[TheMidnightNarwhal]

My sensor has been showing basically full for most of the time even though my exhaust is smelling a lot like oil and I know I'm burning some. My valve cover is also leaking.

I measured my oil and arrived around 500ml short of the 6.5L capacity last oil change even though my gauge was full and one day my reading showed 1/4 and the next day full. And I do understand the 20 min capacity update although a few months back I got a add 1 liter warning while driving on the highway and as soon as I added the liter, restarted the car and let the sensor do it's loading it was showing full before 20 minutes so I dunno anymore.

So would you change the sensor? I'll probably order it along with the valve cover. I just hate throwing parts at something that isn't actually broken so how did your oil level sensor failed?

[Efthreeoh]

I wouldn't change the oil level sensor.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I wouldn't change the oil level sensor.

Since you know a lot about these... what do you say on the 500ml of oil short? Are these sensors supposed to be somewhat very accurate or it's normal? I understand out of that 500ml a few ML is clinging to the surface it's touching as well some may have spilled a little bit.

I am also a about 74k miles and I noticed it's definitely leaking/seeping (oil crud all around it) as well so must be original.

[e90yyc]

I’m at over 200k miles and mine is original. During the the coldest winter days, it’ll sometimes just say “INACTIVE” instead of providing oil level readout, but for the cost of replacement that doesn’t bother me. There is also a code thrown as well, but no CEL of course.

If there is oil seepage around the sensor and it bothers you, consider changing the o-ring seal before doing the sensor itself. Seems like an unnecessary expense unless it’s going totally haywire. I’d say it also depends on how much oil you’re leaking/whether you rely on the sensor to keep your oil topped up.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Since you know a lot about these... what do you say on the 500ml of oil short? Are these sensors supposed to be somewhat very accurate or it's normal? I understand out of that 500ml a few ML is clinging to the surface it's touching as well some may have spilled a little bit.

I am also a about 74k miles and I noticed it's definitely leaking/seeping (oil crud all around it) as well so must be original.

Where are you getting indication that you're 500ml low on oil? These indicators aren't that precise. There are a ton of threads here about how they work. It gives a good estimate, but a halfway indicator doesn't mean you're precisely 500ml low. Only add a liter or quart of oil when you get the "+1L" or "+1qt (US) indication.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

Where are you getting indication that you're 500ml low on oil? These indicators aren't that precise. There are a ton of threads here about how they work. It gives a good estimate, but a halfway indicator doesn't mean you're precisely 500ml low. Only add a liter or quart of oil when you get the "+1L" or "+1qt (US) indication.

The 500ML short is when I measured the oil that came out at my oil change.

Gauge read full.

[LanceC29]

My failing sensor sometimes shows low oil levels and after awhile of driving or letting the car sit, the sensor will return to a normal expected level.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Since you know a lot about these... what do you say on the 500ml of oil short? Are these sensors supposed to be somewhat very accurate or it's normal? I understand out of that 500ml a few ML is clinging to the surface it's touching as well some may have spilled a little bit.

I am also a about 74k miles and I noticed it's definitely leaking/seeping (oil crud all around it) as well so must be original.

There is nothing in the sensor to really break. It's just a capacitor. The engine oil is the dielectric, which is constantly refreshed. Other than a corroded connector, there is really nothing that goes wrong with it. Pull the connector ad clean it with electrical contact cleaner. Being 500ML off is probably not unusual. The OZS has trouble codes that help diagnose it.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

There is nothing in the sensor to really break. It's just a capacitor. The engine oil is the dielectric, which is constantly refreshed. Other than a corroded connector, there is really nothing that goes wrong with it. Pull the connector ad clean it with electrical contact cleaner. Being 500ML off is probably not unusual. The OZS has trouble codes that help diagnose it.

Ok thanks for the input, I'll get a new seal instead and give it a clean.

Guess when it fails it's really more the connector/communication and it would be much more erratic?

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

The 500ML short is when I measured the oil that came out at my oil change.

Gauge read full.

Oh... My bad. I didn't read your very first paragraph of your first post up top where you said that. I thought you were estimating that the 1/2 mark on the e-dipstick corresponded to 500ml (which it usually does, but it's not that precise).

[E91_86]

Just replaced mine about 3 weeks ago. Had oil level low warning come on on the way to where I was driving. 30min later I drove to the store to get oil and it said level was full. I dont have any leaks, so I figured something else was going on. Next day I threw the code for oil level sensor. Had it replaced and replaced the seal at the same time. No problems now.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

There is nothing in the sensor to really break. It's just a capacitor. The engine oil is the dielectric, which is constantly refreshed. Other than a corroded connector, there is really nothing that goes wrong with it. Pull the connector ad clean it with electrical contact cleaner. Being 500ML off is probably not unusual. The OZS has trouble codes that help diagnose it.

Hey I was inspecting my car underneath and actually took a peek at the oil level sensor and I don't even think it's leaking after all. There was just a lot of crud on the connector. Seems like it's coming from rear main seal maybe?

Could a leaking valve cover find it's way all the way there and to the rear of engine near transmission?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Hey I was inspecting my car underneath and actually took a peek at the oil level sensor and I don't even think it's leaking after all. There was just a lot of crud on the connector. Seems like it's coming from rear main seal maybe?

Could a leaking valve cover find it's way all the way there and to the rear of engine near transmission?

The connector reports oil level via a voltage signal. Throw in some contamination in the connector and the voltage value can change. Oil molecules do not do not have surface tension as water molecules do, so oil can creep into places water can't, like past a connector seal. Your engine looks like it has an aluminum oil pan, so it is not going to rust around the oil sensor seal and leak (which my engine just started to do in the past year). I'd bet on a pan leak at the rear over the crank seal. But either way it looks like a minimal leak and something to just periodically clean the connector.

I still suggest cleaning the connector first and see if the oil level sensor changes the behavior you have been observing. Considering the level of oil collected on your connector, it's start with cleaning it first.

[vilord]

I've been worrying about the level sensor on my car recently... Up until 3 months ago, I was leaking or burning 1 quart for every 2000 miles, and the level would slowly go down as the miles racked up.
During the last 3-6 months, though, it has shown 100% all the time, up until the point that it suddenly reported low and 0% on the BC oil level gauge. I added a quart, and bam, 100% again.
It is still 100%. Is it low?
Can I add a dipstick to this car???