Oil Pressure Sensor issues
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Oil Pressure Sensor issues
I'm on a roll...today I noticed on the instrument panel oil pressure showed zero and when I went to the DIC it says "XXX"
When I start the car the gauges roll back and forth and so does the oil pressure gauge.
Am I to presume that the oil pressure sensor is shot? I did a search and could not find what is involved in changing out the part?
When I start the car the gauges roll back and forth and so does the oil pressure gauge.
Am I to presume that the oil pressure sensor is shot? I did a search and could not find what is involved in changing out the part?
#2
Safety Car
Member Since: Dec 2006
Location: Pearland / Houston Tx
Posts: 3,758
Likes: 0
Received 1,116 Likes
on
693 Posts
Hopefully the sender and not the cluster gauge.
Easy and cheap ($20). Should be behind the intake plenum near the firewall.
Removal Procedure
-Remove the left engine sight cover.
-Clean area around the oil sensor/switch before removing it.
-Remove the vacuum hose for the power brake booster.
-Disconnect the electrical connector for the oil pressure sensor/switch.
-Using the J 41712 (1) , remove the oil pressure sensor/switch.
Easy and cheap ($20). Should be behind the intake plenum near the firewall.
Removal Procedure
-Remove the left engine sight cover.
-Clean area around the oil sensor/switch before removing it.
-Remove the vacuum hose for the power brake booster.
-Disconnect the electrical connector for the oil pressure sensor/switch.
-Using the J 41712 (1) , remove the oil pressure sensor/switch.
#3
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,998
Received 2,887 Likes
on
1,910 Posts
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
The switch is known to fail around the 10 yr mark.
I found a solid brass unit on Amazon.
I removed the windshield wipers and cowl, then cut a hole above the sender. Just too tight for my hands to work without the hole. Taped the hole up with metal duct tape. Cowl hides it anyway.
I found a solid brass unit on Amazon.
I removed the windshield wipers and cowl, then cut a hole above the sender. Just too tight for my hands to work without the hole. Taped the hole up with metal duct tape. Cowl hides it anyway.
#4
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Hopefully the sender and not the cluster gauge.
Easy and cheap ($20). Should be behind the intake plenum near the firewall.
Removal Procedure
-Remove the left engine sight cover.
-Clean area around the oil sensor/switch before removing it.
-Remove the vacuum hose for the power brake booster.
-Disconnect the electrical connector for the oil pressure sensor/switch.
-Using the J 41712 (1) , remove the oil pressure sensor/switch.
Easy and cheap ($20). Should be behind the intake plenum near the firewall.
Removal Procedure
-Remove the left engine sight cover.
-Clean area around the oil sensor/switch before removing it.
-Remove the vacuum hose for the power brake booster.
-Disconnect the electrical connector for the oil pressure sensor/switch.
-Using the J 41712 (1) , remove the oil pressure sensor/switch.
#5
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
The switch is known to fail around the 10 yr mark.
I found a solid brass unit on Amazon.
I removed the windshield wipers and cowl, then cut a hole above the sender. Just too tight for my hands to work without the hole. Taped the hole up with metal duct tape. Cowl hides it anyway.
I found a solid brass unit on Amazon.
I removed the windshield wipers and cowl, then cut a hole above the sender. Just too tight for my hands to work without the hole. Taped the hole up with metal duct tape. Cowl hides it anyway.
Is your procedure over and above the one mentioned by C6ToGo in post number 2?
#6
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,998
Received 2,887 Likes
on
1,910 Posts
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
You will need a special socket for the sender. Auto part stores sell them....thin wall socket. Regular socket will not fit between the intake and the sender.
Yes your gauge will sweep even if the sender is bad. The sweep signal at startup comes from a different source, not the sender.
Mine showed 80 psi at idle. I energized the gauges without starting the motor and it showed 40 psi.
The following users liked this post:
Mad*Max (06-10-2018)
#7
Advanced
I'm on a roll...today I noticed on the instrument panel oil pressure showed zero and when I went to the DIC it says "XXX"
When I start the car the gauges roll back and forth and so does the oil pressure gauge.
Am I to presume that the oil pressure sensor is shot? I did a search and could not find what is involved in changing out the part?
When I start the car the gauges roll back and forth and so does the oil pressure gauge.
Am I to presume that the oil pressure sensor is shot? I did a search and could not find what is involved in changing out the part?
By the end of my drive, #3 main bearing spun, overheated and shredded. Turned out to be the oil pump, not just the sensor. Motor toasted.
I'm now running a forged 402 from Texas Speed. 30% more power than stock. It was a seriously nice upgrade... but expensive.
