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stock oil pressure sender.

behemoth

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
1,736
All,
What is the resistance range of the stock oil pressure sending unit on the bronco? Also is there a smaller unit with the magic range that can be used instead of the stock unit?

I have a 96 explorer engine with a custom oil filter relocator and I am unable to use the stock one or the mustang extension/angle thing.

I forgot the stock explorer one on the engine and built around it, a yeah stupid but its done.

I also wish to use the stock gauge at this time as well.

Thanks

Bill
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
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Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,834
I was just thinking of asking nearly the same question but for a completely different use.
My question would have expanded a little to ask if anyone has a good reference sounce for pressure sending units (pressure vs. resistance). I was thinking of reworking the stock oil pressure gauge into an on board air pressure gauge but I want to expand the scale (make new markings).
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
Oil pressure senders should read 24-36 ohms of resistance at 8 psi or less and 8.0 to 17.5 ohms at 90 psi (gauged maxed out).
I've never seen a smaller sending unit that would work although I really havent looked. You may endup having to connect a sending unit to a hose.
 

Viperwolf1

Contributor
electron whisperer
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Aug 23, 2007
Messages
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The oil pressure sender has the same resistance range as the fuel sender and temp sender, 10 ohms at full scale and about 75 ohms at low scale. Mid scale is 23 ohms. The gauge itself has 10-14 ohms of resistance.

I was looking for a different value temp sender recently as I was thinking about making a master warning light circuit. One bright LED bulb that would light up if temp got too high or oil or fuel got too low. I didn't find anything that really fit what I needed.
 
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behemoth

behemoth

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in looking around for some other options there is one by picture that summit sells that looks smaller and should fit fine. Will see tomorrow if it is correct or not. I figure I will run a soft line to the sender and it should be out of the way if the summit one is not smaller.
 

DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
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Post up some pictures when you get it behemoth. Be curious to see not only the new unit, but also your setup and what you've got in the way.
We just did it with an explorer serp setup, but had no issue with the stock tube turned to angle slightly more forward to clear the bracket.
Just using a stock oil filter in this case however, so that wasn't an issue.

Good luck. If all else fails, the tube method might be a good option. I've done it on other engines in the past when a smaller (light type) sender was replaced with a larger (gauge type) sender.

Paul
 
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behemoth

behemoth

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Jul 2, 2003
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The engine is in my other bronco that has an addtional crossmember and rack and pinion steering. The engine came used with a po built oil filter relocator. I just chose to use it as the steeringlines and other stuff was in the way.

The issue is with lines off of the block, I will look at turning it more and moving the lines out of the way.

The smaller oil pressure sender if it is actually what the picture was should work fine.
 

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Broncobowsher

Total hack
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From the looks of it you might be able to get away with a 45° street elbow screwed into the block to reangle the sending unit. Ace hardware generally will carry them when the big boy home centers don't. Think of it as a stubby version of the long stock unit. probably will have to clock it a little to get the sending unit to fill in the spot.
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
From the looks of it you might be able to get away with a 45° street elbow screwed into the block to reangle the sending unit.
The hole in the block and the stock sending unit are both 1/4"NPT. I had the stock sending unit and an oil pressure safety switch mounted in that location. Use a 2" nipple to a tee, with the sending unit off the side of the tee, and a street elbow out of the end of the tee to mount the switch.

Just determine where the sending unit will fit, then what fittings you need to get it there! I'm getting ready to remount my sending unit, and instead of using the stock extension, I'm probalby going to use that same 2" nipple and a 45°!
 
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behemoth

behemoth

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According to the summit racing page the oil pressure sender smp-sp149 is for a ford bronco with a 289 and the 302, as well as some other newer cars. It is also much smaller than the stock one that I had on the engine originally. Its size is closer to the explorer one and this should work perfectly with no mods or addapters.
 

oleguy74

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Mar 26, 2008
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Loc.
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The hole in the block and the stock sending unit are both 1/4"NPT. I had the stock sending unit and an oil pressure safety switch mounted in that location. Use a 2" nipple to a tee, with the sending unit off the side of the tee, and a street elbow out of the end of the tee to mount the switch.

Just determine where the sending unit will fit, then what fittings you need to get it there! I'm getting ready to remount my sending unit, and instead of using the stock extension, I'm probalby going to use that same 2" nipple and a 45°!

thats what i have.might have a 3"nipple though.put in there in 79 when i broke the stock one putting 351 in.
 
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behemoth

behemoth

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Well the ps149 smaller sender from summit which in their application section says it is for the early bronco with a 289 and 302 appears to be a light sender. The gauge pegs as soon as the key is turned. So back to the smaller adapter fittings I guess.
 

Broncobowsher

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Well the ps149 smaller sender from summit which in their application section says it is for the early bronco with a 289 and 302 appears to be a light sender. The gauge pegs as soon as the key is turned. So back to the smaller adapter fittings I guess.

Must be using the same interchange books the parts stores use but forget to ask if it is a gauge or a light.
 

bmc69

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Just fyi....I run a lot of aftermarket fuel and oil pressure senders in various boats
I own and danged if they all (VDO, Stewart Warner, etc) aren't big ole 'cans' just like the stock Ford sender.
 
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behemoth

behemoth

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So in my quest for a working guage it has come to the fact that I have no oil pressure. Thankfully I have not run it more than a few seconds at a time.

I attempted to prime it and there was resistance from the pump, so I figured pressure and realized the initial sending unit issue.

I now have pulled the electric sender out and have a manual guage on it and no pressure with the drill.

Pulled the valve cover off and there is nothing getting to the heads.

Pulled the oil filter relocator which was modified and installed by the previous owner of the engine. For chuckles I turned the drill and oil went everywhere.
So the pump is pumping.

Now when the explorer oil filter mount is removed what if anything needs to be changed on the block? Is it as simple as screwing in the threaded tube to screw on the filter or is there more to it.
 

Viperwolf1

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Now when the explorer oil filter mount is removed what if anything needs to be changed on the block? Is it as simple as screwing in the threaded tube to screw on the filter or is there more to it.

Well that doesn't look like an explorer piece to me but yes. Glad you got it sorted out before bad things happened.
 
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behemoth

behemoth

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after removing the adapter this is what the block looks like. The adapter was not an explorer part it was a universal part that the po installed. I am just trying to verify that there is nothing missing or somthing that I should change.

I believe I may have found my issue, I had the oil lines connected center to center and side to side. A guess that the pressure valve in the filter was killing my pressure. I will relocate the lines tomorrow and see.
 

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Broncobowsher

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You are missing the nipple the oil filter screws onto!
Maybe it came out with the adapter.
 
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