Oil pressure sender

[JD1964]

I’m want to replace a suspected wonky oil pressure sender. The stock one I’m removing is a larger metal canister type. The standard motor products replacement part available at Rock Auto looks different. The case looks smaller and is plastic.

Is this replacement part the correct one even though it looks different? Here’s my stock one and the pic of replacement under it.

 

[96pushrod]

For the canister looking one, look up a 87 mustang on rockauto

 

[Potomus Pete]

Canister is a dummy light I believe

 

[96pushrod]

Canister is a dummy light I believe

I actually think the canister is the gauge and the smaller one is the dummy light.

 

[Potomus Pete]

Yes smaller is the dummy with the threaded end

 

[JD1964]

So are these online parts catalogs are wrong? Because they didn’t list the gauge type sender (canister type) for 90-93 years. They only list it for 87-89. I definitely have the factory gauge and canister type on my 92. That car was 100% stock when I bought it.

 

[General karthief]

I think all mustangs from at least 79 through 93 and probably beyond all had gauges. And they all had the same bulb type sender,
look up Standard Motor Products #PS60 in the rockauto search box

 

[Shakerhood]

The smaller black one is what works on my car, think it changed from the large canister to the smaller one around 1990 or 1991.

 

[Noobz347]

Take your old one to any parts store. The same one is used over many different car (and boat for that matter) OEMs.

The large one is a sender and the small one is a switch. Do not overlook the possibility of units that [look] strange. I have come across small units that I thought were switches that ended up being senders on Mercruiser engines. We have boxes of these things lying around. Some senders can 'masquerade' as switches. It depends on who made it and when.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

With parts updates, consolidation, different suppliers etc., there should be an easy way to test if it is a switch for the idiot light or a gauge sender. And to do it without plugging it in and making it non-returnable. An ohm meter should read Zero ohms.
The gauge sender has a variable resistance with pressure.
Does anyone know the range for the sender?
If the figure is zero ohms at atmospheric pressure, that’s not helpful. But 15 psi of air from your compressor’s blow gun tip should set the switch to infinite ohms, and the sender to some resistance.

 

[Mustang5L5]

The sender changed in 1990, but they are interchangeable.

The pre-90 larger one actually somewhat reads pressure and gives the stock oil pressure guage something of a sweep.

The 90+ version is really more of a switch and will keep the guage pretty much in the center unless your pressure is waaaay off.

Like said, they are interchangeable, but I prefer the older version

 

[Gs1987GT]

The sender changed in 1990, but they are interchangeable.

The pre-90 larger one actually somewhat reads pressure and gives the stock oil pressure guage something of a sweep.

The 90+ version is really more of a switch and will keep the guage pretty much in the center unless your pressure is waaaay off.

Like said, they are interchangeable, but I prefer the older version

This is spot on accurate. My 87 with a gauge has the larger type and it does change with pressure and drops some when the car gets warm so I know its doing what its supposed to do.

 

[JD1964]

To follow up, my oil pressure gauge had been dropping low enough to concern me. I ordered a replacement Motorcraft canister type with the same patent number as the one that was on my car. Before putting the new one on I hooked a mechanical gauge up and verified good pressure. With engine hot it was 60psi anything above 3500 rpm and never less than 40psi at idle. I put the new canister on and it maintains the center gauge position with a small amount of fluctuation up or down. I'm happy it was just the sender.

 

[Mindseye007]

I’m want to replace a suspected wonky oil pressure sender. The stock one I’m removing is a larger metal canister type. The standard motor products replacement part available at Rock Auto looks different. The case looks smaller and is plastic.

Is this replacement part the correct one even though it looks different? Here’s my stock one and the pic of replacement under it.

Weird my 1991 LX mustang 5.0 has that big canister one aswell I ordered a new one from lmr that was for my 1991 and they sent me that thin black one which should be the one that is to be installed not sure why mine has the canister. I was actually going to post this as well interesting which one do I install?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Install whichever one you want. The differences between the two are listed above.

 

[Mindseye007]

Install whichever one you want. The differences between the two are listed above.

Thanks for your quick reply going to install the small black one soon.