2ndMAX

I was tooling around under my car last night, and I realized that my oil pan had a noticeable amount of oil residue and dirt build up around it. As if oil was leaking from somewhere above the oil pan, running down and building up with dirt from under the car.(My oil pan looked a little fuzzy, with the oil & dirt build up) I checked my oil-filter and its dry, and then I noticed a little sensor near the oil-pan, now that I'm away from my car I'm not sure if it attached to the pan but it was very close to it and about 3-4 inches north of the bottom of the oil pan. It was covered in oil and looked pretty bad. Any clue as to why this is happening? Any possible solutions? The car is running fine and I haven't noticed a considerable loss of oil when I checked. My next oil change is due in roughly 1000 miles. Anyone ever had this happen to them?

Sorry for the shady description, I'm away from my car and this is the best description I can give.

emax02

iTrader: (1)

I suggest you clean the whole area so there is no oil residue apperent. Then run your car for 10 minutes while keeping a close eye on the suspected area{s}. If you see no oil leak still try reving your car up a few times and check again. A slow leak is very hard to detect though so you may find nothing.

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

this is the Oil Pressure Switch. It's basically has been defective on a lot of 3rd and 4th generation Maximas. It could be something else, but I would start there.

Perform a site search for "OPS" and you will find several recent posts, as well as instructions on how to replace it.

Good luck!

Daniel B. Martin

Perhaps you have a leaky Oil Pressure Switch. You will have to get under the car, clean off the "grunge" and run the engine for a while to pinpoint the source of the leak.

2ndMAX

This has got to have gone bad recently. I scrubbed my oil pan and the surrounding area when I performed my last oil change. I recently found a friend of mine that works at *** Nissan in Queens parts dept. Unfortunately he's on vacation and wont be back until the first weekend in May. Will it be okay to drive around like this until then?

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

IF it's the OPS, then no harm will be done. You may notice a little oil consumption, but that's because of the switch.


Just check your oil regularly. If you're consuming oil almost daily, it's a more serious problem. But I'm still betting on the OPS.

2ndMAX

Hey Bill, I tried the search function and no reults. I searched "OPS" and oil pressure switch. Dont wanna be a pain in the *** but sometimes I hate the search feature. It works for me about 60% of the time.

Eric L.

Yep, sounds like the Oil Pressure Sending Unit. Mine leaked at around 20k miles, and I had it replaced under warranty. Seems to be a common problem on 4th gen Maximas.

Daniel B. Martin

PartsAmerica.Com lists a replacement Oil Pressure Switch, AC Delco #E1818 for $8 + shipping. You can probably buy this item at any auto parts chain store for about that amount.

Replacing the OPS is a job which can be done by the home mechanic. Raise the front of the vehicle and support it on sturdy jackstands. Slide under. The OPS is easy to see and reach. It is "just around the corner" from the oil filter, in the rear face of the block. Peel back the protective rubber boot. Press and wiggle to disconnect the electrical connector from the OPS. You may use a special sending unit socket such as Blackhawk #30634S or ordinary 12-point 1-inch deep socket such as Craftsman #47531 to unscrew the OPS. A few ounces of engine oil will dribble out, not much of a problem. You can do the whole job in half an hour, including cleanup time.