Oil sender means the same thing as oil pressure sensor. No you don't have to drain the oil. And No you can't clean it but a new one at Napa or Autozone is maybe $12. It simply threads in (near the oil filter, get to it underneath, has a one wire connector). Five minutes to replace, use loctite on the threads.

Do that before messing around with anything internal to the engine! It may be all that's wrong.

Checking the pickup tube gasket where it mates to the oil pump isn't a bad idea either. I've seen them go bad on Mirages, although usually with 200k miles+.

Old school oil pumps (the kind driven off a shaft) did use to get worn out but modern geroter pumps that are at the front of the crankshaft are almost always one of the most reliable engine parts. Abusing the engine by not changing the oil, not letting it warm up before driving, etc. can certainly cause the bearings to wear which will result in low pressure-- this is no fault of the oil pump!

 

Thanks for all the info you have provided me so far mcgarvey. It's really appreciated.

Does anyone have a picture of the location of that sensor?
I'm assuming it's really close to where we connect the oil line for turbos...

 

I don't have a picture, sorry. I can tell you it's within 6 inches of the filter and has a one-wire connector. It will help if you buy a new sender first and look for the old one based on that. I think I said it before, but install with loctite on the threads!

Anyway just glad I could help.

 

So that was it. I changed the oil pressure switch and the light hasn't come on yet.
Thanks mcgarvey

 

Glad to hear that, it sure beats doing the whole motor.

 

lol you can say that again

 

I just read your thread and by your second post I was hoping you didnt try to change that pump yet. There is a whole thread with people's OPS going out. Glad some one caught you before you started tearing down your motor!

 

When I baught the part at the dealer the guy behind the counter said:
"I don't know the symptoms , but I know that will fix it!"
That says alot

 

Hey,
I have the same issue with my gf's car. I tried once to remove the sensor with a 26 mm 12 pans socket but the current sensor is that rusted that the socket slides on the edges (although it has six flat faces...). I am planning to try with a 1" wrench, which is 25.4 mm.
Would you recall which tool you used? I simply wouldn't like to break the sensor in two parts given how relatively small the thead is compared to the large head... Large pliers perhaps?

My spare sensor comes with Teflon on the threading, would Loctite be really necessary then?

Thanks for the help!

 

Brake cleaner to remove the crud then some pb blaster to loosen up the sensor. Put on the correct size socket and quickly torque it. The less you fiddle with it the better.

 

i used big channel lock pliers...it wasn't stuck that bad...i put blue loc-tite on the threads...

 

It actually come out easy. The original head size is 26 mm. If rusted, like here, a 1" wrench would do the job on the 12 pt side (and easily goes around the head without bending the connector if you'd plug a socket).
Oil pan came out easy too, once the rusted bolts were gently loosened...

Thanks GUYS !!!