Value-oriented Replacement of Yanmar Oil Pressure Sender

[Boatdreamer]

Here’s the latest update. I bought an inexpensive pressure gauge just to make sure I had oil pressure and I do, 38 psi at cold idle. Next I installed my new low cost pressure sensor and adapter and ran it again. The engine was still cold and the pressure on the Garmin display and the Yanmar display was 41 psi, close enough to the pressure gauge reading so I was happy. I also changed the fuel filter on the fuel/water separator, no water found, checked all the wiring connections before I reinstalled the Yanmar engine cover. I know some people were concerned if the cover would fit over the new sensor with the adapter and it did with room to spare. I didn’t use the black thumb screws that came with the new unit because I was worried about the clearance so I found some nylon lock nuts that worked great I had leftover from my days in the aviation world. I ran her at the dock in and out of gear for an hour without any issues. I won’t say it’s fixed until I give her a good long run next week but I’m feeling good so far. I’ll keep ya posted.

Tim and Donna
Gratitude

 

[vertigo]

Here’s the latest update...
I won’t say it’s fixed until I give her a good long run next week but I’m feeling good so far. I’ll keep ya posted.

Tim and Donna
Gratitude

Glad to hear your positive results! Did you install your replacement sensor directly to the engine (via thread adapter), or did you add fittings and oil line for a remote-mounted sensor like mine?

 

[Boatdreamer]

Hi Vertigo, no not yet because I wanted to check everything out first and make sure I don’t have any other issues. I do plan on fabricating an aluminum mount for the pressure gauge and run an aero quip steel braided line to a tee that way both the gauge and sensor will be away from the engine vibration and hopefully last longer.

Tim
Gratitude

 

[vertigo]

Hi Vertigo, no not yet because I wanted to check everything out first and make sure I don’t have any other issues. I do plan on fabricating an aluminum mount for the pressure gauge and run an aero quip steel braided line to a tee that way both the gauge and sensor will be away from the engine vibration and hopefully last longer.

Tim
Gratitude

An excellent plan! And, with the remote mounting, you'll be able to swap sensors easily if needed without any removal of the engine covers. That's a bonus!

 

[jaredjensen]

I do plan on fabricating an aluminum mount for the pressure gauge and run an aero quip steel braided line to a tee that way both the gauge and sensor will be away from the engine vibration and hopefully last longer.

If you have time, share the finished product with any relevant links for parts. My oil pressure reading just started going haywire (super high or nothing) for the first 5 minutes above about 2000 rpm before it returns to normal. I need to determine if the service update was done by the previous owners, but am anticipating doing an upgrade like you at some point.

 

[scross]

JaredJensen,
Same symptoms I had in my Yanmar 4BY2-150 before changing out my oil pressure sensor. That was before Vertigo figured out the lower cost solution.
My oil pressure would jump to an extreme high reading then read “- - -“ on the screen (which is a reading of positive infinity I think) and after a while it would return to normal. Always full oil in the sump so it was just a sensor malfunction. No problems at all after replacing the sensor. There was at least one other Yanmar powered boat before mine that also had those symptoms.
It’s an easy fix and thanks to Vertigo, not too expensive!

 

[vertigo]

My oil pressure reading just started going haywire (super high or nothing) for the first 5 minutes above about 2000 rpm before it returns to normal. I need to determine if the service update was done by the previous owners, but am anticipating doing an upgrade like you at some point.

I'm pretty sure I remember reading somewhere here that others had very mixed results with that service update, and if it involved flashing the ECU, that some owners saw their oil pressure instrumentation go permanently inop. :cry:

The oil sensor change-out is by far the least expensive and least risky step you can take. Even if it turns out that your sensor's wire connections merely needed cleaning and tightening, it's worth swapping in a fresh sensor while you're there with the vanity covers off.

 

[jaredjensen]

I'm pretty sure I remember reading somewhere here that others had very mixed results with that service update, and if it involved flashing the ECU, that some owners saw their oil pressure instrumentation go permanently inop.

I read about those results, too, so am pretty reluctant to flash the ECU. Switching the ground wire to the unused paddle wheel connection didn't fix my problem, so I'll be replacing the sensor. If someone can provide specifics about parts that worked for them, I'd much appreciate it saving me the research time. Otherwise, I'll just throw in a direct replacement and kick the can down the road another year or two. 😀

 

[vertigo]

If someone can provide specifics about parts that worked for them, I'd much appreciate it saving me the research time. Otherwise, I'll just throw in a direct replacement and kick the can down the road another year or two. 😀

The parts you seek are sourced in this post at the top of the thread:
http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14629#p96848

While you're at it, consider adding a remote sensor adaptor to move that sensor off the engine, away from the heat and vibration, to a location where future replacements are fast and easy, and tee in a steam gauge at that location too so that you can always manually check the actual pressure rather than relying solely on a number imputed from electrical resistance:
http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14629#p96925

 

[jaredjensen]

The parts you seek are sourced in this post at the top of the thread:
http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14629#p96848

Ah, derp, my bad. I think I got this thread mixed up with another one. Now off I go to copy your solution!

 

[jaredjensen]

I think this is a complete list of parts, where the sensor comes from Amazon and everything else comes from Pegasus. You could save money by building your own hose, but I'll probably opt for them to make it. I guessed 20" length and will confirm before ordering. Comes out to $200 ish.

EDIT: Replaced custom hose with off-the-shelf version and downsized related fittings from 4AN to 3AN.

