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Replace your oil drain plug
with this Low Oil Level Sensor
NOTICE:
This product has been discontinued, but . . . we are developing a NEW Low Oil Sensor that may be available in
the late Summer 2022.
The prototype sensor and electronics is now being tested in our aircraft.
Tests have been going well so far! The new sensor will have a linear output indicating oil quantity
and have an integrated temperature sensor. It will be inserted in the bottom of the oil pan similar to the sensor
pictured using an 1/2"NPT fitting. It will fit most Lycoming
Engines and various others. We will work on developing it to
utilize other fitting types later. The output will probably be a 0
to 5V so you may read it out on your EFIS or utilize our AG6 with special
screens to read it out with alarms. Please check back to check our
progress. Here is a link to our AG6. (AG6 page)
Thanks for your patience and past support!
PLEASE email us . . .
if you want to be notified when this sensor and electronics is ready for sale.
We will put you on our list.
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OLD SENSOR WRITE-UP BELOW JUST FOR REFERENCE
When you get a "Low Oil Pressure" indication, it’s
too late! . . you glide . . .
Purchase a Low Oil Level
Sensor today!
. . . and make a safe "power on" landing.
LOW OIL SENSOR
This
sensor is unique! It can be installed in the bottom of the engine’s oil pan. It
can even be used as the oil drain plug on most engines. This sensor was
originally designed for small Lycoming engines, but can be utilized on several
other engine types as well.
The
sensor utilizes a 1/2" NPT fitting so that it can be inserted directly into the
oil pan of most small Lycoming Engines. The 5/8" x 5/8" square bolt head of this
sensor has been drilled (0.08" dia.) to accept a safety wire.
WHY PURCHASE a LOW OIL LEVEL
SENSOR?
This
question is easy to answer. If you rely on a low oil pressure indication to tell
you that your engine has run out of oil, it’s TOO LATE! You’ll most likely have
to glide to safety, power off, . . and land in an area that is difficult get
down safely.
Many
pilots have lost oil while flying. Just review the aircraft accident statistics.
The reasons have been, loose bolts on the engine’s cylinder covers, loose hose
connections, broken or chaffed oil lines, or just loose hardware in general
concerning the oil system.
Even
a relatively slow oil leak can down an aircraft. Consider this; . . Most aircraft
can fly 3 to 4 hours on a cross country without refueling or you getting out to
check the oil. If you had 8 quarts in your engine at take-off, you only have to
lose less than 1 oz. / minute to be empty at the end of your cross country!!
SENSOR DESIGN
Our sensor is designed so that the
contacts are normally open when the the engine oil is full or OK.
The reason for this is simple. We want to extend the life of your sensor.
If the sensor contacts were designed the opposite way, the engine
vibration would constantly be rubbing the contacts together. This would
make the sensor life shorter.
WARNING LIGHT
You
can utilize our "flashing panel light", a relay, or utilize your own panel indicator. The
maximum current draw for any light or relay is 0.2Adc. Our light is included in the
electronics package. The light can be mounted in the instrument panel using a
0.249" to 0.254" diameter mounting hole. The light supplied will operate from a
+12Vdc system. To make this system +24V compatible, you will need to add a 12V zener diode in
series with our flashing panel light.
The zener should be a 12V, 1W, 1N4742 or equivalent.
You MUST connect the band of this zener to your +24V. The other end will
be connected to the flashing panel light, (RED) wire. The (BLACK) wire of
the flashing panel light will be connected to one wire of the sensor. The
remaining sensor wire will be wired to common (Chassis Ground). This zener will be supplied by us
for the asking for +24V systems.
WHEN WILL THE SENSOR INDICATE A
LOW LEVEL?
This
sensor package indicates a low oil level that is less than 4 quarts in a
Lycoming O-360-A1A. The actual oil capacity will vary with engine and oil pan
type. Since the Lycoming manual for this engine says that it will run on just 2
quarts of oil, you should have plenty of time to find an adequate landing spot
to add oil! The sensor will indicate an alarm when the oil level is less than 3"
from the bottom of the oil pan plug hole. To find out where your low oil level
will be, you will have to add oil to the engine slowly and see where the alarm
goes away. Make sure you check your engine’s lowest operating oil level against
the actual oil level that is indicated by this sensor before relying on this
sensor for your low level warning.
PLEASE READ THIS before ORDERING!
We would like to guarantee that this sensor
will work for you before you order it. In order to do this, you will need to
ensure that you have 3.5" of vertical clearance up into your oil pan to utilize
this sensor. This distance is measured from the very bottom of the 1/2" NPT plug
hole. The position of the bottom of this hole may not be located at the bottom
of your oil pan. Most plugs extend a little lower than the bottom of the oil
pan. You should remove your oil pan plugs, insert a ruler, and measure the
distance it takes to insert this ruler before you feel an obstruction. If this
distance is 3.5" of greater, the sensor will work!
For example, the Lycoming O-360-A1A oil pan
can have 1, 2, or 3 ports on the bottom of the oil pan. Some are closed off,
others are just plugged. On this engine, you will have to use one of the ports
on the Pilot’s side of the oil pan to utilize this sensor. The passenger’s side
of this oil pan cannot accept this sensor because there is an air intake pipe
that enters the oil pan on that side. The bottom of this pipe measures
approximately 2.75" above the bottom of the plug opening. This distance is less
than the required 3.5" needed to utilize this plug.
Click here for the Low
Oil Sensor Spec. Sheet.
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