Replacing Oil Pressure switch - question
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,252
Likes: 6
From: The Colony Tx
Replacing Oil Pressure switch - question
After my post the other day about vac problems I started changing the plug wires as suggested. Since then I seem to have found words in my vocabulary that I hadn't used in years.
I now have a distributor without cap or wires. Since I am at this point I decided it might be a good idea to go ahead and replace the oil pressure switch. Seems to be in a location that will GREATLY expand my forgotten vocab.
The question is to anyone that has done this, what size wrench does this take? And how did you get to it? It looks as if removing the other switch would make it much easier and if that is the case what size socket would you use to remove that?
Thanks in advance. And yes I did find the #1 plug and marked the new cap before I removed it.
I now have a distributor without cap or wires. Since I am at this point I decided it might be a good idea to go ahead and replace the oil pressure switch. Seems to be in a location that will GREATLY expand my forgotten vocab.
The question is to anyone that has done this, what size wrench does this take? And how did you get to it? It looks as if removing the other switch would make it much easier and if that is the case what size socket would you use to remove that?
Thanks in advance. And yes I did find the #1 plug and marked the new cap before I removed it.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
Thats a 1 1/16" special socket for the oil warning light sensor.NAPA has them.Change it while your at it.Can't remember the size on the pressure switch but it's stock.Maybe 9/16 or 5/8.Life is a lot easier if you pull the distributor to do this. Be careful there are some small vacuum lines lurking in there and easy to break on older cars.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by aj1988
Since I am at this point I decided it might be a good idea to go ahead and replace the oil pressure switch.
It looks as if removing the other switch would make it much easier and if that is the case what size socket would you use to remove that?
It looks as if removing the other switch would make it much easier and if that is the case what size socket would you use to remove that?
RACE ON!!!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
CFI-EFI,
if you can get to the switch, I would agree it is a good idea to replace it -- preventitive maintenance is never a bad thing.
Case in point, on a 1985 Lincoln, 5 weeks ago I changed the oil & filter and inspected for leaks and there were none. 2 weeks ago, I had to replace the oil pressure sending unit, it was leaking an amazing amount of oil while sitting at idle in the driveway.
BTW, the socket was also a 1 1/16" socket, but oddly enough, it had to be a six (6) point deep socket, a twelve (12) point socket would not work!
if you can get to the switch, I would agree it is a good idea to replace it -- preventitive maintenance is never a bad thing.
Case in point, on a 1985 Lincoln, 5 weeks ago I changed the oil & filter and inspected for leaks and there were none. 2 weeks ago, I had to replace the oil pressure sending unit, it was leaking an amazing amount of oil while sitting at idle in the driveway.
BTW, the socket was also a 1 1/16" socket, but oddly enough, it had to be a six (6) point deep socket, a twelve (12) point socket would not work!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
CFI-EFI,
if you can get to the switch, I would agree it is a good idea to replace it -- preventitive maintenance is never a bad thing.
Case in point, on a 1985 Lincoln, 5 weeks ago I changed the oil & filter and inspected for leaks and there were none. 2 weeks ago, I had to replace the oil pressure sending unit, it was leaking an amazing amount of oil while sitting at idle in the driveway.
BTW, the socket was also a 1 1/16" socket, but oddly enough, it had to be a six (6) point deep socket, a twelve (12) point socket would not work!
if you can get to the switch, I would agree it is a good idea to replace it -- preventitive maintenance is never a bad thing.
Case in point, on a 1985 Lincoln, 5 weeks ago I changed the oil & filter and inspected for leaks and there were none. 2 weeks ago, I had to replace the oil pressure sending unit, it was leaking an amazing amount of oil while sitting at idle in the driveway.
BTW, the socket was also a 1 1/16" socket, but oddly enough, it had to be a six (6) point deep socket, a twelve (12) point socket would not work!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by theadmiral94
CFI-EFI,
if you can get to the switch, I would agree it is a good idea to replace it -- preventitive maintenance is never a bad thing.
if you can get to the switch, I would agree it is a good idea to replace it -- preventitive maintenance is never a bad thing.
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,252
Likes: 6
From: The Colony Tx
Then maybe, because the distributor cap is already off, he should replace the engine. If you replace everything, just because you can see it, and are afraid it might fail someday, you will have a never ending job. I am not saying that it won't or can't fail, but it may not in your lifetime. And if it does, it can be dealt with. Those tires won't last forever, maybe they ought to go, too.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
I did get the socket and the one came off very easily. At that point I took a 9/16 open end and removed to 'lower' sensor. It was sort of a pain to get the new one to screw in since it was by feel only, but at this point they are both back where they should be.
Thanks for the advice on the sizes I needed. Sure did make it easier to actually start with an idea of what I was doing before I started.
For anyone else like me that have no idea of what I am talking about here is a pic I took after I got done.
Last edited by aj1988; Oct 10, 2007 at 09:43 PM.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 2
From: port charlotte fl
Sorry, my mistake when I did the post. I have the typical always reading 80 lbs on the guage. I have read here before that it is usually the switch that is bad. That is what I ment when I said that since I could get to it easily at this point I might as well go ahead and do it.
I did get the socket and the one came off very easily. At that point I took a 9/16 open end and removed to 'lower' sensor. It was sort of a pain to get the new one to screw in since it was by feel only, but at this point they are both back where they should be.
Thanks for the advice on the sizes I needed. Sure did make it easier to actually start with an idea of what I was doing before I started.
For anyone else like me that have no idea of what I am talking about here is a pic I took after I got done.
I did get the socket and the one came off very easily. At that point I took a 9/16 open end and removed to 'lower' sensor. It was sort of a pain to get the new one to screw in since it was by feel only, but at this point they are both back where they should be.
Thanks for the advice on the sizes I needed. Sure did make it easier to actually start with an idea of what I was doing before I started.
For anyone else like me that have no idea of what I am talking about here is a pic I took after I got done.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,629
Likes: 28
From: FL
I follow your thinking when it comes to replacement of inexpensive parts when accessible for related work but to me it is a dice toss not a sure bet.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by aj1988
Sorry, my mistake when I did the post. I have the typical always reading 80 lbs on the guage. I have read here before that it is usually the switch that is bad. That is what I ment when I said that since I could get to it easily at this point I might as well go ahead and do it.
Originally Posted by staugur
As a pilot I'm a believer in preventative maintenance.Some people obviously are not. Penney saved,pound foolish-a good old English adage.
"Penney saved,pound foolish-a good old English adage."
FYI, the adage is "Penny wise, pound foolish". 
There is a "Penney (sic) saved," saying, which is more applicable, here. It is "A penny saved is a penny earned". Either way, a penny is NOT a good insulator.RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,252
Likes: 6
From: The Colony Tx
Thanks to all for the help. For the first time since I bought the car my oil pressure guage no longer reads 80lbs. I started it and it showed 53lbs which seems just a little high, but the engine is cold and did not run long enough to start to drop.
Again, thanks for the help.
Again, thanks for the help.
