Oil Pressure Sender change - success!

Dear all Been suffering random failures of the oil pressure sender for a few months now, tried cleaning the connections but no improvement so I ordered a new one from Porsche and then read and read and read forum posts on the best way to do it. Pretty much all posts I read suggested it was much easier to go in from the bottom but as I don't have ramps, I went in from the top and it took 10 minutes from start to finish (including getting tools out and putting them away!). I know this isn't a complicated job but I just wanted to share in case others are looking to do this and thinking bottom is the best way to go! I used a crow foot spanner, short extension and ratchet and found access tight but no scraped knuckles etc - more than enough room to do the job. For interests sake, with the old sender, the car always read just under 1/2 a bar with ignition on, the new one reads zero. Still to give the car a good run out to see if there is a different reading when fully up to temperature. hope the pics are self explanatory!

Spot on .. there's nothing i can add other than i recently bought myself a 19mm open end crows foot spanner to make my life easier .. i would suggest a rather long bar / ratchet to actually crack it undone though . Top job :thumb:

I've had a new one sat on the shelf for aaaggesssss and I really must get on with it! What size crow's foot spanner is that.. Actually, I'm being lazy, I should go and just look at mine... 19mm :thumb:

Also make sure the crows foot spanner is narrow as it needs to fit between the sender housing and the engine where it mounts. The one I bought was slightly too wide so I had to grind it down for it to fit.

thanks for info. Just to add, my gauge used to hover just over 1 bar when fully hot and 110 Celsius oil temp, when idling, now spends most of its time at 5 bar and only down to 3 bar hot idle.. It was never sat at 5 bar when fully hot & changing revs when driving, so these symptoms suggest faulty sender in my eyes. will change and report back for others who may have similar symptoms. Beers!

Many thanks, mine needs doing too, I just need to work out where it goes and what your photo shows!

Its located towards the rear of the engine and o/s/r ( right hand of the car ) . usual check to see if its faulty is turn the ignition on .. if it goes above 0 then its faulty .

Bloody hell this is something I need to do too. I had my theories but now deMort suggests turning the ignition on and if it rises above 0, its faulty...that means mine is.. Can I find it though! Nope. Cannot see anything that looks like these pictures on the right banks of the engine. Is it any different on a 996 C4S?

It is a bit tucked away to be honest and far easier to see from underneath . O/s/r .. see where the main round wiring plugs are .. about 3 inches back from there and use your hand to feel for the sensor .. you should just about be able to see the wiring loom going to it .

deMort, thank you as usual. I have managed to spot it...just. My C4S has the PSE so has a bit more in the way, what I believe to be the valve and the vacuum cylinder, which might make it a little more difficult! I plan to disconnect the PSE valve assembly and then try for access.. Here is a picture of my view of it!

Thanks Ian (&Harvester), the pics show just what I need. I'll get the part ordered now. Mike

A couple of questions: 1. How does the new sender thread seal, does it come with a sealer on it, does it seal as a taper thread or do people use PTFE or a sealant? 2. If using an offset (cows foot) this will affect the torque setting, how do people allow for this (or do you ignore and just use the recommended torque setting?) thanks Mike

New sender should have an ally seal on it .. this is the part that seals it , no ptfe is needed ... An extension or a crows foot won't affect torque setting .. i dont torque them up though ... tight is tight .

Excellent, many thanks Mike

I certainly couldn't have replaced this from the top on mine,maybe there is some extra pipe and reservoirs with the valved exhaust system? It is relatively easy from below with the crows foot but then even getting the replaced was difficult enough from above !!