Oil pressure sensor ticking

mgroeger

mgroeger

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 24, 2018
Messages
807
Location
Hurricane, UT
Recently I noticed a ticking coming from my engine which I thought was a lifter. Upon investigation I realized it was coming from, what I believe to be, the oil pressure sensor. It's a small grey plug that sits up to the right of the oil filter. I noticed a little weeping of oil coming from it so I figured the o-ring must be going. I put my finger on it and felt the tapping. I'm guessing that's not normal because today at idle the check gauge light came on and my oil needle tanked and then bounced around a little and then went back to normal when I started driving again.
Is a new OPS in my future? Yes... the oil level is fine.

** EDIT: I just looked at what the oil pressure sensor looks like and it looks nothing like the grey round thing sticking from my engine. I need to figure out what it is, I may be talking about two different issues. The thing that was ticking sits next to the oil filter towards the front of the engine. The part that screws into the block is about as long as my pinky and the diameter of a quarter. Then a grey plastic block sits on top of that and has a wire coming out of it which plugs into a harness.

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The grey thing in your picture is for your timing, ask me how I know. I thought the same as you that that was my OPSU, nope its a timing sensor. There's a shaft with gears underneath the sensor that I pulled out. Set me back about 2 hours to get my timing reset. And very good chance your sending unit is bad. I bought a gauge at harbor freight for 30$ and my real oil pressure at idle was around 60 psi, not zero. Looking back I should have skipped buying the gauge and went straight for the sending unit. $70 at the dealership. Not Cheap.
 
WHEW!!!! Glad you gave me this heads up, many thanks! I was ready to pull that sucker out and look at it. Why the heck does the thing tick? And I think I'll wait until the OPSU completely pukes to replace it it it's $70.
 
That's actually the camshaft position sensor. The devices that provides the engine's master timing signal is the crankshaft position sensor which is mounted next to where the transmission bolts to the engine. The crankshaft position sensor generates pulses based on notches cut into the engine's flywheel.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
That's actually the camshaft position sensor. The devices that provides the engine's master timing signal is the crankshaft position sensor which is mounted next to where the transmission bolts to the engine. The crankshaft position sensor generates pulses based on notches cut into the engine's flywheel.
Click to expand...

So the pulses are what causes the ticking sound? It seems to vary in loudness and when it occurs.

** EDIT - I see the crankshaft sensor pulses. Any idea why this sensor would tick?
 
Cornbread said:
The grey thing in your picture is for your timing, ask me how I know. I thought the same as you that that was my OPSU, nope its a timing sensor. There's a shaft with gears underneath the sensor that I pulled out. Set me back about 2 hours to get my timing reset. And very good chance your sending unit is bad. I bought a gauge at harbor freight for 30$ and my real oil pressure at idle was around 60 psi, not zero. Looking back I should have skipped buying the gauge and went straight for the sending unit. $70 at the dealership. Not Cheap.
Click to expand...
So where is the OPSU located?
 
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