On my recently acquired '92, there is a small oil leak. I cleaned off the engine and took it for a drive. It appears that the leak is coming from the pressure sending unit under the rubber cover. The underside of the spool valve was dry as well as the area where the sending unit screws in. Could there be a leak somewhere in the unit itself like where the wire comes out the top. It is very hard to see down there and the rubber boot covers it.
Oil pressure sending unit leak?
- Thread starter Doug
- Start date
Doug
Anything is possible, an inspection mirror and a flashlight might help you get a better look. Remove it, if it has been leaking for a while it will be easy to tell. My 91 has a leak in that area also and I have replaced the spool valve gaskets and the head cover gaskets. I was worried that I would have to do the cam plugs to fix the remaining leak but I will check my oil pressure sending unit a little closer now.
Anything is possible, an inspection mirror and a flashlight might help you get a better look. Remove it, if it has been leaking for a while it will be easy to tell. My 91 has a leak in that area also and I have replaced the spool valve gaskets and the head cover gaskets. I was worried that I would have to do the cam plugs to fix the remaining leak but I will check my oil pressure sending unit a little closer now.
I wouldn't be surprised, I have replaced a lot of oil sending units on all sorts of cars, they all leak at some point in time. It is not an expensive part, I would replace it. Tman
I have a slight leak from that area as well, and too suspect the sending unit.
Tman said:
Last time i checked overhere, it was about USD 370
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DutchBlackNsx said:
That does not surprise me, everything I have bought for my X has been more expensive then I expected. I can buy a lot of oil for $370
Pulled it out yesterday, cleaned it up and re-installed. It is definitely the source of the leak. It comes from the top of the "bell" under the rubber boot where the wire attaches. I will check on pricing today and if it is really expensive, I will probably just put some JB weld or something around the area that leaks. There is nothing that it could harm and would be worth it if the price of the part is anything over $75.
After the clean up, I noticed that the guage inside the car works much better. Before, the needle showing pressure moved very slow and usually within the 3-6 bar only. Now it will bounce from 1-6 bar with a blip of the throttle.
Removal is pretty easy:
3- 10mm bolts hold coolant tank in place(pull it toward the rear of the car.
1 10mm bolt secures a wiring clip that it helps to move a few inches.
22mm open end wrench to unscrew the sender
A tricky clip that connects the electrical part of the sender must be figured out.
When you remove the sender, about 2 ounces of oil will leak out of the sender and the attachment point.
After the clean up, I noticed that the guage inside the car works much better. Before, the needle showing pressure moved very slow and usually within the 3-6 bar only. Now it will bounce from 1-6 bar with a blip of the throttle.
Removal is pretty easy:
3- 10mm bolts hold coolant tank in place(pull it toward the rear of the car.
1 10mm bolt secures a wiring clip that it helps to move a few inches.
22mm open end wrench to unscrew the sender
A tricky clip that connects the electrical part of the sender must be figured out.
When you remove the sender, about 2 ounces of oil will leak out of the sender and the attachment point.
Jbweld sounds like a good idea but the sender needs a vent to the atmosphere to work properly. If you fill the vent it will stop working or give improper readings.
At the top of the pressure sender under the boot there is a circular piece of plastic with the vent and the wire attachment. I am hoping that the leak is from the outside of the plastic where it meets the metal "bell". The vent is still open in the top. If it doesn't work, I suppose the leak is from the inside of the sensor and coming out the vent hole. In that case, I will have to pay the $250+ for a new sensor. My local dealer quoted me retail $279.
FYI,
for anyone with the same leak, it appears as if the JB weld did the trick. On my '92, the leak definitely came from the oil pressure sender located under the spool valve on the forward bank. Removal isn't that bad and you can JB weld around the plastic insert(about the size of a half dollar)under the rubber boot and not disrupt the vent or electric solders. Saves $279 retail for a new one. By the way, the car has 103k miles in case the problem is a "wear" item.
for anyone with the same leak, it appears as if the JB weld did the trick. On my '92, the leak definitely came from the oil pressure sender located under the spool valve on the forward bank. Removal isn't that bad and you can JB weld around the plastic insert(about the size of a half dollar)under the rubber boot and not disrupt the vent or electric solders. Saves $279 retail for a new one. By the way, the car has 103k miles in case the problem is a "wear" item.
Does one require very small hands and tools for this? I moved aside the coolant tank and wondered how I'll ever get a wrench on the sender, much less turn it. Even if I can turn it, it won't be much at a time :-(
You remove the 2 bolts that holds the little manifold it screws into. Also remove the coolant tank and the air box. Its still not easy but it's doable.
Thanks Brian, I found that by following Doug's instructions along with removing the air box as you suggested, I could get at the sender more easily. I didn't remove the manifold, though. It would have been easier to install the new part if I had, I think.
