What would cause the red engine light to come on. Not the yellowish Check engine the red one next to it. I checked the oil level -it's ok. the coolant level -it's ok, tranny fluid level - it's ok. Any help would be appreciated I couldn't find an answer in either the owner's manual or the Haynes manual.
Red Engine Light on Dash
- Thread starter sdom001
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95 buckin bronco
New member
what is the truck i have never heard of the red engine light i have only seen the yellow light not sure that cars have two. not sayin it aint so ive seen some crazy shit lol.
AdamDude04
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I have an 89 Bronco, same gen as yours.. only time my bright red 'ENGINE' light comes on, is this:
Winter time when truck is sitting in 10* or lower temps - The oil pressure is very very low on the guage itself..once the motor warms up, the oil loosens up or the sensor warms up, and the oil pressure guage goes into it's 'Normal' range..at the same time, the red ENGINE light turns off - Clearly it came on because of the oil pressure sensor
Other than that, right when I start the truck. It stays on for a second, until the oil pressure guage registers then it'll turn off.
It really can't many things on your 88 due to lack of technology under the hood. Given the year, I would just get a new oil pressure sensor and try that IF your oil pressure guage sometimes acts funny..
Winter time when truck is sitting in 10* or lower temps - The oil pressure is very very low on the guage itself..once the motor warms up, the oil loosens up or the sensor warms up, and the oil pressure guage goes into it's 'Normal' range..at the same time, the red ENGINE light turns off - Clearly it came on because of the oil pressure sensor
Other than that, right when I start the truck. It stays on for a second, until the oil pressure guage registers then it'll turn off.
It really can't many things on your 88 due to lack of technology under the hood. Given the year, I would just get a new oil pressure sensor and try that IF your oil pressure guage sometimes acts funny..
I paid closer attention today to oil pressure gauge and it was fluctuating a little and every time it got to the lowest point on pressure scale the red engine light came on. I'm going to replace sensor and see if that fixes things.
Thanx for your help.
Thanx for your help.
yo
1987-88 FORD TRUCKS F SERIES, BRONCO W/ 4.9, 5.0, 5.8, & 7.3 L ENGINES LOW OR ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READINGS
If you run across one of these vehicles that is equipped with a gauge which reads low or erratic oil pressure, here is something to keep in mind. These vehicles do not really have what we would call a conventional oil pressure gauge. The sending unit that is used is not a variable resistance unit. It is merely an “On-Off” switch. There is a fixed resistance in the dash gauge that will cause the needle to deflect a certain amount
Regardless of the actual oil pressure. So, it does not matter how high or low the pressure, in any case, the gauge will read the same, as long as
there is sufficient oil pressure to close the switch. Any time there is a question of oil pressure, the first step is to ignore what the gauge reads and verify the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge. Once you have eliminated a mechanical problem, then concentrate on the electrical part. On these vehicles, if you have eliminated the mechanical problem, and, have replaced the oil pressure sender with no improvement in the gauge reading, Ford recommends that you use a 20 ohm resistor in line between the sending unit and the gauge. Installation of the resistor will stabilize the gauge reading and eliminate the customer concern.
by
Bob Reuther- Technical Services
Sender Failure; "Corrosion or faulty electrical connections; If the oil pressure gauge is pegged low after the engine is running, or is pegged high after the engine is running, or if there is intermittent illumination of an oil pressure indicator light, the sender could be faulty. Related Components to Check; All appropriate electrical connections to and from the sender The oil pressure gauge or indicator light; Appropriate fuses (see Shop or Owner’s Manual for fuse layout)..." miesk5 Note; enter applicable info for year, etc.
Source: by MOTORCRAFT®
Oil Pressure Mod to Actual PSI "...short R in PCB..." info & NAPA Sender, etc. Source: by Steve83 (Steve, That dirty old truck) at SuperMotors.net
1987-88 FORD TRUCKS F SERIES, BRONCO W/ 4.9, 5.0, 5.8, & 7.3 L ENGINES LOW OR ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READINGS
If you run across one of these vehicles that is equipped with a gauge which reads low or erratic oil pressure, here is something to keep in mind. These vehicles do not really have what we would call a conventional oil pressure gauge. The sending unit that is used is not a variable resistance unit. It is merely an “On-Off” switch. There is a fixed resistance in the dash gauge that will cause the needle to deflect a certain amount
Regardless of the actual oil pressure. So, it does not matter how high or low the pressure, in any case, the gauge will read the same, as long as
there is sufficient oil pressure to close the switch. Any time there is a question of oil pressure, the first step is to ignore what the gauge reads and verify the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge. Once you have eliminated a mechanical problem, then concentrate on the electrical part. On these vehicles, if you have eliminated the mechanical problem, and, have replaced the oil pressure sender with no improvement in the gauge reading, Ford recommends that you use a 20 ohm resistor in line between the sending unit and the gauge. Installation of the resistor will stabilize the gauge reading and eliminate the customer concern.
