1981 corvette

[Harry G.]

I cannot find the oil pressure sending unit on my stock 350 "81 Corvette.

The pressure gauge is pegged out on the high side. I think I located the oil temp. unit just above the oil filter housing, but the new pressure unit I purchased from M.A. M is larger and would not fit because of thread size and the spark plug wire protectors are in the way. Can anyone tell me where the sending unit is located?

Thanks, Harry

[Terry M.]

Re: 1981 corvette

You have found the oil pressure sending unit. There is no oil temperature sensor on a 1981 Corvette -- unless someone added one.

[Charlie P.]

Re: 1981 corvette

There is some confusing info in the shop manual on the oil pressure sender-supposedly it ties into the electric choke circuit, which I was having a problem with. Does your new sender have two terminals? I think I finally found the sender, but I can't remember where now, and the car is not nearby to check.
I would have to disagree with Terry, since '81s with ETR radios (no analog clock), have an oil temperature gauge where the clock would have been.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1981 corvette

There is some confusing info in the shop manual on the oil pressure sender-supposedly it ties into the electric choke circuit, which I was having a problem with. Does your new sender have two terminals? I think I finally found the sender, but I can't remember where now, and the car is not nearby to check.
I would have to disagree with Terry, since '81s with ETR radios (no analog clock), have an oil temperature gauge where the clock would have been.

Charles------


The oil pressure sender unit is located on the rear upper surface of the block on the driver side. There should be a fitting with a right angle and the oil pressure temp sender should extend out over the rear of the manifold. It should not be hard to spot.

The oil temp sender (for applications with radio with digital clock) is located above the oil filter on the driver side of the block.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1981 corvette

I had forgotten about the Electronicly Tuned Radio -- with that option an oil temperature indication is available in place of the clock as Chuck indicated.

I thought the oil pressure sensor was above the oil filter and below the exhaust manifold, but Joe is telling us otherwise. I guess I'll crawl back into my cave. Sorry for the confusion.

[Harry G.]

Re: 1981 corvette

Thanks to all of you who resonded. right after I posted the problem, I went out to the garage and crawled all over the car. I found the oil pressure sending unit at the back of the block near the distributor. replaced it and hooked it up. works great!

[John P.]

Re: 1981 corvette

Mine did the same thing. It was the copper ribbon piece on the back of the gauge cluster electrical connector.

[Michael J.]

Re: 1981 corvette

The oil temp gauge can come in very handy, my water temp gauge is pegged and not working (not the sending unit), and is impossible to get out without major surgery. So, you can easily get by with just the oil temp gauge.

[John P.]

Re: 1981 corvette

Pull seats, center council, council carpet, radio nuts and brace, 4 screws around gauge cluster, put in neutral, two bolts connect council to cluster at the bottom. Slide the council back about a inch pull cluster out from the bottom till you can get the top of it to wiggle out. If you have rear window defrost be very carful of the switch You might have to put a little outward pressure on the bottom edges of the dash. Do not pull it all the way out till you disconnect the cluster electrical connector, squeeze top and bottom of connector while pulling out. Theres another connector on the top but the wire is long and another three prong connector. Just leave the radio set there. You will see all the flat copper leads mounted on a pcs of plastic that runs to all gauges. You will struggle if its your first one. Good luck John