The engine oil pressure sensor is one of those things that a driver takes for granted until there is a problem, yet this relatively small part of the engine has a very big part to play in sustaining engine health. Even on tick over an average engine rotates at a speed of over 1,000 revolutions a minute so it is of extreme importance that adequate engine oil pressure is maintained at all times. Engine oil lubricates all of the many moving part inside the engine and it is the job of the oil pump to ensure that the oil reaches and lubricates all of these parts. If the pump fails the oil will not reach them, and the engine will quickly burn out, so the pump is of maximum importance in the internal combustion engine.

When a pump begins to fail engine pressure will fall and so it is the job of the engine oil pressure sensor to monitor the situation. There are also some circumstances that may cause the pressure to become too high and this can also damage the engine and again the sensor is important in monitoring the situation. In some cars the engine oil pressure is displayed on a gauge. In many vehicles though, a light on the dashboard will be illuminated to inform the driver that there is a problem. It is also not unheard of for vehicles to be fitted with a buzzer that is activated when the engine oil pressure sensor registers a problem.

But how does an engine oil pressure sensor work? You may be surprised to learn that it is not a mechanical part at all and that the oil pressure sensor is, in fact an electronic device called a transducer. Electronic transducers allow more or less electrical current to flow through them in accordance with how much pressure is applied to them and so, in its most basic, an engine oil pressure sensor is a device that regulates the amount of electricity that runs through a circuit.

The oil in an internal combustion engine travels around the engine inside a series of pipes and passageways that run through the cylinder block, head and working parts, before finally making its way to the sump, where it is stored and then sucked up again by the pump so that the process can be repeated. The engine oil pressure sensor is screwed into a hole, drilled into the block; the tip of the sensor rests inside one of theses channels and this is how it  manages to monitor the pressure. It the pressure gets to high, or too low, the sensor will allow more or less current to flow through it and this will trigger the light or buzzer that will alert the driver to the problem.