by
Bob Reuther- Technical Services
Sender Failure; "Corrosion or faulty electrical connections; If the oil pressure gauge is pegged low after the engine is running, or is pegged high after the engine is running, or if there is intermittent illumination of an oil pressure indicator light, the sender could be faulty. Related Components to Check; All appropriate electrical connections to and from the sender The oil pressure gauge or indicator light; Appropriate fuses (see Shop or Owner’s Manual for fuse layout)..." miesk5 Note; enter applicable info for year, etc.
Source: by MOTORCRAFT®
Oil Pressure Mod to Actual PSI "...short R in PCB..." info & NAPA Sender, etc. Source: by Steve83 (Steve, That dirty old truck) at SuperMotors.net
yo ******; I replied to the Q in your other post; here it is since I save it before hitting Add Reply Button bec I have had error message here saying I couldn't or wasn't allowed to post an image or a URL.
I changed it slightly since I now see the sender was replaced.
yo ******;
Try not to run @ high RPM until you check the OP sender's connector wiring..could be loose inside connector or corroded..etc..
Or that "sender" may be indication an actual NO OIL PRESSURE @ that high rpm. So have it checked ASAP
Here is da skinny on the 'Gauge & Sender for your Bronco;
Circuit Operation 87-88 F Series & Bronco; "...In recent years, Ford Motor Company has been doing something I view as a bit sneaky. They have taken the oil pressure gauge and turned it into a glorified warning light. It says it's an oil pressure gauge, it looks like an oil pressure gauge, but in reality it is not. starting in 1986 a change was made on some models that altered the function of the oil pressure gauge as we knew it. The variable resistance sending unit was replaced with an open/closed switch and an in-line 20 ohm resistor was installed between the gauge and the switch. Anytime you have more than 4.5 psi of oil pressure, the switch closes, completing the circuit from the gauge (with the 20 ohm resistor in-line) to ground. This then results in a gauge that reads just above the middle. As you can see, there is no variation to the gauge needle in this circuit. It will either read no oil pressure or half-scale (normal oil pressure). On this style of gauge circuit, if the oil pressure gauge reads in the middle, it is telling you only one thing - you have more than 4.5 psi of oil pressure. How much more is anyone's guess at that point. When oil pressure drops below 4.5 psi, the gauge will return to 0 and alert the driver of a problem...Ford released a TSB (#88-5-14) for 1987-1988 F Series and Broncos that called for converting the variable resistive style oil pressure gauge circuit to the switch style circuit - if the customer complained of low or erratic oil pressure readings. The kit contains an oil pressure switch and an in-line 20 ohm resistor that is to be connected between the end of the existing sending unit signal wire and the new switch. The variable resistance oil pressure unit removed from the vehicle is then discarded. I want to point out some diagnostic problems that can arise from this circuit. First, if you are working on this switch style oil pressure circuit (with the in-line 20 ohm resistor) and install a variable resistive sending unit in place of the oil pressure switch, the result will be a gauge that reads lower than normal due to having two resistors in series, the fixed 20 ohm in-line resistor and the variable resistive sending unit. On the other hand, installing the open/closed switch on a vehicle that incorporates the conventional oil pressure gauge circuit will result in a pegged gauge needle after starting the engine. Sometimes you can tell that you need a switch instead of the variable resistive sending unit by the presence of the in-line resistor a few inches from the switch connector. This is not a good rule of thumb though, since many vehicles have the fixed resistor on the back of the cluster, and some of the digital dashes have that circuit built into the cluster. To determine what style circuit you have, simply ground the sending unit wire with the key on. If the gauge reads exactly half-scale, you can be fairly sure you need a switch-style sender. If you ground the sender wire and the gauge pegs, a variable resistor-style sender is needed..."
