How to check your oil pressure sender

[WikiBot]

This is an automatically generated introductory discussion post for the article How_to_check_your_oil_pressure_sender

[JoshAnker]

So this is a common problem with our cars... The oil LIGHT in the dash isn't on, but the Gauge in the middle shows ZERO oil pressure!

Well it happened to me, and I found lots of help when I searched, but I'm a TOTAL newbie when it comes to 3/S's, so I wasn't happy with the pictures I found.

So I took my own, and now I'm posting 'em to help you.
I was told it's an easy fix with your car on a jack or lift, or that I could take the tire off. I didn't have to do EITHER! I just layed down next to the drivers side front tire, and I could SEE and REACH the loose wire. Here's pics.


When I looked, here's the first thing I saw...




Note the wire hanging loose.

If you're disoriented, or have no clue what ANYTHING is, here's the picture again, with the front drivers-side TIRE in the picture, so you can get your bearings. (It's on the right side, you might have to scroll your browser.)



Okay, take that little wire hanging loose, and slide the connecter onto the brass colored little round thing. (It's the oil sender unit). Make it look like THIS:



The tire is in there again, so you can get your bearings.

Here's the final picture, with instructions and all the right parts pointed out with an arrow.



Okay, I hope this helps some newbie someday, and like someone told me... don't you DARE pay to have this one fixed! Do it yourself!

I took these pics myself, and they're of my car, so they're not copyrighted or anything... Feel free to use them if you have a 3/S site with a fix for this problem.

Good luck, everyone, and enjoy your car without worrying about that oil gauge!

[Alan92RTTT]

If you have the reverse problem. No oil light at startup but your guage works. The sensor for the light is the same area and is probably suffering from a similar issue.

[Aurora3000GT]

very cool, thanks, i was trying to work on the car and it just stopped working, couldn't figure out why as i had oil...thanks

[Wombat]

Just wanted to add a little something...

If this wire continually falls off and you find yourself doing this same procedure over and over again, like I had to...take a pair of pliers and gently squeeze the connector. After I did this, my the connector actually "snapped" on the oil pressure sender and it has yet to fall off

[stevep]

Looks like it's time to replace that sway bar link or at least put a new boot on and tighten the nut

[Deathsled]

There are 2 sensors? One for the gauge and one for the oil light in the dash? I always figured they shared the same sensor. Maybe I should check the connection on my oil light sensor.

[white 91]

Do you have missing panels or did you remove them to take the pictures ?
I can't see any of that on my 91, there are splash panels covering everything,
I can see the axle coming out of a panel but that's it, I know I can remove them, just curious if mine is the norm or what?

Thanks

Jack

[JoshAnker]

Hrm... when I lay down on the ground and put my head under the wheel, I was able to see exactly what I took the picture of. Although the car I took those pictures on was used and with high mileage.... But I don't know of any panels that should be blocking that. Maybe someone else can give a more educated opinion:

TTT.

[stevep]

Originally Posted by white 91

Do you have missing panels or did you remove them to take the pictures?

There should be a inner splash shield (Called a Side Under Cover in the manual and Engine Room Side Cover LH MB640781 in CAPS) running from the body structure to the left suspension member. There is another on on the RH side closing up that wheel well from the engine compartment (it's MB640782).

According to CAPS it is the same part for every 3S.

Steve