Low Oil Pressure Light and Idle Low Oil Pressure

[expertshot]

I have a stock 2013 SHO with about 150,000 miles. I've had some issues with it, but always taken care of it. During a recent snow storm, my "low oil pressure" light came on as I was parking in a parking lot. After my car gets to temperature and when my car is at idle, the light comes on. The minute I accelerate, it goes off.

I took it to the Ford dealership because this happened after I had some other work done to it (I've now had all the gaskets replaced twice). They replaced the oil pressure switch, which didn't solve the problem. They then diagnosed it and found that my oil pressure is dropping at idle. I spent 2k to have them remove the oil pan and inspect it. They found silicone and a piece of paper in the oil, which was caught by the pickup tube screen. They replaced oil pickup, resealed the oil gasket, replaced right intermediate shaft seal, and replaced left turbo return line. Get it out from the dealership, drive it about 90 miles, and light came back on when I was parking at a store. Basically once it is up to temperature, the light will come on when the car is at idle, such as at a stop light or parked and running. Otherwise, it drives great. No other issues with it at all.

Dealership doesn't know what's wrong with it and Ford was of no help. They are telling me to drop 10k to replace the engine. I'm pretty disappointed because I've spent about 7k on repairs to the car in the last year or two, and just had new tires, rear shocks, and brakes done.

Has anyone experienced anything like this before? Any thoughts on options?

 

[SHOVNST]

If the pick up screen was blocked for a while there could be bearing damage. This would cause the low oil pressure. What I’d want to know is where did the silicone come from. Sounds like somebody used too much somewhere with the extra falling off and finding its way to the pickup screen. Did they inspect any bearings? I hate to be pessimistic but the damage might have already been done.


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[Johnbigdog]

I'm not sure why the dealership needs help on this one. If they do, might need to go to a different dealership.

Pressure is a result of a restriction to flow. Oil pimps only creat flow. Clearnaces restrict that flow.

If you turn on your garden hose with no nozel the water just flows out. When you put your finger on the end of the nozel and you build pressure. You are restricting flow.

So there are two posible causes of low oil pressure, excessive clearances or the inability to creat flow. If there is excessive clearances you should be seeing some debris in your oil and or oil filter from.the failed bearing. You may also get a knocking noise if its lower end. Slightly different noise for the upper end.

If there is no debris or noise, you may have a failing oil pump. This could be the pump or the oil pressure regulating valve.

If you don't find debris, replace the pump and try again. To replace the pump I recall that the oil pan and front cover are comming off so this gives you the opertunity to inspect the cams and cam caps, crank and rod bearings I think?

Knowing you just had some revealing and found silicone in the pick up is a little bit to convenient. Starving the pickup and oil pump is going to cause an inability to creat flow. Low oil pressure and bearing damage potentially. That oil filter was probably trashed with the oil pickup. I dont know if it was cut appart.

To prove that the low oil pressure light is due to low oil pressure, one would "t" into the port the oil pressure switch so you can monitor the oil pressure mechanically and leave the switch attached. If the oil pressure drops low when the light comes on, you know the electrical side works. If the light comes on and oil pressure is high, there is a circuit fault. The oil pressure switches usually come on at stupid low pressure.

Fords oil spec is a hot engine 3.5L gtdi (2016) is 30 psi at 1500 rpm.