For my son's '88 L98, the digital dash is reading zero oil pressure...car running fine but need to replace sensor and run a pressure gauge test at same time to be sure.

I am getting conflicting information as too the location and type sending unit. I am sure its not a single blade unit because the dash does read a numerical pressure.

Found this forum link for some hints:
http://www.corvette-guru.com/modules...d=7416&forum=1

Any help on location and type/part# would be appreciated.....thanks

 

pour a shot of cheap liquor between the distributor and wiper motor, close to the distrib...now pour yourself a shot of the good stuff, the oil press sender already has it's 'help' (just below the distrib)

 

On my 87, the oil pressure sender is located below the distributor on the driver's side sits horizontally. It should be round in shape and 1./5" inches in diameter. As you will see, it's not fun to get to.....

The vertical unit is the oil pressure switch which prevents the engine from running if the pressure falls too low or is non-existent.

The wire attached to the pressure sender should be tan. To test the sender, disconnect the wire from the unit. Select "Oil Pressure" using the dash function switch. Turn the ignition switch to RUN. Does the display show somewhere around 80 psi?? If it does, the sender is bad.

 

 

The oil pressure sender is the single wire can. The two wire unit is a fuel pump enable switch which keeps the fuel pump energized if the normal system fails. Sorry C4cruiser but it is not an oil pressure cut off.

 

Guys....as always this forum is great (PS...even better than most of the C6 guys because they don't get there hands dirty like you guys)

Thanks for your help....I did see this but because it wasn't "attached" to the intake or block I thought it was not it.

Location confirmed...now I can start the hunt for a replacement

One other question...is this where I can connect a mechanical gauge to manually check pressure??

 

Correct
Just use the port the gauge unit screws in to
Or if you want to compare OP gauge in dash with mech gauge while engine running ;
put mech gauge into the port used by the oil temp sensor above filter so both gauges are operational at the same time

 

add a manual switch to open the 'normal' power feed to the fuel pump and the oil press switch becomes a 'cut off '...(still need the 'normal' feed for start-up)

 

If you are happy with 4 psi oil pressure as a cut off for engine .Better than zilch I suppose

If you can handle a a longer crank time to start ,you can delete the relay altogether so no need for man switch.
The relay only serves to prime the rails ; key on.

 

Thanks again guys....this is exactly what I want to do. Make sure the digital reading is close to the mechanical. This car has been a labor of love for 3 years of slowly rebuilding as time/money permits.

We want to make sure this engine with over 150K stays whole for a while until we have the funds for more serious internal upgrades. I know he'd love to stroke this to a 383 with new heads.

Not even close in the budget now.

 

I don't mean to dredge up an old thread, but this is the only 88 specific thread I could find, and since my 'Vette is my daily I want to make sure I have everything I need to know before take it apart. I have the common problem of when driving my pressure reads 80psi, and when KeyOnEngineOff it reads anywhere between 8-15psi. I am assuming that the wire has not fallen off since the gauge will occasionally read normal (40-45psi while at a stop, 50-65psi while driving), so I am guessing it is the sender, since the car has around 148k on the clock. I plan on just pulling the distributor up and replacing it that way. (That seems to be the easiest method after reading other threads). Since I cannot see it to check the P/N, I want to make sure I am ordering the right thing. When I search on Summit or RockAuto etc for "Oil Pressure" it comes up with two options. I just want to make sure I am getting the right one. Also, in other threads I have read that some people have a 3-wire unit as opposed to a single blade. I just want to make sure I am getting the right part.

Is it this?:http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sm...model/corvette


This is the other part that comes up, but I don't think that this is it... but I just wanted to link it to be sure: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sm...model/corvette



Also, attached is a picture of my engine bay, in case it is visible while the car is together and I am just blind.


Thanks in advance for any help!

 

Its the first link just like the 87. I had the same issue with my 88 and everyone listed the 3 wire sender/switch. Finally had them look up the 87 and it was the right one.

 

You can see it if you look in the right place...



The part with the red and orange wires is the connector for the oil pressure switch that backs up the fuel pump relay. You can see the round oil pressure sender below and to the left of the oil pressure switch connector.

In later years they combined the two units into one with a 3 pin connector.