Engine Oil Pressure Sensor Fitment

[90NATO]

Hey all!

My oil pressure sensor went out on my 90 Fox coupe and I ordered a new motorcraft one online for a 1990. What came in the mail is a different one than I currently have on there. I got the SW-2178-A, which after researching says it fits the 1990's with the "light". My questions is: will it still give a pressure reading to my gauge? They don't seem too complicated and the sensors apply across multiple years, so I was thinking of giving it a shot unless any of you say it won't work.

Thanks!

 

[General karthief]

If it is for a light than no it will not work.
Now lets get some terminology straight, is this for the oil pressure gauge? Then it is a sender and installs on an extension on the drivers side front of block by the timing cover, there is a oil level sensor, that one goes in the side of the oil pan and triggers a light.

 

[90NATO]

If it is for a light than no it will not work.
Now lets get some terminology straight, is this for the oil pressure gauge? Then it is a sender and installs on an extension on the drivers side front of block by the timing cover, there is a oil level sensor, that one goes in the side of the oil pan and triggers a light.

Exactly, it’s for the gauge, so its the sender (on the extender above the oil filter). Sorry for the confusion. The “light” part threw me off. Other than that the threads are the same and the pole for single wire on the sender is the same as well.

 

[General karthief]

The oil pressure sender for the light looks just like a sender for the gauge, one wire and all, make sure you have a sender for a gauge.

 

[90NATO]

The oil pressure sender for the light looks just like a sender for the gauge, one wire and all, make sure you have a sender for a gauge.

Gotcha, I’ll just return it then and make sure the new one is for the gauge. Shoulda paid more attention. Doh! Anyway, thanks for the help and explanation!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Does the one you currently have look like the SW-1547-B sender ( E4ZZ-9278-B) ?

That’s the sender for 79-89 cars. In 1990 they changed to the SW-2178 sender

both are 1-wire and work for the guage in the dash. If your car is a 1990+ you’ll want thr 2178

 

[90NATO]

Does the one you currently have look like the SW-1547-B sender ( E4ZZ-9278-B) ?

That’s the sender for 79-89 cars. In 1990 they changed to the SW-2178 sender

both are 1-wire and work for the guage in the dash. If your car is a 1990+ you’ll want thr 2178

So the one currently in the car (that I’m looking to replace) looks like the 1547-B, the one I ordered and currently have ready to install is the 2178. It throws me off because the threads and one-wire pole seem compatible, buts its smaller. Perhaps it was replaced once before with the incorrect 1547-B and thats why it always read low and ultimately failed? IDK.

 

[General karthief]

Does the one you currently have look like the SW-1547-B sender ( E4ZZ-9278-B) ?

That’s the sender for 79-89 cars. In 1990 they changed to the SW-2178 sender

both are 1-wire and work for the guage in the dash. If your car is a 1990+ you’ll want thr 2178

So they changed the resistance? Likely do to the addition of the air bag light into the wiring?

 

[Mustang5L5]

No. I believe the smaller one was more of an idiot light. Anything over 5psi just puts the guage in the middle of the range, while the 79-89 version actually swept. I believe you can use either.