Recently bought a 96 ranger 2.3 with 93k miles, having issues with oil pressure.Randomly having no oil pressure when starting an eventually gets back up while driving, oil pressure does drop completely when driving up to traffic light and stopping. Pressure does stay up if I keep my rpms up but as soon I come to a stop it drops back down. Truck will randomly start ticking like lifter tick but goes away with oil pressure going up. Any help gladly appreciated!!

 

Welcome to the forum

The lifter tick, yes that is what it is, means you are actually losing oil pressure, well its dropping below 3psi

And I have to ask...................you have checked the oil correct?

It could be failing oil filter so I would change that, and add a quart of oil after you do, unless its at full mark now, then add 1/2 quart
It's a long shot but not a no shot

Only other reason, unless you see oil pouring out on the ground, is that the oil pump is failing

How many miles on the engine?


Just an FYI
Oil pressure is the oil the engine CAN NOT use when running
The oil pump pumps too much oil, but its suppose to
That oil goes thru the oil filter and then into the Main Oil Passage

The oil pressure "switch" is located on this main passage, 1987 and up Fords use a "switch" for oil pressure, gauge is either up or down when switch is closed or open, 5PSI is the cut off point, under 5psi and switch is open/gauge down, over 5psi switch is closed/gauge up

When the oil leaves the main passage it goes out to the bearings and lifters, they don't need much so oil BACKS UP in the main passage, and THIS is oil pressure, the oil the engine CAN NOT use at that moment

So you either have a large leaking in a bearing or lifter passage, so oil is not backing up in the main passage
OR
Oil pump is not pumping enough oil at lower RPMs<<<<oil filter can limit flow, which is why you should try changing it, cheap fix if that's what it is


I ask about the mileage because if its high enough 400k+ you may want to just pull the engine and do the bearings and oil pump
But to change the pump you would need to drop the transmission, to get the oil pan off to change the pump

 

He says 93k...partially blocked pick up screen?