Aeroforce Oil Pressure Sensor

[ChuckP]

I just took delivery on a new Aeroforce along with the oil pressure kit. I have not looked closely at my options for installing the pressure sensor but I assume I'll need a tee fitting. I also plan to install a 5V regulator in the fuse box under the hood to power the sensor. That will allow me to plug right into a vacant fuse socket and not have to splice into any existing wires which I would really like to avoid.

If anyone has installed an oil pressure gauge I'd be interested to hear about it. Thanks.

 

[908ssp]

If there is not a plug there now there is most likely a spot on the oil filter adapter. I haven't seen the one from the boss but the older cars had a flat spot that wasn't drilled that went into the oil passage for the oil filter. You will have to remove the adapter to drill and tap it.

 

[ChuckP]

My thought is there is already a pressure switch for the idiot light. I think I should be able to use a tee to install both the original switch and the sensor for the Aeroforce. I'll dig into it when I get back from Utah. Just arrived to do the Track Attack!

 

[steveespo]

Chuck
I did an Autometer oil pressure gauge on my car. Here is what I did:
1) Remove oil filter.
2) Remove oil cooler, I drained coolant because I also did Water Temp gauge but for you I think you can just remove the cooler from the block and position aside.
3) Remove connector from stock oil pressure switch. (you do need to reinstall as this signal prevents car from going into limp mode or shutting down)
4) Remove stock switch from port.
5) Install in this order 1/4" NPT close nipple on a 1/4" tee (use teflon paste not tape to seal threads); on end of tee install 1/4" street el (this fitting has male threads on the end and a female port at 90 degrees). Install nipple into block port with the tee port straight up and then install stock switch vertically plug in stock connector. Thread street el into end and tighten so it is clocked at 2 oclock relative to the stock switch. (towards the back of the car)
6) Install 1/4" to 1/8" bushing in street el and install your aeroforce sensor. plug in connector. Due to the proximity to the headers I covered my wire harnesses with split tubing and for the 6" from the sensors wrapped the tubing and connectors with foil tape to reflect the heat in the area. You will see that Ford did the same with alot of the wiring and hoses in the engine bay.
7) Reinstall oil cooler to block, (make sure gasket is positioned correctly and has a coat of oil) you need a lon 9/16" hex driver to screw in the oil filter spud that holds the cooler on, be careful threading this in as it is steel and the block threads are aluminum, don't want to cross thread.
8) Fill a new filter with oil and reinstall.
9)Start car and check for leaks and gauge function, it should all be good ;D
10) Check oil level, probably have to put another 1/2 quart in.

Any questions just ask and good luck, car runs at 85 to 100 psi cold start, when warm 29 psi at idle, 55 psi at 2000 rpm and 85 psi from 4500-7500 rpm.

Steve

 

[Boss1309]

If you don't mind Steveespro where did you hook up the water temp sender.

 

[steveespo]

Back behind the oil filter adapter on the block is a core plug that has a 9/16" hex. This is the location Ford uses for the block heater in Canada and northern US. Thread is 3/4" npt. I bought a 3/4" x 1/2" bushing and then used the 1/2" to 1/8" that came from auto meter. It is not easy to get to and a lot of coolant comes out that you can't really catch so be prepared. Car runs at 184 degrees during all street driving, haven't been to the track yet, going on 10/29.
Steve

 

[Boss1309]

Hey Steveepro

how is the oil cooler secured to the block ?

 

[ChuckP]

Steveespo: Great info on the oil pressure sensor. Just got around to reading it since I put that project on the back burner until winter which is almost here now. Thanks!

 

[808Boss]

Chuck
I did an Autometer oil pressure gauge on my car. Here is what I did:
1) Remove oil filter.
2) Remove oil cooler, I drained coolant because I also did Water Temp gauge but for you I think you can just remove the cooler from the block and position aside.
3) Remove connector from stock oil pressure switch. (you do need to reinstall as this signal prevents car from going into limp mode or shutting down)
4) Remove stock switch from port.
5) Install in this order 1/4" NPT close nipple on a 1/4" tee (use teflon paste not tape to seal threads); on end of tee install 1/4" street el (this fitting has male threads on the end and a female port at 90 degrees). Install nipple into block port with the tee port straight up and then install stock switch vertically plug in stock connector. Thread street el into end and tighten so it is clocked at 2 oclock relative to the stock switch. (towards the back of the car)
6) Install 1/4" to 1/8" bushing in street el and install your aeroforce sensor. plug in connector. Due to the proximity to the headers I covered my wire harnesses with split tubing and for the 6" from the sensors wrapped the tubing and connectors with foil tape to reflect the heat in the area. You will see that Ford did the same with alot of the wiring and hoses in the engine bay.
7) Reinstall oil cooler to block, (make sure gasket is positioned correctly and has a coat of oil) you need a lon 9/16" hex driver to screw in the oil filter spud that holds the cooler on, be careful threading this in as it is steel and the block threads are aluminum, don't want to cross thread.
8) Fill a new filter with oil and reinstall.
9)Start car and check for leaks and gauge function, it should all be good ;D
10) Check oil level, probably have to put another 1/2 quart in.

Any questions just ask and good luck, car runs at 85 to 100 psi cold start, when warm 29 psi at idle, 55 psi at 2000 rpm and 85 psi from 4500-7500 rpm.