M14-1.5 to 1/8" NPT adapter
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... ecID=12738
AM2267
$15

1/8 NPT Male - 3AN Male Stainless Steel Adapter (2)
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... oduct=3250
3250-02-03C
$18

24 inch Size 3 PTFE Hose, Straight to 90 degree female 3AN
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... ?Product=3
3-24-S-90
$24

Tee
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... oduct=3256
3256-02
$13.50

Pressure gauge
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... RecID=1883
AM4421
$85

VDO 150 sensor
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IV6LVG/
$42

 

[vertigo]

I think this is a complete list of parts, where the sensor comes from Amazon and everything else comes from Pegasus. You could save money by building your own hose, but I'll probably opt for them to make it. I guessed 20" length and will confirm before ordering. Comes out to $250 ish.

M14-1.5 to 1/8" NPT adapter
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... ecID=12738
AM2267
$15

1/8" NPT to 4AN anodized adapter (2, one for each end of hose)
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... oduct=3250
3250-02-04A
$7

Custom braided line
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group ... CUSTOMHOSE
3480-04-INCH (20")
HE201-04-000 (straight) to HE201-04-090 (90 degree swivel)
$93

Tee
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... oduct=3256
3256-02
$13.50

Pressure gauge
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... RecID=1883
AM4421
$85

VDO 150 sensor
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IV6LVG/
$42

The only thing I'd do differently is order one of the AN3 pre-made hoses with one 90-degree end for ease of clearance under the engine cover, and go with 24" to have more options for locating the units.

 

[jaredjensen]

The only thing I'd do differently is order one of the AN3 pre-made hoses with one 90-degree end for ease of clearance under the engine cover, and go with 24" to have more options for locating the units.

Perfect, thanks! I missed those pre-made hoses. I updated my post with that hose and downsized fittings to match. That knocked about $50 off. 😀

 

[jaredjensen]

I installed the new sender last week, but discovered the fancy pressure gauge from Pegasus had a broken needle. I needed it for a trip the following day, so just installed it as a plug in the tee, and then ordered a liquid-filled $27 replacement from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K7WZRGL/

I now get an oil pressure reading as expected at all RPMs. The reading is also a lot more stable and doesn't bounce around like it did with the old sender.

One thing to note if you do this modification is that the engine cover will just barely touch the 90-degree fitting if you don't route it out the corner. I figure you don't want anything touching that fitting, or the vibration might cause an early failure. It kinda looks like the cover is touching the line in my photo, but there's actually plenty of clearance there.

 

[vertigo]

I installed the new sender last week, but discovered the fancy pressure gauge from Pegasus had a broken needle. I needed it for a trip the following day, so just installed it as a plug in the tee, and then ordered a liquid-filled $27 replacement from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K7WZRGL/

I now get an oil pressure reading as expected at all RPMs. The reading is also a lot more stable and doesn't bounce around like it did with the old sender.

One thing to note if you do this modification is that the engine cover will just barely touch the 90-degree fitting if you don't route it out the corner. I figure you don't want anything touching that fitting, or the vibration might cause an early failure. It kinda looks like the cover is touching the line in my photo, but there's actually plenty of clearance there.

Outstanding! I modified my engine cover slightly to remove the offending metal at that lower corner, and softened the edges.

 

[MatsMatsMate]

Hi, all. I recently acquired my first Ranger Tug, a 2012 R-29 @900 hours, Yanmar 6BY2-260 powerplant.

The top item on my squawk sheet was to isolate and resolve an intermittent anomaly in the oil pressure readings whereby the Yanmar engine instrument panel would sometimes show blank oil pressure, and sometimes read implausibly-low pressure upon throttle reduction to idle from cruise power.

Upon studying various threads on this forum I learned that the OEM oil pressure sender is prone to failure and is pricey at approx $275/each, so I decided to set myself to figuring out the source and cross-reference for these pesky overpriced units. (On review of the parts lists for the 4BY and 6BY engines, I found that the same oil sender part number is used, so this information should be useful to owners of either engine.) After removing and inspecting the stamped markings on my original OEM sender, I was able to make a positive identification of its origin, and of a much less expensive replacement unit that remains 100% compatible with the original Yanmar instrumentation.

The oil pressure sender is a fairly standard (in Europe and Asia, at least) VDO unit, bearing the ID marking "32/6" which identifies it as a floating-ground sender without warning contact, 0-10 bar pressure range, 10-180 Ohms, with M14x1.5 mounting threads. The VDO part number for this unit is 360-081-032-006C. You can order this sender from European suppliers for approx. 55 Euros.

If you'd like a convenient replacement for this unit that can be obtained readily from US suppliers, then you can order a VDO 360-043 (ID stamped as 32/14), which is the same unit as the original, but with a 1/8"=27 NPTF mounting thread.

$36 at Fisheries Supply:
https://www.fisheriessupply.com/vdo-gau ... to-150-psi
Sku# 431477.

In order to use this sender in your BY-series engine, you'll need an inexpensive thread adapter: Male M14x1.5-to-Female 1/8"-27 NPTF. The adapter threads into the engine port, and the new sender threads into the adapter. This sender will work with your original instrumentation without any modification.

https://www.amazon.com/Female-Sensor-Ad ... 291&sr=8-6

At these prices, you can replace your intermittent or inop OEM oil pressure sender and stock up another half-dozen spares for less than the cost of one unit packaged in a spiffy Yanmar cardboard box.

Happy tugging!

I’m having the same issues that others have described about erratic oil pressure reading on my Yanmar 6by2. I would like to replace the oil sending unit as Vertigo specified (VDO 650-043) but when I click on the link to Fisheries Supply or Amazon, it shows a VDO 650430 (pressure range 0-150 psi) not a VDO 360-043 (pressure range 0-30 psi. I assume it’s the 0-150?
Also, does anyone have an aftermarket number for the other oil sending unit under the oil filter that sets off the alarm on the Yanmar display?
Thanks, matsmatsmate