Oil Pressure Sender Relocation - 351C

The pick up point on the front of the block for the oil pressure sender is in-between the fuel pump and the oil filter. You need the hexed pipe that is in the vendor's kits if you want to use your stock sending unit. You will also need a plug for the old pickup point. The allen plug from the new point is too big.

They use the same hexed pipes in late model mustangs. I got mine off ebay.

Take it from a guy that did it himself, you are not saving anything trying to source the parts yourself.

In hindsight, I probably should have bought the kit. They were relatively inexpensive at the time but I don't know what they are selling for now.

It sounds like the kit primarily consists of a hollow adapter for the sender’s new location along with a plug for the original location of the sender. Is that correct? Thanks.

...here's what you need! Can be got at 'Home Depot' or any plumbing supply, but I always prefer BRASS fittings. Your sender mounts with a 1/4 NPT Male. The thread at the block, between the f. pump and oil filter is 3/8 NPT! SOOO You need: 1) 2-1/2" to 3" Brass tube with a Double 3/8" NPT Male ('double' means Both Ends). 2) One Brass Coupler that is 'Double' 3/8" NPT FEMALE. 3) One Reducer 1/4" NPT Female TO 3/8" NPT MALE. This screws into the coupler and Your sender into the 1/4" Female, the coupler onto the tube, and the other end of the tube into the Block! Hook-up the wire and Your gone! For those who don't know, NPT stands for 'National Pipe Tapered'! See the other thread about 'Oil Pressure Sender', right above! I Thank-You!...

Actually, all you need are two parts, one 3/8" nipple (don't get excited, that's a pipe nipple) and one 3/8" x 1/4" reducer (female x female).

...Clyde! Obviously You have never done this before! You will never mount the sender that close to the block because it Will NOT clear the oil filter. That is why You need the 3" Extension! You CAN, if you have relocated the Filter! "Know Your Song Well, Before You Start Singing!" Two More things: Some gauge manufacturers suggest NOT using Teflon Tape on the sender threads because it may interfere with proper 'Grounding', I use it and have had No problems as I feel the crest of the thread will cut throught the tape, and will ground anyway. Second: Mounting the sender at the Oil Filter/Block location, will read the 'Highest' Pressure coming directly off the Oil Pump! I prefer to have it located in it's original position at the rear of the block; reading the 'Lowest', 'Worked' pressure, this will more acurately show-up Problems with the oiling system as they first present themselves! Think about that!...

Actually you need these THREE pieces:

• one,1/4" NPT plug (this is a male threaded plug, as opposed to a female threaded cap), to fill your old sender location at the rear of the manifold

• one 3/8" NPT nipple about 3" long, to screw into the new location and get the pressure sender away from obstructions. A nipple is always male-threaded at both ends.

• one 3/8" FPT x 1/4" FPT reducer, to place on the end of the nipple and allow you to thread in the pressure sender. FPT = female pipe thread

Total of three pieces. You can buy these at Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, or, as I prefer, your old-time, independently-owned hardware store.

Like Marlin, I highly prefer brass for these items.

Larry

P.S. - NPT stands for National Pipe Thread

P.P.S. - Who the heck is 'Clyde'?

...Hey jb1490! I Had better learn MY song Better!! Beacause You Are Right! I forgot about those Double female reducers. Your Idea would be perfect with some 'Extension' for clearence. And Your design would have fewer 'joints' with a lesser possibility for a leak. Well Done!!...

...Thank-You Larry! Yes! You need the Plug to fill the remaining port in the rear of the block. I like the ones that are FLUSH and take an 'Allen' wench/key to install. You can even get them in Stainless Steel! And don't forget the Teflon Tape!...

Sorry, I forgot to mention the length of the 3/8" pipe nipple. 3" is a good length, as Marlin stated.

John

Steve,
After all that, the plug at the fuel pump area is the location to add an external pipe/tubing to the original location for the sender for better oil supply to the back of the block.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by SteveBuchanan:
It sounds like the kit primarily consists of a hollow adapter for the sender’s new location along with a plug for the original location of the sender. Is that correct? Thanks.

Better a late response than never.