Source: by James M
For a real OP Gauge;
Installation, Sunpro,w/T for stock gauge in an 86
Source: by Sixlitre (Malcolm H, Eddie Bauer) at http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles/detail.php?id=4970&s=22156#content
or;
as James discussed above;
Oil Pressure Mod to Actual PSI "...short R in PCB..." info & NAPA Sender, etc.
Source: by Steve83 (Steve, That dirty old truck) at http://www.supermotors.net/vehicles/registry/media/281470
GL!
I changed it slightly since I now see the sender was replaced.
yo ******;
Try not to run @ high RPM until you check the OP sender's connector wiring..could be loose inside connector or corroded..etc..
Or that "sender" may be indication an actual NO OIL PRESSURE @ that high rpm. So have it checked ASAP
Here is da skinny on the 'Gauge & Sender for your Bronco;
Circuit Operation 87-88 F Series & Bronco; "...In recent years, Ford Motor Company has been doing something I view as a bit sneaky. They have taken the oil pressure gauge and turned it into a glorified warning light. It says it's an oil pressure gauge, it looks like an oil pressure gauge, but in reality it is not. starting in 1986 a change was made on some models that altered the function of the oil pressure gauge as we knew it. The variable resistance sending unit was replaced with an open/closed switch and an in-line 20 ohm resistor was installed between the gauge and the switch. Anytime you have more than 4.5 psi of oil pressure, the switch closes, completing the circuit from the gauge (with the 20 ohm resistor in-line) to ground. This then results in a gauge that reads just above the middle. As you can see, there is no variation to the gauge needle in this circuit. It will either read no oil pressure or half-scale (normal oil pressure). On this style of gauge circuit, if the oil pressure gauge reads in the middle, it is telling you only one thing - you have more than 4.5 psi of oil pressure. How much more is anyone's guess at that point. When oil pressure drops below 4.5 psi, the gauge will return to 0 and alert the driver of a problem...Ford released a TSB (#88-5-14) for 1987-1988 F Series and Broncos that called for converting the variable resistive style oil pressure gauge circuit to the switch style circuit - if the customer complained of low or erratic oil pressure readings. The kit contains an oil pressure switch and an in-line 20 ohm resistor that is to be connected between the end of the existing sending unit signal wire and the new switch. The variable resistance oil pressure unit removed from the vehicle is then discarded. I want to point out some diagnostic problems that can arise from this circuit. First, if you are working on this switch style oil pressure circuit (with the in-line 20 ohm resistor) and install a variable resistive sending unit in place of the oil pressure switch, the result will be a gauge that reads lower than normal due to having two resistors in series, the fixed 20 ohm in-line resistor and the variable resistive sending unit. On the other hand, installing the open/closed switch on a vehicle that incorporates the conventional oil pressure gauge circuit will result in a pegged gauge needle after starting the engine. Sometimes you can tell that you need a switch instead of the variable resistive sending unit by the presence of the in-line resistor a few inches from the switch connector. This is not a good rule of thumb though, since many vehicles have the fixed resistor on the back of the cluster, and some of the digital dashes have that circuit built into the cluster. To determine what style circuit you have, simply ground the sending unit wire with the key on. If the gauge reads exactly half-scale, you can be fairly sure you need a switch-style sender. If you ground the sender wire and the gauge pegs, a variable resistor-style sender is needed..."
Source: by James M
For a real OP Gauge;
Installation, Sunpro,w/T for stock gauge in an 86
Source: by Sixlitre (Malcolm H, Eddie Bauer) at http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles/detail.php?id=4970&s=22156#content
or;
as James discussed above;
Oil Pressure Mod to Actual PSI "...short R in PCB..." info & NAPA Sender, etc.
Source: by Steve83 (Steve, That dirty old truck) at http://www.supermotors.net/vehicles/registry/media/281470
GL!
Thanks. im gona get him to check the wiring first as you said. and try a new gauge. if that does not work i've heard that i may need to flush it (4 quarts oil, 2 quarts diesel). not so sure about that though. they say it may just hav clumps and when the motor is workin harder(higher RPM's) it isnt getin all the amounts of oil that it needs. once it reaches about 2100+ RPM's it seems to start the erratic twitching. it twitches back and forth from normal to low. therefore im not sure if its clumped up or just that gauge. i will check electrical first and then the gauge. then go from there
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