Ford Repair: Oil pressure guage, oil pressure guage, ford van

Question
I have an 82 1 ton ford van with a 351 V8 in it. It has 97,XXX
miles on it. This morning when I started it up to drive to work
and first headed for the gas station to get my 20.00 of $2.25
gasoline so I couldmake it to work. Halfway to the station I
noticed the oil pressure guage needle had stayed on the left side of
the guage. In fact it never moved at all the 2 miles or so to the
gas station. Of course I panicked and checked the oil which was
fine. I drove it to work because I was just stuck and had no other
transportation. This is about a 12 mile trip but the engine did not
lock up or anything on the way. The needle still did not move but
the temperature stayed fine and in fact the engine ran a little cool.

My question is this. I just had the radiator and water pump
replaced. Both were leaking like a sieve in several places so it
was needed. (I think the church I bought it from did not maintain it
very well even thought they did not drive it much.) Is it possible
the when they installed either the radiator or water pump the
knocked a connection loose and that is why the oil pressure is not
registering? I have had that happen before with other cars when I
had engine work done. I had not driven the beast since bringing it
home from the shop which is less than a mile from my house so I did
not notice if the guage was working then or not. All the rest of
the guages behave normally. Is the oil guage hooked in with the
other guages so if one is out all are out? I thought it could be a
fuse but was too dark to see if a fuse was out and I did not have a
light on me. Could it just be the oil pump has coincidentially bit
the big one at about the same time the radiator and water pump
went? Does this engine even have an oil pump? I have not heard of
an engine without one but I learn something new everyday. I would
think though if the oil pump had gone out the engine would start
running hot within the 12 or so miles I drove to work.  

Answer
JOHN

it could be your oil pressure sending unit located by the oil filter.yes the van has a oil pump if the sending unit is good its probally thew oil pump.over years the pump gets plugged with oil,more so if it wasnt changed often.if the pump is bad you WILL blow the engine.hope this helps.

ken