93 taurus oil pressure light and no start problem

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Jun 4, 2018
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16
Location
Virginia
I have a 93 ford taurus 3.8L V6 GL 4dr. sedan. When I start my car the oil pressure light goes on and off and then it stays on. I then cut my engine off and try to restart it but it won't start. I wait until the next day and it starts up and it does the same thing as the day before. What is going on here?
 
I had a Ford that had a switch on the oil pressure sensor. If there was low or no oil pressure it turned off the fuel pump. Maybe that is your problem.
 
No guessing here. Use an actual gauge to determine if there is actually an oil pressure problem, a gauge or pressure switch issue.
I am sure it is low oil pressure and I replaced the oil pressure switch a couple of months ago.
 
Turns out there IS a condition that will cause this From a google search

Does the oil pressure switch control the fuel pump?


The oil pressure switch and fuel pump relay are wired parlell to fuel pump power. Both have to shut down to kill fuel pump. the oil pressure switch is not a cut off saftey switch but only there to run fuel pump in case of a fuel pump relay fail.

If I read this correctly . there is a bad fuel pump relay and that combined with low oil pressure is causing the trouble There is an inertia switch in the trunk. If it got wonky , that might do it or a new Fuel pump relay? Jump the oil sender wire to a ground. That should put the light out make the car think the OP is OK/ This just means that the engine will toss a rod bearing or something at the least opportune time.
 
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After researching it I believe my oil pressure light might be related to me replacing the distributor and immediate oil pump shaft. I could not get my car to start so I replaced the distributor with a new one. When I removed the old distributor the immediate shaft came up with the old distributor. So I replaced the shaft and the distributor and now the oil pressure light comes on. I timed the engine after replacing the distributor at 10 degrees BTDC. When I first start it up the oil pressure light does not come on but after about 30 seconds it goes on and off and after about 3 minutes it stays on so I cut the engine off. It won't restart. I wait until the next day and it starts up and does the same thing.
 
After researching it I believe my oil pressure light might be related to me replacing the distributor and immediate oil pump shaft. I could not get my car to start so I replaced the distributor with a new one. When I removed the old distributor the immediate shaft came up with the old distributor. So I replaced the shaft and the distributor and now the oil pressure light comes on. I timed the engine after replacing the distributor at 10 degrees BTDC. When I first start it up the oil pressure light does not come on but after about 30 seconds it goes on and off and after about 3 minutes it stays on so I cut the engine off. It won't restart. I wait until the next day and it starts up and does the same thing.
Did you get the shaft back into the oil pump correctly?
 
Did you get the shaft back into the oil pump correctly?
Well the shaft is about 6-7 inches long. I put it into the end of the distributor and put the distributor and shaft into the engine at the same time. I am pretty sure the shaft went into the oil pump hole. Everything went down ok and smooth. I can't believe the shaft did not go into the oil pump hole.
 
So does the shaft drive the distributor and the oil pump?
Yes I am pretty sure because one end of the shaft fits in the distributor and the other end of the shaft fits in the oil pump. Something has to be out of whack. I notice that when I start the car it has a heistation before it starts. It is like a delay. It does start up but it is not a smooth start.
 
Yes I am pretty sure because one end of the shaft fits in the distributor and the other end of the shaft fits in the oil pump. Something has to be out of whack. I notice that when I start the car it has a heistation before it starts. It is like a delay. It does start up but it is not a smooth start.

Sounds like you need to take that distributor back out.
 
Possibly. It may come to that. I was thinking about unscrewing the hold down bolt and adjusting the distributor. Probably clockwise until it starts up better.

If the shaft drives the oil pump and you have no oil pressure how is setting the ignition timing going to help?
 
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