Author Topic: Oil Pressure sending unit (Read 4649 times)

bbarnumboy · « **on:** January 03, 2009, 02:16:56 PM »

hi guys i am planning to put a oil pressure gauge on my e36 m42 where is the best location to attatch the sending unit to the block?

derek9702 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2009, 11:45:40 AM »

You could get a "T" fitting and place it at the stock location. That way you could run the gauge and the stock sensor

bbarnumboy · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2009, 12:27:17 PM »

where is this located at? i am not all that familiar with the extra spots and sensor locations of the m42 yet, but i am getting there. i wanna measure the oil pressure since i have the DASC now

peerless · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2009, 10:34:07 PM »

The oil sender is located in the oil filter housing facing toward the rear of the engine.

DO NOT use brass fittings to adapt the sending unit. You will need a 12mmx1.5 to 1/8" adapter fitting, steel preferred. About $8-10 from most hydraulic suppliers. And get a remote stainless AN line to remote mount the sender away from the engine block. You can get this from most racing supply houses such as summit racing. About $25

I have had 2 brass fittings fail, one on a brand new M42 I had built for a customer. Luckily he was in a parking lot when it happened and I had to drive out to him to repair. The M42 is a very vibration prone engine, even if the fitting doesn't break it can damage the sending unit. I had another M42 I built and installed a oil pressure gauge, sending unit failed within only a few miles from vibration on the sending unit. Probably a quality issue with the sending unit, but I for now on just remote mount all oil pressure sending units. Not worth a failure.

Here are some pics of my M20 setup as a example. I used a rubber lined steel clamp to mount it to the firewall.

bbarnumboy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:52:14 AM »

thank you very much. now wait a second . there is already some sort of sending unit on the engine?

i do not see another unit u used on your setup. please explain.

or is this just a port that has a bolt in it?

peerless · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2009, 01:12:56 AM »

The original sending unit went to the shit can. Its worthless.

It lights up at a whopping 2.5psi. So when you see the light come on the dash, you can be assured your engine is toast anyways.

Take the fact that at 65mph the light came on my friends 318is, before he could say 'oh shit' the rod went out the side of the block.

So ya, you simply ditch the original sending unit, thats the whole entire point of a oil pressure gauge anyways.

I have never understood why people want to keep the idiot light AND have a oil pressure gauge.

bbarnumboy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2009, 07:24:12 PM »

perfect thanks, i didn't even know it had a light lol. sounds like a big POS. kinda reminds me of my old camaro it had no coolant temp gauge or anything, just a light that comes on just about the time that the head if probably warped:D

thanks for all the help in this i will be doing this the upcoming weekend, and will let you know of my success. thanks

bbarnumboy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2009, 02:45:36 AM »

do you think a braided fuel line would take the oil temps just as well?

Nomadic · « **Reply #8 on:** January 06, 2009, 04:13:10 AM »

VDO makes some remote senders that have two connectors. One for the gauge and one for a warning light/alarm at 8psi. I'm sure others have this feature as well.

bbarnumboy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 06, 2009, 06:08:10 AM »

yeah i saw those on leatherz.com but figured it was not what i needed, so i just got a single one....like he said above the light is pointless, and the gauge will let me know everything that is going on exactly.

bbarnumboy · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:22:52 AM »

whats with the spam?

Nomadic · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:56:27 AM »

The oil light could be useful at a 8psi threshold (not the stock 2.5 psi).

Your eyes will notice a light coming on but can totally miss a gauge needle dropping, especially if you are driving fast in traffic. That's why racers use a shift light AND a tach, because they can't afford to look at the tach all the time.