I found my spare oil sender pipe (picture below). Yes the kit consists of the pipe and an allen plug to block the original sender hole in the back of the block. Using this pipe makes it very easy to use your stock sending unit in the new location in front of the block in between the fuel pump and oil filter. Otherwise the sending unit would be too wide. It is also hexed conveniently so you can get a wrench or socket on it. These pipes are found on late model (80's) Mustang/Capri V8's and they even had it on my '93 V6 Ford Explorer but I think the pipe is a little smaller so you would need a brass reducer for the block.

...I sure hate to 'Rain on Your Parade', But for what it's worth; Just a Warning! This extension (pictured) is the Aluminum Ford Part, I Believe!? I have seen them snapped off right at the Male Threaded End!! Especially with the full weight of that large Sender hanging way out 3 Inches and Vibrating/Bouncing! At least Keep an Eye on it! Good-luck! Marlin.

That would not be a good thing.

Thanks for the heads up.

I wonder if there was ever a Ford recall on them since it was on so many of their cars in the 80's and 90's?

I see another potential part for you to make

quote:

Originally posted by MARLIN JACK:
...I sure hate to 'Rain on Your Parade', But for what it's worth; Just a Warning! This extension (pictured) is the Aluminum Ford Part, I Believe!? I have seen them snapped off right at the Male Threaded End!! Especially with the full weight of that large Sender hanging way out 3 Inches and Vibrating/Bouncing! At least Keep an Eye on it! Good-luck! Marlin.

I tried to check the markings on the part pictured and I saw no Ford logo but a marking with a part number MS21921 running down one side. The little square markings running down the other side of the part looks like Isis(DeTomaso) logos. Funny, I don't know where I got this part. It must have come from HALL PANTERA 20years or so ago. It's made from 7/8 inch aluminum hex stock.


Your comment got me curious so I decided to unscrew the pipe from the motor in my car. It's a heavier piece and markings but the part is made with 3/4 inch steel hex stock. I use a brass fitting as the thread is smaller on the pipe than the hole in the block.



My question is : Is either one better than the Ford piece you mentioned? And, which one of the two is better to use, the steel or aluminum?

I'm no metalurgical expert so I have no idea since they both look pretty strong to me and, of course, the aluminum piece is much lighter. Your opinion is appreciated.

...Decisions, Decisions! The Aluminum threaded portion is a Larger Diameter while the Steel is Smaller, Plus must use a Reducer! Looks like an 'Even Toss-Up' to Me! Except; as a Machinist I live by the First 'Rule': "Put Your Faith in Steel!!" OR, 'Flip a Coin'! Just Kidding! By the way I was Guessing when I first Thought the aluminum piece was By Ford. The snapped off extension I mentioned was either off a Ford 390FE or It was a 351W, I don't remember which. I would Go with the Steel!...

...Oh! That Broken Extension Was Aluminum!...

Thanks Marlin. The steel is going back into the car.

Hey..... I know you can make these. Why don't you start making these out of steel with the correct pipe thread size. I am betting people will buy them, even me
I actually wished this pipe had two ports so I could feed one back to where the old sending unit mounted on the back of the block to supply extra oil. Time to expand your product line

Mahalo

I used a 3"(?) brass tubing and coupler from Lowes to relocate my sending unit thinking that brass does allow some flex from vibration. Also tried to keep the lever arm as short as possible given the weight of the sending unit on the end. No problems whatsoever to date.

Ron
#3336

First, all the oil switch extensions I ever saw were on 351Ws or 302s, which have different oil routing than the 351C. Second, although you can read oil pressure on a Cleveland from the port near the fuel pump, its at the very front of the oiling system right out of the oil pump. So gauge pressures from here will bear no relation to anything other 351C owners see; typically, front port readings will be 25-50 psi higher. The stock Cleveland gauge port is at the back of the oiling system after all the pressure drops for bearings, lifters etc have occurred. The only use I ever found for this port on a 351C (without the fragile Windsor extension) was to check pressures from both ends of a given block to debug an oiling problem. And even this cannot be done with stock Pantera sending units; they're simply not repeatable enough for any meaningful comparisons. I used two mechanical gauges.