Okay I tried to find an answer prior to posting with no luck. My 1997 F150 (4.6 Windsor) bought new in March of 1996 now with 240,000 miles on it had an oil light (as well as dummy gauge drop) come on for the first time. Here's a timeline:
11/02/2012-Changed oil with M1 5w30 & FL820S filter. This is the same combo I have mostly used since this vehicle had 36,000 miles. It has always had FL820S filters no exceptions.
11/04/2012-Engine RPM @ 1200 climbing a hill around 30MPH, the oil light comes on, no engine noises. Within 1 second I shut the truck off. I check things out. I restart the truck and it was like nothing happened. I ran it for 2 hours without incident.
11/16/2012-(this truck was used one other time between here and 11/04). I run the truck for a few hours in city driving. I shut it off, then restart it and within the first quarter mile, it sounds like all the lifters are starving for oil, then the oil light comes on. I shut off, then restart, drive it for 60 miles like nothing ever happened.
11/23/2012-There is now 250 miles on this oil change and the same thing happened like it did on 11/16. I pulled into an AutoZone and changed the filter (this time a Bosch) in the parking lot. Since then I have put 30 miles on with no incident. I think it is still to early to tell.
My question is, does anyone think it was the filter or is there still a possibility it could be an oil pump overpressure/check valve? The light will come on regardless whether it is driven easy or hard. It kind of baffles me that the problem disappears when restarting.
Would I see anything if I cut open the filter?
This truck has great compression, burns about 1/2qt of oil in 8500 miles, the engine has zero sludge and when the cylinders were scoped you can still see the honing marks with no ridge. I drive it conservatively with occasional high RPM's when passing on 2 lane highways.
If the light comes on again, I might change the oil pump which I'm not looking forward to pulling the timing chain and related parts off, but if I have to do it, I guess it has to be done.
11/02/2012-Changed oil with M1 5w30 & FL820S filter. This is the same combo I have mostly used since this vehicle had 36,000 miles. It has always had FL820S filters no exceptions.
11/04/2012-Engine RPM @ 1200 climbing a hill around 30MPH, the oil light comes on, no engine noises. Within 1 second I shut the truck off. I check things out. I restart the truck and it was like nothing happened. I ran it for 2 hours without incident.
11/16/2012-(this truck was used one other time between here and 11/04). I run the truck for a few hours in city driving. I shut it off, then restart it and within the first quarter mile, it sounds like all the lifters are starving for oil, then the oil light comes on. I shut off, then restart, drive it for 60 miles like nothing ever happened.
11/23/2012-There is now 250 miles on this oil change and the same thing happened like it did on 11/16. I pulled into an AutoZone and changed the filter (this time a Bosch) in the parking lot. Since then I have put 30 miles on with no incident. I think it is still to early to tell.
My question is, does anyone think it was the filter or is there still a possibility it could be an oil pump overpressure/check valve? The light will come on regardless whether it is driven easy or hard. It kind of baffles me that the problem disappears when restarting.
Would I see anything if I cut open the filter?
This truck has great compression, burns about 1/2qt of oil in 8500 miles, the engine has zero sludge and when the cylinders were scoped you can still see the honing marks with no ridge. I drive it conservatively with occasional high RPM's when passing on 2 lane highways.
If the light comes on again, I might change the oil pump which I'm not looking forward to pulling the timing chain and related parts off, but if I have to do it, I guess it has to be done.