Eliminate the oil level senser

[78F350]

I did a simple test with a cheap multimeter and some wires with alligator clips. I dipped the sensor in a bottle of oil that was filled to the depth that the sensor was immersed in the engine. My results were not precise, but did show a trend.

• A 'good' oil level showed around 15 mega Ohms resistance.
• High oil level got up to 19 mega Ohms
• With the sensor pulled out of the oil and wiped, it showed 8 - 10 mega Ohms

I may take the experiment a little further when I have time. I don't expect to find a 15 M Ohm resistor in my parts pile, but I may find some that I can put together in series to see what happens either connected to the sensor connector or directly to the cluster and ground.

If my readings and guesses are correct, you could solder three of these 4.7 M Ohms together in serial and connect it to pins 2 and 4 of the connector and get an acceptable oil level indication. (eBay) I could easily be wrong.

[obthomas]

Originally Posted by 78F350

I did a simple test with a cheap multimeter and some wires with alligator clips. I dipped the sensor in a bottle of oil that was filled to the depth that the sensor was immersed in the engine. My results were not precise, but did show a trend.

• A 'good' oil level showed around 15 mega Ohms resistance.
• High oil level got up to 19 mega Ohms
• With the sensor pulled out of the oil and wiped, it showed 8 - 10 mega Ohms

I may take the experiment a little further when I have time. I don't expect to find a 15 M Ohm resistor in my parts pile, but I may find some that I can put together in series to see what happens either connected to the sensor connector or directly to the cluster and ground.

If my readings and guesses are correct, you could solder three of these 4.7 M Ohms together in serial and connect it to pins 2 and 4 of the connector and get an acceptable oil level indication. (eBay) I could easily be wrong.

Outstanding it sounds like you could be right also. I have several more items to button up before I start the engine and I also have to make a trip this weekend so I won't be back to you for a while. gives me time to order the resistors. Thanks for the help.

[obthomas]

[QUOTE=78F350;648950]I did a simple test with a cheap multimeter and some wires with alligator clips. I dipped the sensor in a bottle of oil that was filled to the depth that the sensor was immersed in the engine. My results were not precise, but did show a trend.

• A 'good' oil level showed around 15 mega Ohms resistance.
• High oil level got up to 19 mega Ohms
• With the sensor pulled out of the oil and wiped, it showed 8 - 10 mega Ohms

I may take the experiment a little further when I have time. I don't expect to find a 15 M Ohm resistor in my parts pile, but I may find some that I can put together in series to see what happens either connected to the sensor connector or directly to the cluster and ground.

78F350

The resistance thing didn't work. I finally found the test for a good sender in the repair manual and it compares with your test except it says look for 15.4 K Ohms. I cobbled together both the 15 M Ohms and the 14.7 K Ohms and neither worked. Because it is 2 wire and also transmits oil temperature, I think it is more a transmitter.

At any rate I bought one that will arrive any day. May have to put it in a mason jar of oil in the trunk to keep the cluster quiet.

[obthomas]

I can close this thread out. I got my used oil level sensor and discovered it is actually two sensors in one. The oil level sensor operates as a resistor around 7 to 10 ohms. Until now we must have been experimenting and focused on the temperature sensor. The instrument cluster is fooled with a 7 to 10 ohm resistor.

[78F350]

That's awesome. I may have got my pins mixed up between the harness side and the sensor side. Glad you got it worked out.