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Leaking engine oil pressure sensor (with pics)

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Posting this in case it might help somebody else. After a track day on Saturday, I noticed that I had a belly pan full of oil, and I was down a quart. I figured it was probably a loose oil filter (even though I ALWAYS torque mine to spec), but I looked at the Sharpie marks I made when I tightened the oil filter, and it hadn't moved. Odd. Must be something else...

I cleaned up the oil and kept looking for where the leak was coming from. It wasn't until I actually started the car and then got back underneath that I realized the oil was coming from somewhere above the flat, round oil plug (see the first pic below). I traced the leak up to the engine oil pressure sensor... Bingo! The factory witness mark showed that the sensor has backed off a quarter turn, causing the leak. (See the second picture below.)

The good news is this should be a simple warranty item ( I just hit 2 years & 8,000 miles), and it will be easy to keep an eye on in the future, since you can see the sensor when you remove the driver's side front wheel. So, be sure to check your engine oil pressure sensor before your next time out on track.

Drip.jpgWitness.jpg
 
Yep
 
28
19
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Thanks for the info @THX 138 , I just ran into the same scenario. Getting scheduled to get it fixed now. Anything additional learned after the fix?
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Check your oil sensors...

Report of 3 loose leaking sensors at WSIR this weekend (one R and 2 350s). A fourth popped the engine...didn't hear the cause yet.

IMG_1597.jpg
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Kinda worse than YIKES for me. Confidence in the shakedown runs would be really low. Two of those were my friends' cars and one of them has had several track days on it already over the last couple of years. Not sure why it would shake loose now.
 

TymeSlayer

Tramps like us, Baby we were born to run...
3,787
2,740
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
Brighton, Colorado
You can use Loctite 567 High Temp Thread Sealant. It prevents leakage and loosening from shock and vibration.

(Nothing against Permatex but they are second Banana)
 

racer47

Still winning after 30+ years
392
497
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
SE WI

Good info, I didn't know that existed but I will use it now.


(Nothing against Permatex but they are second Banana)

I agree that Loctite used to be king, but since they now own Permatex, the products are likely to be more similar than different.

https://www.permatex.com/announcement/1972-2/
The Permatex Company has a New Owner

Posted on: January 19th, 2016
The Permatex Company was sold to Loctite Corporation. The business was moved to Cleveland, Ohio and integrated with the Woodhill Chemical Company. In the late 1970’s, Woodhill Permatex launched Permatex® Blue Silicone which went on to become the largest selling blister carded chemical item in the American auto parts business.
 
How well has it worked? Any concerns/issues after using it? Can you pick it up at any main auto parts store or have to order it online?
It seems to be working well but I haven't inspected it in a while and have only had one track day since the repair. I initially found the leak because I could smell oil when I got out of the car. The twisted wires were the only thing that prevented the sensor from screwing completely out and I found oil dripping off the back of the belly pan.

I could not find it in any of the local parts stores and ended up ordering it through Amazon.
 
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