Oil Sensor Light!
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34009
Printed Date: October-08-2024 at 11:00am
Topic: Oil Sensor Light!
Posted By: iplan
Subject: Oil Sensor Light!
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 3:03pm
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So on the first journey out with my newly 1985 2001 Ski Nautique (with a set of brand new stringers, new floor, et al~ (pictures and story to come).... I got stranded. When I crank the engine, it runs fine. When I put the boat in gear, the Oil Light Comes On. When I take the boat out of gear, the Oil Light Goes OUT. It does not need oil (according to the dipstick). What is going on? What do I need to check? The boat is parked at a friends dock, but I need to move it today. ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Replies:
Posted By: malibud
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 3:20pm
| What is your oil pressure ? I am about 99% sure the light refers to pressure. Under load or revving engine makes pressure go up . Maybe thicker oil ? |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 3:26pm
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The Oil Pressure seemed to be in the normal operational range (from my memory of past experiences with this boat ~ which was 2 summers ago), so maybe it might be better to know "what the oil pressure range should be for a healthy 351w.... ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 3:27pm
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The Oil Pressure seemed to be in the normal operational range (from my memory of past experiences with this boat ~ which was 2 summers ago), so maybe it might be better to know "what the oil pressure range should be for a healthy 351w.... 10w-30 is in the boat ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 3:47pm
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our 351 runs 40+ psi according to the gauge ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 4:20pm
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Reading the Engine Owners Manual ~ it says, 35-40 PSI @ 2000 RPMs. I think mine is running higher than that (I need to confirm)..... If it is confirmed what needs to be done? ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: June-29-2014 at 6:47pm
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I scoured the net, and found a series of conversations on the topic ~ and I copied them and pasted them here ~ since I could not find much information on what to do if your Oil Pressure is too high..... "So, since day one I have had pretty high oil pressure, around 75 at start and when warm at running (new 351W motor. It goes down at tad at idle when hot but not much, maybe 5psi. Is this too high? What are the risks, exploding filters, blown rings? On hard revs it will see 80-85psi. This has never really seemed normal to me but I have been, well, ignoring it. Reading the Ski Nautique Engine Owners Manual ~ it says, 35-40 PSI @ 2000 RPMs. What oil pump do you have? If it's a high pressure unit, you need to replace it or your distributor gear is going to fail. I am not sure if its a high pressure unit, I will find out. Are you saying all hi-pressure units are not a good idea or they just need a certain dizzy gear? Whether it's designed to be or not, you're using a high pressure pump. Inside every pump is a pressure relief spring. Some pumps it's adjustable, and most it's not. But it sounds like yours is stuck. You'll need to drop the pan and adjust/replace. "Small Block Fords" (SBF's) never need a high pressure pump. Since the pump is driven off the distributor, too much pressure will wear the distributor gear, and eventually cause the pin to shear. The oil pump is turned by a shaft that is an extension of the distributor shaft...which in turn is powered by its connection to the cam shaft via the distributor gear. Because the high pressure oil pumps need more effort to turn to produce the higher oil pressures, they put much more strain on the distributor gear, and in some situations, like quick acceleration, can produce so much more torque on the gear it will fail. Many SBF engine builders don't recommend the high oil pressure units at all. High oil pressure will wear the cam and distributor gears as well as eat Horse Power. If you are using the stock oil pump hex drive, it can also wear that also. High pressure can also unseat some of the oil galley plugs. Ford specifies 40 PSI oil pressure at 2000 RPM hot. To check a sender you need to install a gauge that is known to be accurate, or install the sender in a system that can check pressure. If you don't have a high pressure pump then you may have high pressure due to a stuck, or improperly assembled, relief valve in the pump, or you may have either a bad sender or a bad gauge giving a false reading. A machine, or speed, shop in your area may be able to see if either the sender or gauge is not functioning properly. If none exists in your area, you may try buying a new sender or gauge to see if the readings change (after you determine that you have a regular pump and there is nothing out of sorts with the relief valve. If it is a standard pump for sure and confirmed, then it must be one of the other three: sender, gauge, or relief spring/valve. ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: June-30-2014 at 1:19am
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pretty sure thats just a dummy light. Only thing its tied into is oil pressure. Tied in through the brain, you will see it has a wire harness plugged into it under the dash. But if you look when you turn key to on, the light should come on. Soon as engine turns over oil pressure builds and it goes off. When I was running a lighter weight oil and had boat nice and warm and idle set to low the light would come on. I would switch to at least a 20 50 use The Valvoline VR1. I run the straight 50W. If light is coming on and oil pressure is good well electrical tape has many uses, or check for loose wires or could be your brain going bad. Mike ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: June-30-2014 at 1:21am
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The 351w is a good oiler, and pounds of pressure can be as low as 10 pounds per 1000 rpm. ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: June-30-2014 at 2:47am
| Now, when you put the boat in gear, do you think the oil light is tied to a drop in RPMs? If you give it a little gas will the light go out? |
Posted By: TX Foilhead
Date Posted: June-30-2014 at 3:02am
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Change that oil first. You probably just have a bad connection along the way, happens when you completely take the boat apart and put it back together. Every Ford I've ever had has always had plenty of pressure especially running 20/50. If the gauge is reading good I wouldn't worry about the light. You didn't do anything to the engine other than take it out so it shouldn't have any issues other than something with the wiring. I find it best to not plan a big all day trip right after a major project, I'm working on the 4th or 5th right now and almost everyone of them has had an issue the first time or 2 out. Work it slow at first, then hammer on it a bit to make sure everything is tight and and you aren't going to shake anything loose, watch the gauges like a hawk. Most of all be proud that most everyone you see at the lake wouldn't even think about attempting what you've just done. 
