Oil pressure sender or sensor.
12-08-2005, 01:58 PM
#1
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Oil pressure sender or sensor.
My '98 2500 (75,000 k) has developed an off and on problem of the oil pressure gauge showing about 70 psig when the key is turned on. A dealer said I needed a new sensor but the price he quoted would choke a horse. Has anyone had to replace one and what was the cost? I doubt they are available aftermarket. The fuel gauge works fine until somewhere around 1/2 tank and then it often shows empty. I am really disappointed in all the "little" problems that have happened to this truck. (front brakes and rotors, lift pump, battery hold down bolts, wrong dipstick, no wheel lug adapter for wheels, etc., etc.)
12-08-2005, 06:03 PM
#3
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MnTom:
Thanks for the info. I never even thought about Cummin's since there is only one heavy truck shop that services Cummin's where I live and they won't mess with little trucks. By the way it is a 24 valve. ............Royal
Thanks for the info. I never even thought about Cummin's since there is only one heavy truck shop that services Cummin's where I live and they won't mess with little trucks. By the way it is a 24 valve. ............Royal
12-09-2005, 02:20 AM
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I went to Autozone and got a $15 oil pressure guage and used the hole on the oil filter. Mine sometimes goes to 0psi that made me nervous because you can't tell if these things are knocking or not!
12-09-2005, 08:55 AM
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Barry:
I thought about doing something like you did but I sort of hate to start sticking a few gauges here and there to tell me what the factory gauge should be doing. I believe Cummin's or Dodge must have bought the cheapest senders they could find, not that that would be unusual. I do like the power the truck has and the fuel milage is good, which is good because of the way they are shafting us on the price of diesel. I am disappointed in some quality issues with the truck. First I discovered that the dipstick was the wrong one and they had been putting in an extra quart of oil each time. Next I discovered the adapter for the lug wrench was missing from the tool kit. Lucky for me I was home when the tire went flat. My dealer relunctly gave me the adapter but then I discovered the lug wrench was wrong too. Then the engine started surging and it cost me an arm and a leg to find that the wiring harness was sending false signals to the TP sensor. The battery hold down bolts are a joke (too tiny) and to do any modification is a major undertaking. The lift pump lasted less than 75 k miles. Front brakes and rotors needed replacing about the same time (I still think something is wrong with porportioning valve or something with brakes. Front brakes seem to do way too much of the braking.) Now the fuel and oil pressure sensors are erratic most of the time. Finally there is the KDP problem to cap everything else off. (I called Cummins and they denied there is any dowel pin problem)
I thought about doing something like you did but I sort of hate to start sticking a few gauges here and there to tell me what the factory gauge should be doing. I believe Cummin's or Dodge must have bought the cheapest senders they could find, not that that would be unusual. I do like the power the truck has and the fuel milage is good, which is good because of the way they are shafting us on the price of diesel. I am disappointed in some quality issues with the truck. First I discovered that the dipstick was the wrong one and they had been putting in an extra quart of oil each time. Next I discovered the adapter for the lug wrench was missing from the tool kit. Lucky for me I was home when the tire went flat. My dealer relunctly gave me the adapter but then I discovered the lug wrench was wrong too. Then the engine started surging and it cost me an arm and a leg to find that the wiring harness was sending false signals to the TP sensor. The battery hold down bolts are a joke (too tiny) and to do any modification is a major undertaking. The lift pump lasted less than 75 k miles. Front brakes and rotors needed replacing about the same time (I still think something is wrong with porportioning valve or something with brakes. Front brakes seem to do way too much of the braking.) Now the fuel and oil pressure sensors are erratic most of the time. Finally there is the KDP problem to cap everything else off. (I called Cummins and they denied there is any dowel pin problem)
12-09-2005, 10:36 PM
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Royal, I've had just about every problem you've had. I replaced the front rotors at 70,000 I had replaced the front brakes about every 20,000 miles up until then. The E- brake is the only reason I've made it the last 30,000 miles. @ lift pumps and one IP I've got 100000 miles on mine now. You forgot the cracking dash? This NV-4500 is a joke for a heavy hauling transmission, I here people talk about the 47re but I'm not real sure it could be much worse. I made it 8000 miles since "fixing" the 5th gear nut and it just went again. Oh yeah I replaced 2nd,3rd,4th and reverse at 93000 the cluster bearing went out and ruined the gears and the cluster shaft. After that I'm getting to tear into it again! 
