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Showing posts from November, 2022

Ford Truck Oil Pressure Gauge - Is it an idiot light?

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  The Ford truck line fro 1987 to 1991, which includes F150, F250, F350 and Bronco's, used a full set of gauges that included oil pressure and voltage gauges.  Unfortunately half way through the production run Ford hobbled the oil pressure gauge turning it into a glorified indicator light.  Sensor vs Switch Typical Oil Pressure Sensor The 1987 to 1988 trucks included a fully functional oil pressure gauge.  They used an engine mounted oil pressure sensor that sends a variable resistance signal to drive the gauge.  The sensor is grounded to the engine block.  When oil pressure is low the signal wire will show roughly 100 plus ohms to ground which causes the gauge needle read low.  The resistance drops as the oil pressure increases.  Under normal operating conditions the sender will show roughly 20 ohms causing the gauge to read a little over half way.  It's not a precise system, but it works. Typical Oil Pressure Switch Starting in 1989 Ford re...
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87-96 Ford Truck Tailgate Trim Panel Mounting Hole Locations

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 I got a message from a customer asking about the location of the holes for mounting the tailgate trim panel.  They wanted to mount a panel on a tailgate that did not originally have one.  These pictures will help document where the holes are on the tailgate.   The back/outside of the tailgate has 6 holes for the Blue Truck Parts Tailgate Brackets (yes, that was a shameless plug for our product).  Each hole is about 3/4" diameter to accommodate the base of the bracket posts. Measuring from the left side of the tailgate to the first set of holes. The middle holes measured from the left side. The right side holes when measured from the left edge.  The bottom row of holes measured from the bottom edge of the tailgate. The top row of hoes measured from the bottom edge. The tailgate also has two sets of 1/4" holes on the edges.  Small threaded trim clips mounted to the back of the panel run through them.  They are held in place with acorn nuts on...
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Gauge Screw Retainer Repair - 70's and 80's Ford Trucks and Cars

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Ford with Blue Truck Parts screw retainers  Starting in the mid 70's Ford begin using plastic screw holders on the back of their instrument cluster gauges.   Over the years the plastic has become brittle and cracked.  This allows the gauges to rattle inside the cluster.  In extreme cases the screw, which also is used to conduct the gauge signal, can touch to the gauge body and cause a short or worse.   Identification Ford seems to have standardized their gauges across all vehicles and lines through most of the 70's and the first half of the 80.  Their fuel, oil pressure, and temperature gauges are all roughly the same design with minor variations of needle width and direction of operation. They all have a round metal housing that is roughly 1 3/4" in diameter Two screw posts spaced 1 1/8" apart hold the gauge in place and conduct the sensor signal in to the gauge internals.   The posts 3/16" diameter, or #10 screw size.  The amp gau...
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