Steve

Steve,
Just ordered some aeroforce interceptor gauges and was interest in putting the oil pressure sensor in.. Do you have any pics of your install or where you got your parts for the tee fitting, 1/4 "npt nipple, street elbow? Want to make sure I understand you and am not going to mess anything up.. I also saw that aeroforce sells this 4 AN fitting with a 1/8" NPT port. http://www.aeroforcetech.com/products_sensors_oil.html
Would this work instead?

Is it necessary to remove the oil cooler? anything I should know in particular, ie am i going lose a lot of coolant and need to replace it?

Any help would be appreciated...

 

[steveespo]

Jeff
The brass fittings come from home depot, $4 for everything, when there get Teflon paste to seal the threads(don't use Teflon tape) and a roll of silver foil AC duct tape to wrap your gauge wires wher they pass hot engine parts, you can see where Ford does it and follow their lead.
The AN fitting they show is if you have AN hoses going to an aftermarket oil cooler Ford doesn't use these type of hoses, that's race car type stuff, that fitting would usually be used on a line from a fuel pump to a carb and the port would get a fuel pressure gauge.

Removing the air filter box and sound tube junk also will give some access from the top, learned this while doing my header install. Helps with tightening the fittings. As far as the oil cooler, just remove the filter and the mounting spud with the long 9/16" hex bit. This allows you to pull the cooler body away and down from the block. Don't disconnect the hoses and you won't drain the coolant, I did because I was installing a water temperature sender at the same time. Take you time and start all threads by hand to avoid cross threading the soft brass and aluminum.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.
Steve

 

[808Boss]

Thanks Steve!
If I have any other questions I'll let you know.. ;D
Jeff

 

[808Boss]

Jeff
The brass fittings come from home depot, $4 for everything, when there get Teflon paste to seal the threads(don't use Teflon tape) and a roll of silver foil AC duct tape to wrap your gauge wires wher they pass hot engine parts, you can see where Ford does it and follow their lead.
The AN fitting they show is if you have AN hoses going to an aftermarket oil cooler Ford doesn't use these type of hoses, that's race car type stuff, that fitting would usually be used on a line from a fuel pump to a carb and the port would get a fuel pressure gauge.

Removing the air filter box and sound tube junk also will give some access from the top, learned this while doing my header install. Helps with tightening the fittings. As far as the oil cooler, just remove the filter and the mounting spud with the long 9/16" hex bit. This allows you to pull the cooler body away and down from the block. Don't disconnect the hoses and you won't drain the coolant, I did because I was installing a water temperature sender at the same time. Take you time and start all threads by hand to avoid cross threading the soft brass and aluminum.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.
Steve

Steve,

Well my gauges and oil pressure sensor are on the way. I also ordered the 5v regulator and the add a circuit to hook up to the fuse box. Which fuse did you tap into by the way?

Thanks
Jeff

 

[steveespo]

Jeff
I used an add a tap ifuse with a 5 amp blade fuse to supply both power and lighting circuit for my gauges. Ran a red #14 wire under the dash and a black #14 with a ring terminal as a ground attached to a bare part of the dash. The circuit I tapped was I believe #39, switched power in the passenger kick panel fuse box. You can check in the online service manual on AFM site and print the schematic. I remember that I had to switch location because the cover would not go on unless the tap was in a certain part of the box. It's tough to see as you have to lay upside down but its worth it, I haven't cut one factory wire to install.
Steve

 

[808Boss]

Well i got my aeroforce gauges today... Just put the gauges in and hooked it up to the OBD2 port. Still need to put in the oil pressure sensor tomorrow. Thanks Steve for all the advice!

 

[808Boss]

Well put in the oil pressure sensor last weekend for my aeroforce gauges. I was able to change it out from the top by removing the air filter box, which freed up more room for me to remove the stock sensor. I thought i could hand tighten my new tee setup with the new sensor and stock sensor, but I had a leak, so had to redo it the next day and tighten everything up with an adjustable wrench, and some deep sockets attached to an extension..Much better that way without any leaks. Below are some pictures. Thanks to Steve for all the advice and instructions...

Here is a picture of the stock sensor. I disconnected the connector from the sensor. Then used a small adjustable wrench to take it off the stock sensor. (I drained my oil from the pan first since I was changing my oil anyway. if you don't change it, you'll loose a little bit of oil that you'll need to replace..)

Here is the tee setup. The stock sensor goes in the middle of the tee (1/4" npt). The 1/4 " NPT close nipple is on one end and the aeroforce oil pressure sensor (1/8" npt male) is on the opposite end attached to the elbow. You'll need some sort of reducer since the aerforce sensor is 1/8" npt. Put teflon paste on all the threads.

The final tee setup. Wrapped the stock sensor and wires with foil tape. Also wrapped the new sensor wire with foil tape too. Ran the wire through the firewall. took out the sound tube to get access.

Since the pressure sensor runs off of 5v power, got 5v regulator. Red wire goes to 12v supply. black to ground and green is the 5v supply to power the sensor.

Tapped into 12v supply using add-a circuit (I believe I used fuse# 45 wiper blades)

Final product.

 

[steveespo]

Nice job and pics. I am always too lazy to get the camera during my adventures.
Steve

 

[cloud9]

Great writeup. Thanks for posting!

 

[Boss_302]

Thanks! Just what I was looking for............

 

[BossFred]

Very imformative !
Thanks

 

[BossFred]

Well i got my aeroforce gauges today... Just put the gauges in and hooked it up to the OBD2 port. Still need to put in the oil pressure sensor tomorrow. Thanks Steve for all the advice!

Who's gauge pod did you use for your A-pillar ?
It looks good.
Thanks