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12-10-2005, 08:16 AM
#8
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You can replace the oil sensor THROUGH the fenderwell. About 10/12 inches of extension on a ratchet will reach it. MUCH easier then from the top or bottom. 
12-10-2005, 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Royal
My '98 2500 (75,000 k) has developed an off and on problem of the oil pressure gauge showing about 70 psig when the key is turned on. A dealer said I needed a new sensor but the price he quoted would choke a horse. Has anyone had to replace one and what was the cost? I doubt they are available aftermarket. The fuel gauge works fine until somewhere around 1/2 tank and then it often shows empty. I am really disappointed in all the "little" problems that have happened to this truck. (front brakes and rotors, lift pump, battery hold down bolts, wrong dipstick, no wheel lug adapter for wheels, etc., etc.)
As for the fuel sender there is a fix for it. The piviot pin loosen up and allows the contacts to loose connection. Do a seach here on the site for it...
As for the battery hold down bolts.. Easy fix... Take a little motor oil and put a few drop down the shank of the bolts once a month. It will keep them from rusting and rotting out. Also make it easy to remove them later.
Lift pump is a known problem with these trucks. If you don't have a fuel pressure guage I HIGHLY SUGGEST you get one. I would rather replace a $100 dollar LP than a $1,500 VP44!!
As for the brakes... If you got a manual trans I would highly suggest getting a Jake Brake. It will reduce the brake wear quite a bit! Still running factor brake shoes and rotors yet...
Originally Posted by Barry Smith
I replaced the front rotors at 70,000 I had replaced the front brakes about every 20,000 miles up until then. The E- brake is the only reason I've made it the last 30,000 miles.
12-10-2005, 12:01 PM
#10
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Royal, We just had to replace the oil sensor Just to let you Know. A 12v oil sensor is right at $47.00 and a 24v oil sensor is right at $222.00.Just to also let you know we have replaced the sensors in both our 12v and 24v.
12-10-2005, 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Mopar1973man
I've got the factory brake shoes yet and factory rotors @ +71K miles! The shoe have close to 70% pad left and there is no lip on the rotors... Man what are you doing to your beast???
The E brake is the best move I've made. It's really hard to justify the cost of it except for safety.
12-11-2005, 05:17 PM
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On top of all the other problems, yesterday I plugged in the block heater and instantly the breaker tripped. It appears that the heater gave up the ghost... Unless it can't be plugged into a ground fault protected plug in. I tried two different extension cords and two plug-in's But both were GF protected...??? The only receptacles I had here were GF protected, The one at home isn't but I'm not home.
12-11-2005, 05:24 PM
#13
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I might mention that my Dodge is a 1998 with about 75k. It has never towed anything, has been serviced every 3-4 k and has been taken care of. You, or at least I, would expect the brakes and rotors to last more than 75k when the rear ones look good. The same goes for all the other stuff that has quit. Maybe I am just too old. I have had vehicles with over 150 k and still had the original brakes and gauges.
12-11-2005, 06:21 PM
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Sorry for stealing the thread...
I got about 45K out of my first set of tires... I would say yes it would be driving style then... I'm on my second set of tires... That is the only big thing I had to buy!
Originally Posted by Barry Smith
I get about 20000 miles out of a set of tires too? I think it might be my driving style? The E brake is the best move I've made. It's really hard to justify the cost of it except for safety.
The E brake is the best move I've made. It's really hard to justify the cost of it except for safety.
12-11-2005, 08:05 PM
#15
Since this has turned into a "I hate my old truck thread"....
Brakes on 98's....well I would dare to say that the dodge 1/2 tons today have more pad surface area than your truck. You NEED to adjust your rear brakes about every oil change. The reason Moparman has no probs is that his 2002 has larger front pads AND rear disc brakes which is what my 01 has. Even my wife noticed the improved braking over our old truck.
Adapter for lug wrench? Wrong lug wrench? Buy the truck used? Aftermarket wheels/nuts?
Brakes on 98's....well I would dare to say that the dodge 1/2 tons today have more pad surface area than your truck. You NEED to adjust your rear brakes about every oil change. The reason Moparman has no probs is that his 2002 has larger front pads AND rear disc brakes which is what my 01 has. Even my wife noticed the improved braking over our old truck.
Adapter for lug wrench? Wrong lug wrench? Buy the truck used? Aftermarket wheels/nuts?