Oil pressure sensor 5.0

[BruceExploder]

Is there a specific way to get to the oil pressure sensor? I can see it from the wheel well but am not sure of a good way to reach it Haynes manual doesn't point it out either

 

[410Fortune]

Yes go from the wheel well with some extensions you can reach it with your hand if you remove the drivers front tire
Its actually pretty easy to change

 

[BruceExploder]

Thanks Fortune

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes go from the wheel well with some extensions you can reach it with your hand if you remove the drivers front tire
Its actually pretty easy to change

Is that easier than from below with the oil filter off? I changed mine while replacing the oil filter adapter o-rings. It wasn't hard but cleaning the area was slow for sure.

 

[410Fortune]

I am sure it can be done with the filter removed also, but I find it easier to go straight at it.
Flashlight and extensions give you a direct shot at the sensor.
You can reach in pull the wire, use tool remove sensor, reach in clean area, prepare new sensor, thread first few threads by hand, finish with tool, reach in re attach wire.

I have never had to replace the sensor and removed the filter before, you could probably try that too! Usually this sensor is replaced due to a leak or a broken plastic top cap, or for troubleshooting a oil pressure issue.

 

[BruceExploder]

or for troubleshooting a oil pressure issue.

Yeah I gotta make sure I'm not about to grenade my motor because the oil pumps going out.

Going to switch the sensor and maybe gauge clusters to make sure neither has messed up first. My gauge cluster does weird stuff on the rpms to so I'm just making sure

 

[koda2000]

If you want to know your real oil pressure, buy yourself a real oil pressure gauge. It will come with a new sender and probably a few adapters. You can buy a cheap one, which will come with a plastic line to the gauge, or get a bit more expensive one, which will be electronic (my personal recommendation).

The OE oil pressure switch & gauge is really just an idiot light with a needle on it. If you have at least 5 PSI of oil pressure the oil pressure needle will just stay in the middle of its sweep whether you have 5 PSI or 45 PSI. As they age the OP switches stick sometimes and will register zero oil pressure at startup, then pop up as the oil warms. They can also switch ON/OFF so quickly that the OP needle gets stuck on the wrong side of its stop. This happened on several of my Explorers/Mountaineers. One even caused the gauge's needle to spin a bit on it's pin and now the gauge's needle only registers in the 1st quarter of its sweep (which therefore still means "normal" oil pressure.

If you have the SOHC V6 engine, broken pieces of timing chain plastic can block the oil pickup too (that's a real "NO OIL PRESSURE" situation). If you have a SOHC engine (I see you say you have the V8) remove the lower oil pan and see what's in it. Also check the oil pump's oil pickup screen.

 

[BruceExploder]

Yeah. I was looking at a harbor Freight triple guage I might throw that in.

 

[BruceExploder]

Def a tight squeeze. Where exactly does the connector release I'm trying not to break it

 

[BruceExploder]

Nevermind took wheel well out and my whole arm fit right in lol

 

[BruceExploder]

Bird's nest up in here

 

[BruceExploder]

Hey guys what's the torque speq? I feel like I can over tighten this

 

[CDW6212R]

Hey guys what's the torque speq? I feel like I can over tighten this

It should be about like a spark plug, just a little tight. Like a spark plug, use just the wrist, not the arm to tighten it.

 

[koda2000]

It's an NPT (tapered) thread, so it seals as it's tightened. It does not need to be super tight, basically slightly more than by hand so it doesn't leak. What you're screwing in is soft metal and hollow so don't go crazy or you will break it.

As far as getting the wire off, like most automotive electrical connectors there's a little thing you either squeeze or lift to get the connector to let go. Like most old plastic the trigger typically gets brittle, so try not to break it. I can't remember whether it's a squeeze of lift connector on the OP switch.

Note: If you eliminate your OE oil pressure gauge it may cause your "CHECK GAGE" light to be on all the time because I believe it will think you have no oil pressure with the gauge disconnected. It is possible to have the real gauge and the OE gauge both connected, but that would require a "T" fitting and the space to install it. I've learned that adding a short brass NPT pipe from the engine to the "T" is a bad idea because the weight of the unsupported senders will cause the pipe to crack/break before long. I learned this the hard way after having the pipe break twice on my '54 F100.

 

[BruceExploder]

Well the sensor fixed my issue. I probably also overtightened the hole .... oops. I didn't know or think about it till I got to tightening it.

 

[BruceExploder]

It's an NPT (tapered) thread, so it seals as it's tightened. It does not need to be super tight, basically slightly more than by hand so it doesn't leak. What you're screwing in is soft metal and hollow so don't go crazy or you will break it.

As far as getting the wire off, like most automotive electrical connectors there's a little thing you either squeeze or lift to get the connector to let go. Like most old plastic the trigger typically gets brittle, so try not to break it. I can't remember whether it's a squeeze of lift connector on the OP switch.

Note: If you eliminate your OE oil pressure gauge it may cause your "CHECK GAGE" light to be on all the time because I believe it will think you have no oil pressure with the gauge disconnected. It is possible to have the real gauge and the OE gauge both connected, but that would require a "T" fitting and the space to install it. I've learned that adding a short brass NPT pipe from the engine to the "T" is a bad idea because the weight of the unsupported senders will cause the pipe to crack/break before long. I learned this the hard way after having the pipe break twice on my '54 F100.

What what you suggest then? I'm thinking of doing this on my XLT

 

[CDW6212R]

If you make it a short pipe(nipple they call it), it should be okay. Some sensors are large and heavy, you just noticed the little stock one is fairly light. If you get an aftermarket sensor which is a bit heavier, place that one on the "T" pointing down, and the OEM unit straight out.

FYI, the pre-98 Explorers used a real pressure sensor, which you can identify with its larger body. The dash gauge circuit varies slightly, and I've read others say they made it work in their 98-01 trucks. I haven't got that far to worry about it yet.

 

[koda2000]

If you make it a short pipe(nipple they call it), it should be okay. Some sensors are large and heavy, you just noticed the little stock one is fairly light. If you get an aftermarket sensor which is a bit heavier, place that one on the "T" pointing down, and the OEM unit straight out.

FYI, the pre-98 Explorers used a real pressure sensor, which you can identify with its larger body. The dash gauge circuit varies slightly, and I've read others say they made it work in their 98-01 trucks. I haven't got that far to worry about it yet.

Nipple. Thank you The name escaped me.