Oil strainer and oil pressure relationship?

I have just installed oil temp sensor into sump plate (1600 tp). I had to remove the oil strainer as it fouled on the sensor. As there is an external oil filter on the bus I decided this was probably not needed anymore? After fitting and refilling with oil I started up and the oil pressure light stayed on. I turned it of straight away. Does this mean that the strainer is required on the pick up tube for it to work or is it possible I need to prime the pump as I drained the oil while the it was warm.

 

Not sure with the 1600 mines a 2 litre but I wouldn't remove anything that was designed to be there. The strainer can collect all sorts of grunge from the engine, having said that every time I change the oil, the strainer is as clean as a whistle.

 

If you drained and gone refilled the oil it will take a little longer for the oil light to go out the first time you run it then it should be as normal

 

Is the sensor blocking the hole in the oil pickup? Only thing I can think of.

 

I suspect the strainer design is part of the oil pick-up.
I didn't fit mine here for the same reason, I put it in the pipe leaving the engine to get near as damn it sump temperature. Also it's not in the way of the jack taking the engine out/won't catch on anything.

Yes it's got an earth on it now.

 

The sensor should not be blocking the oil pickup tube, at least it didn't on mine. I actually screwed the sensor in anyway and put a small dish in the strainer and did a few test drives and oil pressure was fine - I'd fitted a combined press/temp gauge. I still didn't want to leave it like that though. I found that I did not get accurate readings in the sump plate. odd things happen like the temperature going up at idle when they'd been low on a fast run on the motorway. Its to do with the airflow. Theres another recent thread on here called Oil Temperature have a look on there about possible locations, I'll probably get a dipstick sender to save all the faffing as I dont have an external oil filter

 

Sounds like I should refit the stainer then. Zed, did you machine the fitting used to mount sensor or buy it?

 

Years ago, I had the threaded sump plug hole drilled out slightly oversize, then a nut with appropriate thread welded underneath. This stopped the sender fouling the strainer by lowering it by about 7mm.

 

I don't understand why you earthed a totally isolated piece of brass? Surely it can never become live and in has rubber tubes either side of it isolating it from everything else?

 

The sender on it needs an earth in order to work. When the sender is mounted in the sump, it earths through the crankcase. I had the same issue and also had to earth the sender:

 

zed where did you get the tee piece for the sensor as well?
Can't seem to find one, I was going to fit my sender in the sump but can see by the filter as a better location.

 

I seeeeeeee!

 

I went to my local hydraulic hose supplier and we cobbled it together with bits and bobs. The thread wasn't quite right but we took a view and graunched the sender in.

 

I got mine made up by a supplier of power steering pipes. He made both of the full flow pipes with proper crimped ends with the proper threads for screwing into the block. NEVER EVER use those useless EMPI barbed end connectors for full flow oil - I did and it sprung a leak and dumped the oil on the road. That's when I got the proper pipes made up.

 

The "earth" isn't really an earth. It's just the -ve connection to the sender.

 

The sender is like a resistor that changes how many ohms it is according to the temperature, one end goes to the gauge and the other is grounded. the gauge applies a voltage to it and measures the current to display temperature, if its not grounded theres no current.

 

Refitted the strainer tonight and still have the oil pressure light on. What is the best way to check if the oil is pumping round? I was thinking of pulling of the return pipe from the filter and turning it over, but how would i know if it was a good flow or not? I have pulled out the pressure sensor and tested with a meter and it does change state. Can't image that this is not just something simple but no idea what. Any ideas would a help.

 

Unplug the wire from the sender and turn on the ignition. If it still lights, you have a wiring fault (it's earthing somewhere between the light and the pressure switch, perhaps behind the dash if you've been installing your oil temp guage...

 

Checked that already and it does go out when disconnected from sensor.