oil sensor November 30, 2007, 05:18:55 AM When I start my car, half the time my full digital dash warns me the car is low on oil. It isn't, though, as oil was changed about 300miles ago. I hoped that would solve the issue with the low oil warning, but it hasn't. After I drive around a bit, the gauge correctly shows 4 bars out of 4 (if 4 is the maximum, that is :) ). Is it time to replace the oil sensor? Or is there anything else I can check? Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #1 – November 30, 2007, 07:21:08 AM Your pressure is good and your level is good on the dipstick its probabably the level sensor on the oil pan or wiring to it. Is there somehow to jumper the sensor to send a signal that the level is good? Then you can prove the sensor is bad? Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #2 – November 30, 2007, 09:04:48 AM I know in my 84 T/c I was looking for the O2 ground wire that was orange. I found 2 of them. One was the O2 ground and the 2nd was the wire for the low oil light on the dash. If I grounded the wire it made the LOW OIL light come on. So maybe you have a piece of that wire shorted to ground. Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #3 – November 30, 2007, 09:34:48 AM Ok, thanks. So where's the sensor located? It's an '88 5.0 V8 engine.Is it possible to take the sensor out and perhaps clean it? The guy who serviced my car told me the oil filter was clogged up and the oil was thick and old, and perhaps some dirt prevented the oil sensor from working correctly. Don't know if that makes any sense Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #4 – November 30, 2007, 10:07:24 AM Low oil sensor is in the side of the oil pan, driver's side.If cleaning that sensor off, and/or replacing it, does not solve the beeping issue then it's in the wiring. You have a bunch of wires running on the driver's side of the engine bay...in that mess is a wire with a grey shunt attached. I believe that's the one that goes to the oil sending unit above the oil filter. There's where you should look for the problem...several people have mentioned that before. Will (weasle) told me that the shunt ended up being the problem on his '87 XR7 with the digital dash. Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #5 – November 30, 2007, 11:05:46 AM Can I take the sensor out w/o spilling any oil? Any precautions necessary before doing it? Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #6 – November 30, 2007, 11:20:05 AM You talked about the guage showing bars.....Do you mean the OIL PRESSURE SENSOR?Quote from: EricCoolCatsWill (weasle) told me that the shunt ended up being the problem on his '87 XR7 with the digital dash.You mean this below? It's a 22 ohm resistor. http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?p=36134#post36134 Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #7 – November 30, 2007, 11:43:51 AM QuoteYou talked about the guage showing bars.....Do you mean the OIL PRESSURE SENSOR?I was under the impression that's an oil level display? How else does the car warn you it's low on oil? Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #8 – November 30, 2007, 11:50:18 AM There's an indicator light for that.Get a mechanical guage and check your pressure at cold idle, hot idle and @ 2000 RPM's hot.It SUPPOSED to go off at around 7 PSI. Mine would chime at 20 PSI. Annoying to say the least. Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #9 – November 30, 2007, 12:26:20 PM ok, sorry for my unawareness of the gauge...if the pressure's low, isn't it supposed to be beeping and blinking every time I drive the car? Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #10 – November 30, 2007, 01:14:33 PM Quote from: thebruins;190300When I start my car, half the time my full digital dash warns me the car is low on oil. It isn't, though, as oil was changed about 300miles ago. I hoped that would solve the issue with the low oil warning, but it hasn't. After I drive around a bit, the gauge correctly shows 4 bars out of 4 (if 4 is the maximum, that is :) ). Is it time to replace the oil sensor? Or is there anything else I can check?4 bars? Mine is at 5. My guess is your oil pressure is low. If the engine was neglected (hence the plugged filter, ie slidge) and run with a clogged filter who knows what the hell happend to the bearings and such..... Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #11 – November 30, 2007, 01:18:48 PM Quoteif the pressure's low, isn't it supposed to be beeping and blinking every time I drive the car?No. Many things will affect it. Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #12 – November 30, 2007, 05:59:16 PM I want to start by replacing the sender unit, and see if that fixes it before having it checked out by someone else. At http://www.motorcraft.com there are two units to choose from, one 'w/light' and one 'w/gauge'. Also, at http://www.partsamerica.com they make a distinction between senders for mechanical and electronic clusters. Is the sender for electronic clusters with a gauge the one I should get? Quote Selected
oil sensor Reply #14 – December 01, 2007, 08:16:49 PM The oil level sensor can be changed without draining the oil. Just jack it up on the driver's side. Quote Selected
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