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Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: June-30-2014 at 12:53pm
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When it goes into gear boat should drop in rpms which will lower oil pressure. With the light oil in it could be enough to trip the light. Definitely change the oil. That should fix it. I would do that first. Mike ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: July-01-2014 at 7:28pm
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So ~ I changed the oil.... then took it for a spin. When I first cranked it up, this is what the gauge said:  I was pretty worried..... but I waited, and it gradually began to drop.  Once it started to drop, I drove out of the cove, and accelerated ~~~~ it did not look very promising as you can see:  but it eventually dropped back to about 45 PSI (around 5 PSI too high) @ 2,000 RPMs).  At this point, it was calmer at idle also ~  The pictures are taken in order..... So ~ what do you think.... ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: July-01-2014 at 8:58pm
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Looks great. Not a problem running 60 when cold. which oil did you use? ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 9:15am
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Mine runs 50-60 PSI, always has. The alarm system is unreliable disconnect it! ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 9:22am
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Dropped the drain hose, for about half an hour ~ until there was no oil on the stick..... Then filled to proper level with 20w-50 (it was only 2 qts though). So I think I'm going to do it again today. ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 9:43am
2 qts? I changed my oil this past Sunday with Mobil 1 15w50 and she took all 5 quarts. Oil level was right at the full mark on the dipstick. ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
iplan wrote:Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 9:53am
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Yeah, my drain hose is really long and doesn't fit through the drain either ~ so it drains really slowly and not completely.... I was thinking about shortening the hose, and replacing the fitting to see if I could get something that would go through the hull to assist with a more thorough oil change. ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 11:22am
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351 holds 4.5 These flat tappet motors need high zinc. Use a good oil and filter. The mobil filter is nice. ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 11:25am
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If possible run it and get the oil hot it will drain a lot better. Open up the fill and that helps a little. Cold oil and it is a over night change. ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: TX Foilhead
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 5:45pm
| If you aren't going to pump it out then get it hot and let it drain overnight. A pump is the easiest and doesn't depend on the the temp of the oil. |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 5:54pm
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That motor sounds like a drain line I put on . Is it the original motor ------------- Lakedog55 |
Posted By: backfoot100
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 6:24pm
The hose doesn't fit through the hull drain or the end fitting of the hose doesn't fit through the hull drain? I guess I could possibly understand the end fitting not going through the drain however, that that would have to be a really big fitting. The fitting on mine is a 3/4" and fits easily through the drain. If that's the case why don't you take off the end fitting and then put the hose down through the drain? It still takes a couple seconds for the oil to start coming through the hose and you should spill very little into the bilge before you get it though the drain. Just have a bucket under the drain. Then you can go under the boat and stretch the hose out completely as you move it with the bucket. I would also do it cold and let it drain overnight. If you try to do it hot, the hose itself as well as the oil will be hot and it won't make for a very pleasant experience. ------------- When people run down to the lake to see what's making that noise, you've succeeded. Eddie |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 7:31pm
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Once the oil is out, change the fitting to a smaller size, then good to go for next time. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 8:00pm
The hose doesn't fit through the hull drain or the end fitting of the hose doesn't fit through the hull drain? [/QUOTE] It's the fitting that doesn't go through ~~~~~  ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 8:20pm
| http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RK024056A" rel="nofollow - http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RK024056A |
Posted By: iplan
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 8:30pm
Now there's an idea! Best of all, Skidim is just a 20 min drive from my house! ------------- 85 Ski Nautique 2001. Stringer replacement job completed July 3 2014. Exterior painted June 2015. The Trailer is next. |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 8:37pm
| That one should still apply to you. I guess they switched over to a metric thread in 86, from the catalog. But, since you're so close you could confirm with them. |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: July-02-2014 at 8:43pm
I just did mine the other day after getting the motor up to operating temp (160 degrees). The hose and fitting were nowhere near too hot to handle. I change my oil in my car and truck the same way. Warm it up first, then drain. Sure its hot, but not scalding. Very little oil gets on my hands during the process. ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
Posted By: lakedog55
Date Posted: July-03-2014 at 1:41am
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Just cut it off and put a different end on it ------------- Lakedog55 |