14 GA wire, connectors, heat shrink wrap and a 16GA fusible link. I couldn't locate a 12GA fusible link to replace the one on the car. Any ideas? It's supposed to rain tomorrow so I may or may not get to fix it. If I end up fixing the wires and I still don't have oil pressure reading on the gauge I'll probably just ground out the stock gauge and buy an aftermarket one. I was thinking that these wires could possibly have something to do with the lights behind my gauges not functioning too. They've worked maybe 4-5 times in the past intermittently, but never consistantly. The radio has always had some kind of short too, you can hear the engine running through the speakers even when it's off. The volume also has a short. This car is full of electrical gremlins that I've never had time to track down. Maybe fixing these wires we'll yeild some good results. I'm thinking of grabbing a new starter solenoid for the hell out of so everything we'll have a clean connection, found one for 6 bucks. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #12 – February 20, 2010, 07:55:28 PM I have spent a lot of time on the couple of clusters that I have been working with. One problem I have found is that with age, the copper contacts on the ribbon circuit where the gauge cluster wiring harness connector plugs in has a tendancy to seperate from the clear plastic ribbon material or get crinkled or bent away from the point of contact with the pins on the connector plug. I had to put super glue on quite a few to keep them in posotion and I gently sed the contacts so that the copper is shiney for a good connection. Doing this a couple of problems I was having with idiot lights and fuel gauge operation. I still have a problem with the BRAKE light working when it feels like it no matter which cluster was installed. It used to be on all the time when the parking brake was set. I have not isolated that problem yet. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #13 – February 21, 2010, 10:55:27 PM Fixed the wires today and the oil pressure gauge is now functional! I'm trying to iron out few other problems now. The interior lights pulsate, I'm thinking it could be a ground so I'll be checking them tomorrow, if it doesn't rain. I noticed that when I hit the brake pedal they almost altogether quit pulsating. The alternator is remanuafactered, but it was on the car when I bought it a couple of years ago. I've also got a few vacuum lines to replace since one is totally missing on the passenger side right next to the firewall and one that connects to the upper intake manifold has come apart. Next will be possibly pulling the cluster to see if I can fix the lights because using a flashlight is getting old. Quote Selected
Oil Pressure (Updated PG 3) Reply #14 – February 21, 2010, 10:58:42 PM Quote from: V8Demon;310865FWIW -- it IS tied into a couple of other things......Turning the heat on in my car for instance will make it read HIGHER......It's always done that in the 12 years that I've owned the car.What???I don't think that's normal as mine does not do that. Quote Selected
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