Changing seal on oil pressure sender (light)

[Jonathan]

Quick question... if I am going to remove the oil pressure sender for the warning light (the one on the driver's side) in order to replace the seal, does this need to be done with the engine oil drained? i.e. do this job only when you are changing the oil? I assume so, but wasn't sure if the sender is above the cold engine level of oil or below it. Not trying to make a mess. I can do an oil change at the same time, just don't really need to right now is all.

[David T]

Quick question... if I am going to remove the oil pressure sender for the warning light (the one on the driver's side) in order to replace the seal, does this need to be done with the engine oil drained? i.e. do this job only when you are changing the oil? I assume so, but wasn't sure if the sender is above the cold engine level of oil or below it. Not trying to make a mess. I can do an oil change at the same time, just don't really need to right now is all.

You do not need to drain the oil BUT when you remove the switch a lot of oil will come out. Catch it in a pan and put it back into the motor. It is much easier to just replace the switch but the old one can be disassembled, resealed, and re-installed. It is a bit of work but doable. Use a lot of silicone sealer. The wire going to the switch gets baked and the insulation cracks off. It makes the warning light blink. Just slip a firesleeve over the wire or replace the wire with a piece that has insulation that can handle the high temperature.

[Jonathan]

You do not need to drain the oil BUT when you remove the switch a lot of oil will come out. Catch it in a pan and put it back into the motor. It is much easier to just replace the switch but the old one can be disassembled, resealed, and re-installed. It is a bit of work but doable. Use a lot of silicone sealer. The wire going to the switch gets baked and the insulation cracks off. It makes the warning light blink. Just slip a firesleeve over the wire or replace the wire with a piece that has insulation that can handle the high temperature.

Thanks, Dave. I was thinking the leak was coming from the sealing washer and that's what I was going to replace with new. Do these units tend to leak through that internal stem as well? You're right about them not being terribly expensive and if you're going to remove the unit anyway, you might as well just put a new one in along with the new sealing washer that comes with it.

[WHO1DMC]

Most oil senders will leak at the electrical construction before the washer/seal. It's the nature of the beast so to speak. Happens to all of them.

Luckily there not expensive. I have a extra on standby.



Dave B.

[Jonathan]

Most oil senders will leak at the electrical construction before the washer/seal. It's the nature of the beast so to speak. Happens to all of them.

Luckily there not expensive. I have a extra on standby.



Dave B.

Beauty. Thanks for the explanation. I'll go with replacing the whole unit and not just the sealing washer.

[David T]

Beauty. Thanks for the explanation. I'll go with replacing the whole unit and not just the sealing washer.

Upon seeing all the oil and the way it spreads around the pan many assume the pan gasket is leaking when it is only the oil light sender. Every one of these senders leak when they get old, the internal seals harden and then leak. It is a real pain to remove the oil pan, that gasket really works well. Replacement gaskets don't do as good a job so never remove the pan unless you have a really good reason to have to.