Oil Pressure Sending Unit

knightrider2000 · November 14, 2001

Does anyone know where the oil pressure sending unit on a 99 5.3L is? i am installing an oil temp gauge, and was going to put the sending unit with the oil pressure sending unit.. but i cant find it. or is there any other good place to put the temp gauge sender. Thanks

Matt G.

MountaineerTom · November 14, 2001

It should be on top, behind the intake near te firewall, closer to the drivers side. Should be sticking straight up.

This is according to the picture in a Haynes manual.

knightrider2000 · November 14, 2001

is there anyway you could scan a that picture and email it to me at:

[email protected]

?

do i need to remove my intake, or the plastic cover to get to it?

Thanks for your help!!!!

Matt

Victory Red · November 14, 2001

If it is where it is on all the other small block Chevys I've ever seen (right next to the base of the distributor), you will play heck trying to get at it to do what you want to do. I assume you are planning on installing a tee fitting to get both senders to read from one hole? If so, then you are going to have a difficult time getting tools in there to tighten everything up. There probably is not enough clearance to screw in a pre-assembled tee and senders assembly, so you will have to put it in one fitting at a time, which means getting wrenches into tight places. If I were you, I would be looking for another place to tap in your temp. sender.

MountaineerTom · November 14, 2001

I e-mailed it to you Matt. I figure I'll post it here too, in case someone else needs to know.

Victory Red · November 14, 2001

Thanks for posting that picture Tom. That's where I thought it was. But I forgot!.. there IS no distributor anymore!

Guess I'm showing my age here, huh? LOL!

MountaineerTom · November 14, 2001

LOL.

Your welcome Victory Red.

I know waht you mean about it being a pain on the older trucks. I had to replace it on my '91 once. Had to take the distributor out just to be able to get a wrench on it and be able to turn it more than about 1/8 of an inch.

knightrider2000 · November 14, 2001

OK Great Thanks Guys!! do yall know of any other good places to install the sender.. and yeah i was planning on using a tee fitting, do yall think that will effect the oil pressure gauge reading?

Thanks

Matt

knightrider2000 · November 14, 2001

I just had an idea.

what about tee-ing into the low oil level warning sensor.. that is in the upper part of the oil pan.. do you think i could get a pretty accurate reading there?

Matt

Victory Red · November 14, 2001

Installing both senders on the same tee fitting shouldn't affect your pressure reading at all.

As for mounting it by the oil pan, I would think you would want a temp reading from the upper part of the block instead. THAT is where the oil is the hottest.

Looking at the photo Tom posted, it looks like there is more room than I thought. Even though this photo shows the block out of the truck and no trans installed, it still might be possible to do the tee fitting thing in this location. See how much "stuff" is in the way first. You might be able to fabricate some fittings together and come up with something that will fit, and not be in the way of the other stuff. There's all sorts of neat little brass fittings at most auto parts stores. Figure out what you need. If you have room to go UP, thread in a short nipple, and screw the tee to that, then install the senders on either end of the tee. They even have 45 degree fittings, etc... It might be "trial & error", but you can do it. And if you have a few left over fittings.... big deal. They're cheap, and you will use them for something else someday.

Vic