Hello everyone, my name is Andy, I am brand-new here, looking to network, looking for help, and would like to help where I can as well.

I'm here today because I have an issue with my check-oil light. I found the oil light was on in the morning. This was about a week ago. I have since replaced the sending unit, cleaned a connector, and of course I Doublechecked the actual pressure with a different gauge. Pressure shows good running at 52 PSI.

I have looked at the wire looms and have found no abrasion, no tears, nothing like that. I just don't know where else to go next but I am afraid to drive it with the oil light on.

If anyone has any input would be greatly appreciated.

2005
Ford Ranger
70,000 miles on second engine
Edge package

Andy

 

Welcome to the forum

There is a Low oil pressure light, but on some models there is also a Check oil light, it is for the level of oil in the oil pan.
There is a sensor on the side of the oil pan that needs to be covered with oil or check oil light will come on.

On most Rangers the oil pressure wire and oil level wire are in the same harness so follow it down to oil pan.

And of course check the oil level with dip stick, could just be low.

The low oil pressure light won't stay on except when oil pressure is below 6psi, so when RPMs are increased it would usually go off and then come back on at idle if the oil pressure did drop below 6psi.
Check oil light will stay on until oil level is above minimum level for a few minutes, so not an instant on and off, this prevents it from going on and off while cornering and oil is sloshing back and forth in the pan.

The 2005 Ranger will have a mini-computer that is in, and runs, the dash board
Google: Ford Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Dealer Test Mode

For instructions on how to run it through tests

 

Thank you so much Ron! I think I found the sensor next to the oil pan. It has a green and white wire just like the sending unit.

I will go ahead and drain the oil and replace this sensor, correct? Sounds like maybe the sensor is buggered up?

Oil level is good @ check with dipstick.

 

Ron I just got off with Napa, Oreilly, And Ford, 2005 there is no oil level sensor they said. Do you happen to have drawings or part number for the oil level sensor? The one I see is actually juuust above the pan.

 

Oil level sensor is on/in the oil pan, only way it would work

Example here: | Repair Guides | Sending Units | Oil Pressure Sender And Switch | AutoZone.com

What specific light is on?

is it yellow or Red?

 

Ok Ron I manage to get a pic, is this the oil level sensor? It is above the oil pan gasket by 8" and 3" forward of the oil pan.



Sensor Pictures, Sensor Images, Sensor Photos, Sensor Videos - Image - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting

 

If you go here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/rf/ran...nuals/2005.pdf

You can get the 2005 Ranger owners manual

It doesn't show an Oil Level warning light, just oil pressure light

I would do two things if oil pressure light is still on.
The sensor is just an ON/OFF switch, above 6psi switch is closed, below 6psi switch is open
First would be to pull off the sensors connector off and put a jumper wire between the two wires, simulating a closed switch.
Turn on the key, the Oil Light should be or go off.
Leave key on and pull off the jumper wire, oil light should come on, switch is open

If that works then wiring and dash is working like it should.

Remove sensor from engine
You want to make sure the oil passage the sensor is using is clear.
But you also don't want to make a big mess, lol.
So unplug the Coil Packs 4 wire connector, so no spark
Put a towel or bucket under sensors oil passage opening and crank the engine.
Check to make sure oil came out, passage is clear

If so then new sensor is the wrong one or bad

 

The pictured sensor is the oil pressure sensor, and from description, at the right location for the oil pressure sensor.

Video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Vj85Ioj48

So not sure what sensor you changed?

If you Ground that Green/white stripe wire, using a jumper wire, and then turn on the key the oil light should be off, which means that sensor is bad, assuming passage is clear.

 

Actually Ron I have are already changed the oil pressure sensor:

Once with aftermarket
Once with Motorcraft
And the check oil light was still on after changing the oil pressure sensor.

So far I have only assumed the passage is clear because the hole where the pressure sensor came from, I installed an oil PSI gauge temporarily and it read 52 PSI (normal) engine running.

So we know so far:
Actual oil pressure is good
Oil pressure sending unit is good

What to look for next?

 

My oil pan has no oil LEVEL sensor on it so far as I can tell:

 

the one in the 1st picture is the oil pressure sensor

Ground that green/white wire and oil light should be off with key on engine off

If not then there is a wiring issue

 

Which one? Here's what I thought was the oil pressure sensor. It is accessed from inside the wheel well and looks like other sensor in the last photo.



To clarify, we have pics of two different sensors now. I was looking for an oil LEVEL sensor so I sent you pics of my oil pan and sensors nearby.

 

Oh Ron, please forgive my greenness and be ready for a chuckle.

The sensor from below IS the sensor from the side.

I had to "check my head" and take a second look, LOL to me everything looks so otherworldly from underneath the truck. Thought I was seeing a sensor that looked just like the one accessed from the wheel well LOL but it is the same one.

So… Getting back on track… I need to take apart the wire looms and check all the wiring, pull the dash?

Is there a relay? Computer? Or fuse?

 

I'm going to ground the two wires together next. I will post after I try that.

 

Oil pressure sensor will have 1 wire, green with white stripe

So it is actually a SENDER not a sensor, sensors have 2 or more wires, always

A sender uses the engine as the Ground in the circuit, so you have to leave a few threads bare at the bottom when installing a new one.
So remove that green/white wire and ground it, and see if oil light goes out, it should.

Green wire runs directly to the dash oil light bulb, so no other circuit involved


You do not have an Oil Level sensor according to 2005 Owners manual I saw

 

Ron I have gone ahead and grounded to rule out the sender.

The oil light is still on, so it could be the wiring correct?

What would you do at this point?

Remove the wiring corrals and electrical tape?

Take the dash / gage cluster off and look for corrosion on terminals?

Are there any other potential causes?

Computer or computer part?

Relay or fuse?

Also, if you have any input on how many hours a shop should charge for a job like this that would be very helpful.

Thank you for hanging in there with me Ron I am learning a lot.

Andy

 

Here is the wiring diagram for 2005 instrument cluster.

You can see the green/white wire is a straight shot from oil pressure sender to A7 on the back of the dash.

The way the system works is that the Oil light BULB gets 12volts when key is on.
But it has no Ground in the instrument panel so bulb can't light up unless Grounded, that's what the Sender switch is, a ground to the engine.

12volt------------Bulb---------------switch---Ground

When green wire is Grounded bulb lights up

So my mistake on the testing.
Just unplug the green wire at the sender switch, then oil light should be off, no ground.

If light is still on then most likely cause is the green wire is shorted to ground somewhere.