While underneath the car (MT) working on installing gauges, I noticed a dangling sensor wire. The plastic body has cracked and separated from the metal body portion threaded into the block. As far as I know, I have been driving the car for some time with this condition, with no indication of a problem.

The sensor is mounted on the lower rear driver's side of the engine behind the leading plug, between the oil line banjo bolt and the coolant line (see photo).


The sensor body is marked P0.3

It looks like some sort of pressure sensor.

I have a shop manual, but I can't find any reference to this sensor/switch.

Any ideas?

 

I agree with that, I would think either a pressure or a knock sensor. Looks like a "fluid" sensor, what type of fluid is on it? Oil, coolant, Other? Normally a knock sensor would be in a coolant passage (I do not know if these motors have them, I am used to working on GM's).

 

Looks like the bottom of an oil pressure sensor.....but I can't believe it isn't pissing out oil if it is. I had one fail on another motor..that caused a catastrophic failure at speed

 

Although the knoock sensor is on the driver's side of the car it doesn't look like that, at all. I have been wondering what this sensor might be. Did the OP buy the car used?

 

Definitely half of an oil pressure sensor. No way the car would run five minutes without it.

If you look behind the oil filter, almost on the tranny, you will see yours, so that one is probably just road debris.....

S

 

That is (what's left of) the oil pressure sensor.
You said the plastic was dangling. I take it you unscrewed this metal portion (shown in pics #3 and #4) from the block?
What did your oil pressure gauge read on the dash prior to this discovery?

 

Nope, this swich is located nearer the bottom of the block, and I had to unthread it with a 24mm socket from the engine block. It abbears to have oil on it. According to the Wiring Diagram Handbook, the sensor closes on low oil pressure, so that might explain why the car would run without it.

I recently had brought the car in for service, to have a rear seal replaced. I bet it was boken when that work was done.

If i had not been installing my Racing Beat Gauge Pod, I would probably would have never known about it.

I went to the dealer'sarts counter today, they think it's an oil pressure senor, they ordered me a replacment, it should be here next week.

 

 

My oil pressure gauge has never moved since I had the car. It is one of the things that has always been on my list of disappointments with this car.

Which, BTW, is why I was in the process of installing a guage pod with oil presssure, and oil and water temp guages (Racing Beat), when I noticed the problem.