Oil temp sensor. Do I need it?

[ghunt81]

Couple weeks ago, driving to work and I hit a large rock in the road that busted my oil pan.

Since I have an '05, I have the oil temp sensor in the pan and I cannot find a pan with a sensor port anywhere. Do I need this sensor? Or, how do I bypass it? I found it mentioned where you could use a resistor to turn of the CEL but didn't see what size you need or how exactly that is done.

Thanks!

 

[StockishS197]

Ford ditched the oil temp sensor in 07+.

AFAIK, if you have a tuner you can have them turn off the CEL.

 

[freeloader1969]

You could have a sensor bung welded in to the new pan if you absolutely had to.

 

[ghunt81]

Does anyone know what the threads on the fitting are?

 

[Autokyrios]

Probably 1/8NPT like most others, but you can take it to a store that sells pipe fittings (HD, Lowes, Ace, etc) and use the NPT thread checkers they usually have mounted around.

Don't necessarily need to weld in a bung if getting that work done is an issue (I know not everyone has access to a welder or someone to do welding). You can add a fitting to the pan that your sensor can screw into.
You may be able to find a reducer that will fit the oil drain plug hole and allow your sensor to screw into it. Won't be great for readings probably but would at least get you something.

Eliminating it will require modding the tune otherwise the computer will throw a code about missing sensor data.

Can you not find a replacement pan? I did a quick search on partsgeek.com and rockauto and found some. Don't know if they have the additional oil sensor port.

Other option, if you want to spend money, is to buy an aftermarket pan, like from Canton or Moroso, as those have oil sensor bungs.

 

[ghunt81]

1/8 NPT? It's not an oil pressure sensor. Everything I was able to find said some were metric, some others were apparently 3/8" NPT, I can't even find a straight answer on it. I think it's M20-1.5 but never found any definitive answer on that.

And as I stated, there are zero replacement pans available that have that sensor port and the Ford part is discontinued. Couldn't find any used ones on short notice, the only used ones I found were '07-up without the port.

 

[GriffX]

Ford ditched the oil temp sensor in 07+.

AFAIK, if you have a tuner you can have them turn off the CEL.

Are you sure? I only see the engine head temp sensor in the wiring diagram of 05, no water, no oil.

 

[JC SSP]

Maybe this will help?

Oil level sensors different for 06/07?

I just bought a stock oil pan from another member to replace mine, which got damaged with the motor, and the sensor in the pan is different than mine. He said his came from an 07, mine is an 06. Was there a change in the sensor? My sensor will not fit in the place of his sensor, and the plug is...

www.s197forum.com

 

[86GT351]

 

[ghunt81]

Why is he saying the sensor is 1/4" NPT but you need a 3/8" NPT adapter?

Nevermind, they are referring to the newer style brass sensor which is actually 3/8" NPT. Pretty sure mine has the plastic sensor although I haven't seen it in person yet.

 

[Racer47]

The 05 / 06 oil sensor is needed. It does something in the cal letting it know if the engine is up to temp. I have an 06, changed pans and left the sensor off. The motor never ran full power. I then mounted the sensor on the outside of the pan with the sensor part touching the pan and all is well. I've had 2 tuners and neither knew how to disable this. I don't think that it is a temp curve. I think its an on / off switch, yes the engine is warm enough or no its still cold. The correct resistor would probably work too. But my solution worked and I never messed with it again.

 

[ghunt81]

We're gonna figure out something. It's at my FIL's shop. I ordered a M20 bung but if it doesn't get here in time, I may try to do something with it touching the pan like you mentioned.

 

[Racer47]

Its easy. I mounted it to an oil pan bolt with a P clamp. It gets hot enough but I don't drive it in the winter. So I don't know about that.

 

[ghunt81]

I don't drive mine in winter either but I might see about putting some kind of a shroud around it if I do it that way.

 

[StockishS197]

Are you sure? I only see the engine head temp sensor in the wiring diagram of 05, no water, no oil.

My current 07 GT (March of 2006 build) does not have the oil temp sensor in the pan.

My previous 06 GT (April of 2006 build) had the oil temp sensor in the pan.

Was fun realizing my 2007 was built before my 2006.

though, I am curious how my 2007s oil temp PID is calc’d…still a loggable field even without a sensor in the pan.

 

[ghunt81]

Well, what's also weird is the later cars WITH the oil temp sensor, had a totally different sensor. So I'm curious why they changed it, and then phased it out completely. Who knows

 

[GriffX]

though, I am curious how my 2007s oil temp PID is calc’d…still a loggable field even without a sensor in the pan.

I remember a Ford patent describing a way to calculate the oil and water temp from the cylinder head sensor only.
And the reason to do so was money.

 

[chemaholic]

I have a 2006 GT and I need to replace the oil pan. I have the same issue with the oil temp sensor. Does anyone know if there is a way to jump the harness out? I have no idea if someone in town can put in a custom tune and I know very little about tuning myself. If all else fails I can have a fitting welded onto the replacement oil pan but if I can just put a jumper on the wiring harness that would be much better.

 

[ghunt81]

So to update this myself- my FIL's shop is a radiator shop that also does some mechanic work. One of his guys there cut the threaded boss out of the old pan and silver soldered it into the new pan (just like you'd fix a radiator) and man it looks like it was there all along. Car is all back together and everything is good!