C5 Oil Pressure Sensor
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
C5 Oil Pressure Sensor
Hi,
I am new to the forum as well as new to C5. I just noticed that my Oil Pressure Gauge is pegged to 80 PSI. I know this is a sign of bad Oil Pressure Sensor and needs to be replaced. I have seen many way to do this and will have to do it soon. However, is it OK to drive with the Oil Pressure gauge pegged to 80 PSI? Should I stop driving the car until I fix the sensor? Thank you.
I am new to the forum as well as new to C5. I just noticed that my Oil Pressure Gauge is pegged to 80 PSI. I know this is a sign of bad Oil Pressure Sensor and needs to be replaced. I have seen many way to do this and will have to do it soon. However, is it OK to drive with the Oil Pressure gauge pegged to 80 PSI? Should I stop driving the car until I fix the sensor? Thank you.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 191
Likes: 23
From: Louisville KY
If the engine is healthy, it's not too big of a deal to drive it for a while, Just understand, you have no visibility if a problem arises. It's a calculated risk, but not a huge one in my opinion.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
I watched the Video in youtube and it seems fairly easy if you can access the area. I have read many discussion between removing the intake, making a hole in the cowl and just simply replacing it. I am going to try to replace it without removing the intake and without making a hole. If I cannot, then my second option is to make the hole in the cowl. Wish me luck!!! If you have any hints or useful tips, please let me know... I even saw on youtube a guy bending some cloth hanger to unplug the wire harness... 
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 41
Likes: 14
From: Henderson North Carolina
I replaced mine last summer without removing intake. Hardest part for me was to start the threading of the new sending unit. I used a section of clear flexible hose that fit over the unit. After several attempts, I was able to thread it on and tightened with a ratchet with (2) U-Joints in the extension set-up. A long needle nose pliers (11") with a 45 degree angled tips will be needed to pull/place on the electrical connection plug. Took me about 30 minutes total.
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Thank you all for the replies. Just curious, what is the main reason people don't want to cut a rectangular hole on the cowl and perhaps design a waterproof seal door? This will allow to access the oil pressure sending unit at anytime it fail. This seems to be the quickest and painless way to replace it. Unless, if you make the hole you are compromising the structural frame of the windshield, chassis, etc...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,426
Likes: 970
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Thank you all for the replies. Just curious, what is the main reason people don't want to cut a rectangular hole on the cowl and perhaps design a waterproof seal door? This will allow to access the oil pressure sending unit at anytime it fail. This seems to be the quickest and painless way to replace it. Unless, if you make the hole you are compromising the structural frame of the windshield, chassis, etc...
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 4,043
Likes: 342
From: Central NJ
Thank you all for the replies. Just curious, what is the main reason people don't want to cut a rectangular hole on the cowl and perhaps design a waterproof seal door? This will allow to access the oil pressure sending unit at anytime it fail. This seems to be the quickest and painless way to replace it. Unless, if you make the hole you are compromising the structural frame of the windshield, chassis, etc...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,426
Likes: 970
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
I am SO weary of people stating that cutting the cowl is a ‘lazy person’s solution’. I don’t see opening the upper area of the engine so something can fall inside as the best way to do something if you are not familiar with it. I’m NO rookie either. As I stated before, I bought every tool required and could not get them to work nor could I get any view of what I was working with at the same time as getting the socket over the sensor. The oil sender relocation kit makes sense to me, however.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 161
Likes: 82
St. Jude Donor '19
In my opinion the less disassembly to a machine, in this case our LS1, to accomplish a repair the less chance of problems. Having worked on electro-mechanical devices for 40 years this has served me well. I have used the cowl cut and have had no water leaks. The plastic cowl doesn’t appear to be a structural member. There are many ways to waterproof the piece removed. By working directly above the sender I felt confident in not cross-threading the new sender. With just one connector to disturb made sense to me. My 2 cents.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,426
Likes: 970
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
the most important thing is to accurately locate the sensor. Remove the plastic trim piece after first removing the wiper arms. There’s now way that plastic is structural. I used a 3” hole saw and was very close. I attached it to my new aluminum sheet cover piece so I could mold it to the surrounding contours as close as possible. I didn’t want to invite leaks. Measure 3x, cut once!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 691
From: West Virginia
If you have an early C5 there is all sorts of crap in the way of getting to the sensor, so all this "doing it without removing anything" on Youtube is pure BS. I cut through the plenum so I could get a clear view of the sensor, and then it was very easy to get the needle nose pliers in to remove the electrical connections - which were very firmly attached - no way I could have removed them with my fingers. Having changed it, I "glassed" the fiberglass I removed back into place - no sign of what I did.
I don't understand why this approach is any kind of issue. It's a simple way to solve the problem.
I don't understand why this approach is any kind of issue. It's a simple way to solve the problem.
Drifting
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,663
Likes: 702
From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, metro area
Dual purpose
My 99 vert needs the Oil Pressure Sender changed and my AC is blowing through all places. I think my vacuum line behind the intake is cracked, going by what I have read.
There is no way I can get back there to do both of these things with the intake process n place.
If I can cut a big enough section of the wiper under-panel out, I may be able to deal with the vacuum line, but I will go ahead and bond with my car and pull the manifold/relocate.
There is no way I can get back there to do both of these things with the intake process n place.
If I can cut a big enough section of the wiper under-panel out, I may be able to deal with the vacuum line, but I will go ahead and bond with my car and pull the manifold/relocate.
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Drifting
Joined: May 2020
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From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, metro area