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Changed my oil and now my oil pressure gauge shows eighty pounds. I know where the sending unit is and have seen video on what a bear it is to change. Was wondering if anyone might have a suggestion on anything else to look at first?
It's not a bad job to do and it can be a great Winter project if it is not leaking and can wait a few months or so.
These are common to go, just replace it.
If your engine didn't blow up from a total occlusion of the oil galleys then you know the sender is bad. there's no other possible culprit so just replace it when you have time. Its overstated how bad it is to replace.
Might want to consider relocating it too... makes future changes easier.
I did the relocation and it was really straightforward. Now it's tucked right next to the driver side fuel rail... easy to get to if/when I need to replace it again.
I did mine a couple of years ago. It is not as cut-and-dry as an oil change or even, rotors and pads, and those passing it off as easy are coming at it with significant experience. To a mechanically-inclined but not trained and inexperienced advanced beginner, it can seem a bit daunting - disconnecting fuel lines, removing a big component like the intake manifold, wires everywhere, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria! (Sorry, got carried away).
I decided I would install a relocation kit as, despite my OEM sender lasting 18 years, I have read enough to know there is a fairly high failure rate on replacement sending units and I wanted it to be an easy change if it became necessary. I decided that while I was in there I would also replace a bunch of other bits that you need to remove the manifold to get to - knock sensors, AIR check valves, changed a bunch of hoses and clamps, managed to damage the Throttle Position Sensor during the process so had to replace that, PCV hard lines, and added an oil catch can. I researched it thoroughly beforehand, read many articles/DIYs/threads and put together my own step-by-step checklist. It went well, with the typical unexpected items that always arise (the Throttle position sensor, stripping out one of the intake manifold bolts on disassembly so had to order a new set, delaying the job for a couple of days) and car ran great, no problems . . . for five months. But then started getting a knock sensor code. So, everything came off again and . . . I guess I hadn't torqued down one of the knock sensors and it was loose. Ah, well, the Doofus Factor at play.
All has been good since and the experience gave me the knowledge and confidence to do an intake manifold upgrade on my BMW 328i E91 daily driver (stock 328 engine put out about 230 HP but same engine in other BMWs gets up to 260 HP with a 3-stage valved manifold and a tune for the new setup).
I have the step-by-step checklist saved so could share it with you if it would help.
K9Leader aka Rob in Delaware Pulled apart Cleaned up and new gaskets Put back together, although this was before I put on the oil catch can The oil catch can completed the job
I relocated mine in August, 2017, added a mechanical gauge under hood. The relocated "new" sender unit failed early 2019, took me 10 minutes to replace it.
Am I the only person who's replaced the sender without pulling the intake?? just use a swivel adapter and a deep socket, reach in with long needle nose pliers to pull the connector off. Bit of a pita to get it back on, but easier then pulling the intake lol.
Am I the only person who's replaced the sender without pulling the intake?? just use a swivel adapter and a deep socket, reach in with long needle nose pliers to pull the connector off. Bit of a pita to get it back on, but easier then pulling the intake lol.
There is a u tube video on this and my shop did it that way.
Whatever and whenever you do the sender make sure it's a Delco and not a knockoff I purchased one from a fleabay seller as Delco (packaging and part looked correct), part failed in one day, had to do the job twice.
They're all the same Chinese crap in different colored boxes. Just get the one from the parts store with the lifetime warranty so you're only paying for the part once.
Thanks Rob. Need to have mine replaced soon, its leaking. I would appreciate anything you can share. Pretty sure i can do it myself, with a little help. Particularly interested in a remote location to make the next replacement easier.
Can anybody explain the purpose of the two "foam" seals that are at the ends of the manilfold? When I replaced my oil sender, a couple of years ago, I removed the OE foam pieces, in order to install a DEI heat insulation shield, and I didn't think there'd be enough room for both items to fit in there and properly compress, so I left the foam out. Later on, I thought that maybe it was a mistake.
Can anybody explain the purpose of the two "foam" seals that are at the ends of the manilfold? When I replaced my oil sender, a couple of years ago, I removed the OE foam pieces, in order to install a DEI heat insulation shield, and I didn't think there'd be enough room for both items to fit in there and properly compress, so I left the foam out. Later on, I thought that maybe it was a mistake.
Any ideas?
their purpose is to keep debris out.
I left them out when I removed the ribs converting to an LS6 manifold.
i also feel that it was a mistake not putting them back in with new ones.
My old knock sensors were pristine - no signs of water at all so I did not RTV seal them. But the foam does act as something of a barrier, although mostly for dust and other solid debris.
oil pressure sending unit
