My New Oil Pressure Sensor

[ew1usnr]

While driving home from work last Friday my oil pressure light flickered and came on for a second and then went off. It stayed off for the rest of the trip home. I checked the oil and it was at the top mark on the dip stick. A new oil pump was supposed to have been installed when the engine was rebuilt 22,000 miles ago. If the oil pump went bad, it seems like it would just stop working, not stop working for a moment and then start working again. I guessed that the oil pressure sensor was faulty. I tried to take the old one out but my sockets would not fit it. It seemed that maybe the pressure sensor needed a special sized socket and that turned out to be the case.

I bought a Made in Mexico NAPA ProFormer Mileage Plus Electrical oil pressure switch, part number MPE OP6281SB, for $7.47. "Fits Ford Falcon 1960 - 1966. Specifications: 3.0 - 8.3 PSI, 1 5/8” Long, 1/4-18 NPTF Dryseal Thread; W/Light. Mileage Plus value priced products meet Original Equipment quality and performance. They are designed to be a cost effective replacement part for the vehicle."

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I also bought a Made in USA NAPA Service Tools Professional 1500 Series Oil Pressure Switch Socket for vehicles with warning lights, part number SER 2569, for another $7.47. "Removes oil pressure sending unit on most engines. Socket has 1" & 11/16" hex opening plus recess to accommodate switch. Socket also fits some brake-light switches. Turn with a 15/16" wrench or 3/8" square drive tool. 3" length."

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I installed the new sensor this evening after dinner. The old sensor did not appear to have had Teflon tape on it so I just screwed the new sensor into the block without sealer or tape. The oil light lit when the key was turned on and went out after the car started like it is supposed to do. My wife and I took the car on an eleven mile a test drive and the light stayed off with no flickering. I looked at the sensor when we got back and did not see that it had leaked oil.

It seems to be OK. :)

[Luva65wagon]

Dennis,

Gosh, I've installed a hundred of these without a special socket. Just used a wrench across 2 flats. But it's interesting they make a socket for this!

The switch is on(closed)/off(open). It's closed when there is no pressure connecting the wire to ground (light on), off when there is no oil pressure. Pretty simple actually, but they can't tell you what the pressure is - unless they offer a minimum spec that says the switch will close at 15 PSI or something. Not sure they offer that info, though it could be a fun test to conduct someday. As such they are know as idiot lights for a reason. If they are open at 5 PSI (saying all is well, when it really isn't), then you could be blissfully ignorant of impending doom. If they need 20 PSI to open, that would be reasonable. Now you got me curious!

Switches can become intermittent as they begin to fail, so the fact you saw it flicker as opposed to just failing and you calling a tow instead of risking your engine, is a godsend. Buy a lottery ticket.

[ew1usnr]

Good morning, Roger.


Gosh, I've installed a hundred of these without a special socket. Just used a wrench across 2 flats. But it's interesting they make a socket for this!

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In this particular instance the sensor was between the fuel pump and engine block. It looked like I would have to remove the fuel pump to get a wrench on it. The special socket did make it easy to remove the sensor. Oh, well.


The switch is on(closed)/off(open). It's closed when there is no pressure connecting the wire to ground (light on), off when there is no oil pressure. Pretty simple actually, but they can't tell you what the pressure is - unless they offer a minimum spec that says the switch will close at 15 PSI or something. Not sure they offer that info, though it could be a fun test to conduct someday.

Ford says that the 260 oil pressure = 35 – 55 psi.
The oil pressure sensor turns on at 3.0 - 8.3 psi.
(You have a problem if the oil pressure light comes on.)

The Falcon owner's manual says to check your oil level if the oil pressure light comes on. Ford thought that it was more likely that people would drive around with no oil than that their oil pumps would fail. :)

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