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Function of Oil Pressure Sensor?

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Old Jun 9, 2015 | 10:14 AM
  #1  
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Default Function of Oil Pressure Sensor?

Hey folks,
I'm doing an LS1 swap into a '66 Mustang, with aftermarket instruments. I'd like to run the aftermarket oil pressure sensor to the original location, removing the stock sensor. Does the original sensor perform any function in the stock program? I assume it would set a CEL, which would be disabled in my tune. Also, it would provide a signal to the stock gauge. Does it have any controlling functions in the PCM? For instance, does it shut off the fuel pump if oil pressure goes low?

Thanks!
-Matt
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Old Jun 9, 2015 | 01:55 PM
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Nope it doesnt even connect to the pcm, just the factory gauge.
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Old Jun 9, 2015 | 03:47 PM
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That's correct.
Even newer cars/trucks that have the oil sensor connected to the PCM don't do anything with the oil pressure signal. You can unplug it no problem.

Are you using a digital cluster plus the stock gauge?
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Old Jun 10, 2015 | 06:38 AM
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Excellent. Thanks! In the interest of understanding, and not having to ask someone else every time I have a question like this, can either one of y'all provide a reference of some kind? I have the pinout for the PCM, but no information about the instrument cluster or BCM.

Originally Posted by MontecarloDrag
Are you using a digital cluster plus the stock gauge?
Not exactly. I'm using a set of analog electronic gauges from Speedhut (not the CANBUS set, just a regular set). Fitting the stock gauges in my dash didn't look even remotely right, so I didn't go that route. It's weird enough having a chevy drivetrain in a ford car!

Thanks again!
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Old Jun 10, 2015 | 01:44 PM
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I'd be happy to help, I have done a lot of swaps and I have all the wiring information up to 2013

If you are using analog gauges, it's relatively easy to hook them. The problem is you need to add sensors/senders for most of them since the stock sensors use a signal which is only for the stock computer.

Regards
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Old May 27, 2017 | 10:17 AM
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Bumping an old thread.

I know the PCM doesn't do anything with the info for the oil pressure, but is it still receiving a value or is the sensor purely a dummy sensor that only measures low/high oil pressure?

I want to run a scan gauge or ultra gauge, which reads info from the PCM through the OBD2 reader port, which is why I am asking.
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Old May 30, 2017 | 12:45 PM
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If you have a 3-wire sensor running to the computer, most common on 2003-current vehicles, then the PCM knows what the oil pressure is. Dakota Digital, and i'm sure others, don't have access to extract the data from a Red/Blue or Blue/Green PCM via the diagnostic port for their gauges. However, if using a tech 2 scan tool you can find the oil pressure readings on the older PCM's. I have no way of knowing whether aftermarket scan tools would get the data.
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Old May 31, 2017 | 12:10 PM
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I think they added the pressure sensor to the PCM to enhance diagnostic abilities with a scan tool. The newer the vehicle the more things you can check with a scan tool.

In older vehicles the sensor is hooked directly to the cluster and the PCM doesn't receive any signal so you can't scan the pressure. When there is no pressure displayed on the needle you don't know which is at fault, the sensor or the cluster. You need a new sensor to be sure (or have additional equipment to troubleshoot).

2003-up the sensor is wired directly to the PCM and it becomes a PID. The PCM sends the signal to the cluster using the class-2 bus.
When there is no pressure on the needle you can use a scan tool to check, if the scan tool can't see pressure then the sensor is at fault (or there is no actual pressure which is easy to check). If the scanner can read the pressure then the cluster is faulty.

In drag racing I find very useful to be able to include oil pressure in my datalogs. I have installed Ultra gauges but they can't be configured to read the correct PID the PCM uses for oil pressure. You can read it with Torque APP or hptuners, since it's not a SAE PID it has to be configured manually but the logger must have that ability.
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