#8
Team Owner
Member Since: May 2000
Location: Plantation Florida USAF(Retired) 1966-1990
Posts: 47,893
Received 4,504 Likes
on
3,589 Posts
U.S. Air Force
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I have 05, and about 4 months ago, my oil pressure went to 80, and new the sending unit took a dump.
Now a decision is to upgrade to C7, or have it fix, haven't made up my mine, since GM made a simple replacement so difficult to replace, on the LS2.
Now a decision is to upgrade to C7, or have it fix, haven't made up my mine, since GM made a simple replacement so difficult to replace, on the LS2.
#9
My sensor went out on my Yukon. It is a pain to get to because of where it is. The procedure is simple. There is also a mesh screen that I would replace as well. At least the Yukon had one. I would assume the Vette does too since it is essentially the same motor.
#11
Race Director
Could be nothing more than the connection. When I had FAST installed years ago I found a loose connection giving correct pressure one minute then xxx the next.
#13
Race Director
Standing at the drivers side look directly behind the intake at the firewall. Connector has 3 white wires. Takes 2 people, one to watch the gauge and the other to move the wires with anything you can reach them with. Could be more than just the connection but it’s the easiest and cheapest way to start. Hard to reach but it can be done.
The following 2 users liked this post by saplumr:
corvette312 (06-14-2018),
Mad*Max (06-11-2018)
#14
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Hopefully the sender and not the cluster gauge.
Easy and cheap ($20). Should be behind the intake plenum near the firewall.
Removal Procedure
-Remove the left engine sight cover.
-Clean area around the oil sensor/switch before removing it.
-Remove the vacuum hose for the power brake booster.
-Disconnect the electrical connector for the oil pressure sensor/switch.
-Using the J 41712 (1) , remove the oil pressure sensor/switch.
Easy and cheap ($20). Should be behind the intake plenum near the firewall.
Removal Procedure
-Remove the left engine sight cover.
-Clean area around the oil sensor/switch before removing it.
-Remove the vacuum hose for the power brake booster.
-Disconnect the electrical connector for the oil pressure sensor/switch.
-Using the J 41712 (1) , remove the oil pressure sensor/switch.
#15
Advanced
Looking back, there are some should'a / would'a moments....
#16
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
When starting the car, the gauge read zero for a short while... maybe 12-15 seconds, then appeared to read normal. While heading to work, the gauge started to fluctuate, wasn't zero and wasn't normal (this was over a year ago now, so the details have faded). So i monitored the oil temp on the DIC, it was fine. However, by the time i got to work, i could hear the motor rattling. I couldn't hear this during the drive, because the exhaust overcame the motor. My commute to work is 65 miles on way, so there was plenty of time for failure.
Looking back, there are some should'a / would'a moments....
Looking back, there are some should'a / would'a moments....
#17
Drifting
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Schererville Indiana
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
Sensor failure was/is a common problem on C5's and there are a lot of threads related to it in the C5 section. There are write-ups on how to replace it the easy way and the hard way. There was also a lot of repeat failures not long after the sensor was replaced. It seemed to be a problem with cheap replacement parts and improper tightening. Another option is to move the sensor to the front of the engine and I think there were even aftermarket wiring extenders. If you are not sure it's a sensor problem you could probably install a gauge at the front of the engine to see what's actually going on with the oil pressure.
#18
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Sensor failure was/is a common problem on C5's and there are a lot of threads related to it in the C5 section. There are write-ups on how to replace it the easy way and the hard way. There was also a lot of repeat failures not long after the sensor was replaced. It seemed to be a problem with cheap replacement parts and improper tightening. Another option is to move the sensor to the front of the engine and I think there were even aftermarket wiring extenders. If you are not sure it's a sensor problem you could probably install a gauge at the front of the engine to see what's actually going on with the oil pressure.
#19
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 15,945
Received 1,500 Likes
on
817 Posts
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Standing at the drivers side look directly behind the intake at the firewall. Connector has 3 white wires. Takes 2 people, one to watch the gauge and the other to move the wires with anything you can reach them with. Could be more than just the connection but it’s the easiest and cheapest way to start. Hard to reach but it can be done.
#20
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
Posts: 21,631
Received 1,136 Likes
on
882 Posts
I would definitely put another gauge on, if only temporarily. I have no clue about modern engines, but the old ones had a 1/8" pipe threaded hole where a sending unit or a mechanical sensor would go. From what they guy above said, apparently there is another hole somewhere on the front of the engine which (I assume) is just plugged with a 1/8 pipe plug.
The following users liked this post:
Mad*Max (06-14-2018)