Xxyyzz Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Good evening all! As I was braking off a long freeway offramp from highspeed my oil idiot light flashed on for a brief second. So I checked my oil and topped it off. My question is just so I can learn more about the car. Where is the sensor in the engine bay and how does it work? Is it a oil level/pressure/temp sensor? I can only assume due to my symptoms that it is at the rear of the engine, and its a level sensor. Thanks, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 It is oil pressure only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 It is oil pressure only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 How low was the oil? it would have to be down at least 3 quarts or better for that to happen from low oil but yes that can happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 It's located beside the distributor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xxyyzz Posted April 26, 2013 Author Share Posted April 26, 2013 It was at the low line. I have a slow oil leak but I'm not sure from where exactly. I can see its moist around the oil pan so I'm thinking that plus a gasket is an cheap/easy replacement when I do an oil change since its all banged up. Then I can continue to check the oil and go from there. 1. Any advice on an oil pan? I was thinking a cheapie one would do fine like: http://summitracing.com/parts/sum-g3531/overview/make/chevrolet/model/monte-carlo/year/1972 or http://summitracing.com/parts/spe-5494/overview/make/chevrolet/model/monte-carlo/year/1972 2. There are also "wet-sump" pans which I have no idea what they are/are they worth it? 3. Some come with an oil pump... good time to replace/where is it? -Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72-CLASSIC_RIDE Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My idiot oil pressure indicator sensor is located on the driver side of the engine block about midway below spark plugs. Mine is a 402 CI. Also, that oil leak can be deceiving. The rear main bearing seals are notorious for leaking and when car is moving can wash the seeping oil onto the oil pan giving the appearance it is the oil pan. Clean it up really good and intermittantly check it to see if it is wet at the front of the oil pan. If so, try and isolate it. Valve cover gaskets another source to inspect. I would wait on a oil pan until I'm sure where the leak(s) originatd from. My 2 cents Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Doug, I'm curious as I might have a rear main seal leak....would you trust any of the additives for solving a seal leak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72-CLASSIC_RIDE Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I haven't personally seen an additive that will prevent seepage from a main seal leak. I have seen where external sealers were tried with very limited success. If there is a path, oil will find a way out! If it's not bad, I wouldn't even mess with it until it becomes a serious problem. The 1st step is to isolate the origin so you know where/what your dealing with. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xxyyzz Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Even if it is also leaking elsewhere, the oil pan is so beat up (and it is definitely leaking there as wel)that I would like to replace it. Any advice regarding wet-sump/oil pump? -Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 If it was only a quart low and the oil lamp flickered I would get a mechanical gauge and check the pressure. Like Scott said the sending unit is next to the distributor. I have also have seen the sending unit leak oil between the metal shell and the bakelite insulator, that would leak down the back of the engine. I think you can get a small block oil pan off without lifting the engine. The counter weights have to be in the right place so you may have to turn the crank to get it down. Some other guys may chime in. If the pan is real beat up the pickup may have come off the pump. It is pressed on and they have come off before. The pump will work but braking will move the oil away from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xxyyzz Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 I think you can get a small block oil pan off without lifting the engine. The counter weights have to be in the right place so you may have to turn the crank to get it down. Some other guys may chime in. Does that mean that I can't just unbolt it and bolt on a new one? Newbie, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I had to take the motor mount through bolts out, lift the engine up a little, reinstall the bolts through the mounts and set the engine back down on them. And turn the crankshaft for the counterweights to clear. Not a big deal to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 It's just not as straight-forward as it looks. You see the bolts around the edges and figure it can be done with 1 or 2 sockets and an hours time. The part you DON'T see is all the stuff inside that the pan covers. That "stuff" is a crankshaft and a bunch of connecting rods and counterweights, etc, and it all hangs down almost as low as the pan does. It isn't going to go anywhere...meaning you're going to have to finagle the pan out with all that stuff in the way of making it easy. You'll probably have to raise the engine some so the pan can drop further down before it hits the crossmember, and probably have to rotate the engine so the stuff inside is in its upmost position to give you enough clearance to shoehorn it out of there. Sometimes the replacement gaskets can give you grief. It can be done, but it isn't as simple as it looks. There's your heads-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Also do yourself a big favor and get a one piece oil pan gasket. You will be sooooo glad you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I would go with this one piece gasket, It comes with new longer bolts the gasket is thicker. The best thing is it comes with 4 gasket retainers that hold the gasket in place and lines up the pan. gasket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xxyyzz Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 this is EXACTLY the info that I didn't know, thanks guys! How do I turn the crankshaft for the counterweights? -Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Put a socket on the crankshaft bolt with a short extension if needed and turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Here is a pic. Of course this engine is upside-down, but it gives you an idea of the stuff lurking inside under the cover. The engine stand is bolted to the rear of the engine, and you can see two counterweights at the front of the engine that would be hanging down pretty far. You would need to rotate the engine 1/4 turn to get them to go up into the engine so you could remove the pan while the engine is in the car. In one position the connecting rods are down, and 1/2 turn later the counterweights are down. You need to find the best position to get everything as far up as possible. The issue is at the front of the motor...don't worry what's happening at the back. The pan removal isn't hard at all when the engine is out: it unbolts and drops straight down. The problem is that when the engine is in the car, there is a crossmember in the way that prevents you from dropping the front of the pan downward far enough. This photo shows the rear of the engine with the oil pump and pickup still in place...that's more stuff in there that will be in your way. There's no way to remove the oil pump/pickup without removing the pan first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xxyyzz Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 Wow, what a great visual. Thank you so much for the pic Wallaby and description footballubet. -Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 I would go with this one piece gasket, It comes with new longer bolts the gasket is thicker. The best thing is it comes with 4 gasket retainers that hold the gasket in place and lines up the pan. gasket Just used that gasket on my sons 84 Chevy pickup. I always use the felpro one piece gaskets. Do yourself a favor and get the rear main seal too. All you have to do is un-bolt the oil pump and rear main cap, fish out the seal and re-torque the cap and oil pump. In the truck I did not have to jack the engine up but in a monte you will need to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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