dwright35

Was told today that I need a oil pressure sensor. Is the part expensive and what exactly does it do? Mechanics explanation left me more confused.

Skirmich

The oil pressure sensor is essential to know the health of your engine and for VTEC to actually work.

What it does is "sense" the current oil pressure in your engine. If you don't know oil pressure cant be either too low or too high when the engine is running, the only way to know the status of your current oil pressure is with the oil pressure sensor.

Its imperative that your oil pressure sensor works. Your dashboard has a little oil light that will turn on if the oil is either too high or too low in pressure.. In those 2 scenarios your engine can and it will seize/blow up.




The pressure sensor isn't that expensive it roams in about 3 to 8 bucks aftermarket and 20 bucks for OEM.

01tl4tl

ck our diy section for more help- part is cheap- guessing the red light on dash is not working or is on all the time?

Is it leaking and that's the reason for replacement?

skirm: don't we have a regular oil pressure sensor
then a second one just for vtec operation?

Skirmich

Manual only shows 1 oil pressure sensor.. VTEC doesn't have a sensor just a Solenoid to engage it.

TLer trash

Skirmich, you might be having a hard time finding the vtec oil sender because honda calls it a "Switch assy., valve timing oilpressure". It's located on the oil filter housing, right under the vtec solenoid. For what it's worth, they call the oil filter housing a "valve assy., spool".
Dwright, it's fairly common for an oil sender to leak, but don't be surprised if you still have leakage after changing it. The oil sender is the cheapest and easiest fix in an area with about 5 potential leak sources within a few inches of each other. Do the easiest one(s) first.
I just happen to be doing the the last one on my daughter's tl today. It's a $4 seal between the oil pump housing and the block. It requires removal of the timing belt, as well as removing the oil pan, and oil pump.

Skirmich

I'm looking at the Manual and there isn't another sensor.
Care to show me where it is? I might be wrong..


The page from the manual is 222 and it only shows the Oil Pressure Sensor besides the VTEC Solenoid.

TLer trash

The only place in a shop manual (mitchell on demand) I was able to find anything is under diagnosing vtec solenoid, and that picture isn't great. The oil pump picture doesn't show the oil filter adapter, where the vtec stuff is. Someone else on here posted a link to an oe parts blow-up of the oil pump, from an online dealer, which shows everything a lot better. Unfortunately, I still haven't learned how to post links.

Skirmich

The OE Manual does show a pretty clear picture:



And there isn't a second Oil Sensor anywhere on the Diagnosing Page for VTEC Solenoid.

TLer trash

Your diagram is better than mine, but it doesn't show the vtec oil sensor. My bad, the diagram in diagnosing vtec shows both sensors, but not very well. The vtec sensor is the one that the pigtail they want you to test is draped over. Try this; go to acurapartswarehouse.com, enter your car info, scroll down to oil pump-oil strainer. #17 is the vtec oil pressure sensor, #16 is the oil pressure sender. As I explained earlier acura doesn't use this exact nomenclature.

Skirmich

Yup found it on acuraparts.
I just realize there isn't a single page in the OE Manual showing that sensor... Had to look in the car to actually see it, Weird.


Well every day is a school day.

TLer trash

It woulda been a lot easier if I knew how to post links,(really, it's on my to do list), and acura doesn't make it any easier with their arcane descriptions. I just finished my daughter's car, and it appears to still be leaking. Some threads came out with one of the oil filter adapter bolts, and I had to put in a slightly longer one, and I'm afraid to really tighten it. If it's what I think it is, EVERYTHING will have to come apart again, oil pump, oil pan etc. so I can put a thread insert in the block. Hopefully, I nicked the front seal, or something easier. I shoulda skipped school today!