Oil Pressure Sensor HELP!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 20
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From: Wilmington, Delaware
Oil Pressure Sensor HELP!
Figures I take the Vett out on our first nice day in forever and the Oil pressure gauge is pegged at 80 and reading 130.. I will replace it but the real question is... how long can i safely drive the car with it reading this way??
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,486
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From: Long Island New York
If its not leaking and all you have is a pegged gauge, you can drive it indefinitely however...
You will have to deal with the fact that you don't know what your oil pressure is and that is an issue.
This is why I installed an oil pressure relocation with an analog gauge in the event my sensor did this.
You will have to deal with the fact that you don't know what your oil pressure is and that is an issue.
This is why I installed an oil pressure relocation with an analog gauge in the event my sensor did this.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 20
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From: Wilmington, Delaware
Yeah, I want to have it replaced, or replace it myself, so the question of "how long" is really just me hoping I can drive it in the meantime. Thinking of doing it by summer.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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I thought it would be good to share this, in case people don't know it already. I didn't! I've had the sender fail BOTH ways. My first did what the OP's did, it pegged the gauge. My second was far more troubling. It showed ZERO, no pressure at all!! Turns out it was the sender, again. So it can happen. Hope this helps someone.......
Last edited by grinder11; Mar 11, 2021 at 10:20 AM.
Race Director
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From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
If its not leaking and all you have is a pegged gauge, you can drive it indefinitely however...
You will have to deal with the fact that you don't know what your oil pressure is and that is an issue.
This is why I installed an oil pressure relocation with an analog gauge in the event my sensor did this.
You will have to deal with the fact that you don't know what your oil pressure is and that is an issue.
This is why I installed an oil pressure relocation with an analog gauge in the event my sensor did this.
so the question of "how long" is really just me hoping I can drive it in the meantime.
You can drive it for as long as you want.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2018
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10kmiles and counting.... I believe there is no risk of losing pressure slowly to be able to notice from the sensor and safely stop when it happens, to me it is a redondant sensor that inform you when your engine blew....which you probably already know, am I correct?TCFS
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 529
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From: Columbus, MS
You can drive it until you have a real oil pressure problem and the inoperative sensor doesn't tell you before it's too late.
Or just replace the sensor. It's not a hard job. You have a few options in terms of how to get at it.
1. (the "right" way)-- remove the intake manifold. It's SUPER easy to do with the manifold off and out of the way.
2. Some manner of contortion between your wrists and U joints for sockets
3. Cut a hole in the plastic cowling below the windshield. This is kind of the Bubba way of doing it, but it gives easy access for future replacement. These sensors are junk, and the replacement sensors are also junk. I've owned my car since 2017 and already have replaced the sensor twice.
Or just replace the sensor. It's not a hard job. You have a few options in terms of how to get at it.
1. (the "right" way)-- remove the intake manifold. It's SUPER easy to do with the manifold off and out of the way.
2. Some manner of contortion between your wrists and U joints for sockets
3. Cut a hole in the plastic cowling below the windshield. This is kind of the Bubba way of doing it, but it gives easy access for future replacement. These sensors are junk, and the replacement sensors are also junk. I've owned my car since 2017 and already have replaced the sensor twice.
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You can drive it until you have a real oil pressure problem and the inoperative sensor doesn't tell you before it's too late.
Or just replace the sensor. It's not a hard job. You have a few options in terms of how to get at it.
1. (the "right" way)-- remove the intake manifold. It's SUPER easy to do with the manifold off and out of the way
Or just replace the sensor. It's not a hard job. You have a few options in terms of how to get at it.
1. (the "right" way)-- remove the intake manifold. It's SUPER easy to do with the manifold off and out of the way
then relocate the sensor to make it an easy job the next time it fails
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2021
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From: Wilmington, Delaware
Melting Slicks
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I’ve been driving mine that way for years. A dealer manager told me there was no risk, but it would be very expensive to replace.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
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From: Columbus, MS
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2020
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if you're going in there please do yourself this favor.... replace the rubber oring on the cam sensor. If not you'll be going back in for an sudden oil leak that looks like a rear main seal. Don't ask me how I know, but your welcome.
And i can't believe people can get to that bugger without pulling the intake manifold.
And i can't believe people can get to that bugger without pulling the intake manifold.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,367
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From: Western NY
Do you hear any "lifter clatter" when the engine starts? If not, you have sufficient oil pressure, but that ISN'T a good practice to go by. But on the other hand, think about how many cars don't have an oil pressure gauge......
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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You can drive it until you have a real oil pressure problem and the inoperative sensor doesn't tell you before it's too late.
Or just replace the sensor. It's not a hard job. You have a few options in terms of how to get at it.
1. (the "right" way)-- remove the intake manifold. It's SUPER easy to do with the manifold off and out of the way.
2. Some manner of contortion between your wrists and U joints for sockets
3. Cut a hole in the plastic cowling below the windshield. This is kind of the Bubba way of doing it, but it gives easy access for future replacement. These sensors are junk, and the replacement sensors are also junk. I've owned my car since 2017 and already have replaced the sensor twice.
Or just replace the sensor. It's not a hard job. You have a few options in terms of how to get at it.
1. (the "right" way)-- remove the intake manifold. It's SUPER easy to do with the manifold off and out of the way.
2. Some manner of contortion between your wrists and U joints for sockets
3. Cut a hole in the plastic cowling below the windshield. This is kind of the Bubba way of doing it, but it gives easy access for future replacement. These sensors are junk, and the replacement sensors are also junk. I've owned my car since 2017 and already have replaced the sensor twice.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 529
Likes: 197
From: Columbus, MS
You hit that one outta the park on the inoperative sensor. One of my pet peeves is the guy who has his check engine light on, has it scanned, and finds out "it's only a bad gas cap"! My son told me of that exact situation on his car. He told me he'd live with it, because he wasn't gonna buy a new gas cap. So I asked him what he was gonna do if a serious lean condition would come up, but his check engine light was already on from a minor problem? I told him the light won't get brighter with more malfunction's!!!
OR, it will cost $5-10k for an engine rebuild/replacement when the oil pump fails and it throws a rod. Not a hard choice to make.
Le Mans Master
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Exactly. It's a $40 sensor, plus about an hour or so of work to take the manifold off, replace the sensor, and put the manifold back on.
OR, it will cost $5-10k for an engine rebuild/replacement when the oil pump fails and it throws a rod. Not a hard choice to make.
OR, it will cost $5-10k for an engine rebuild/replacement when the oil pump fails and it throws a rod. Not a hard choice to make.
Race Director
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I believe it also shows as "low oil level" in the DIC.....
Le Mans Master
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