Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

My 1936 Packard Eight has a float and arm in the oil pan, the float operates a sender on the outside of the pan where a wire attaches. We can not find any warning light that the sender may operate. Does anyone know what the sender concerts to.
Thank You, Andy

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The output of the oil crankcase sender reads on the gasoline gauge. Look for a small momentarily contact switch beneath the gas gauge to activate.

It's a slow day when I don't learn something new!
Thanks Dave.

Thank You!

Doesn't your gas gauge face say both "Gasoline" and "Oil"?

The gauge says gasoline and oil, the oil gauge indicates oil pressure, that gauge is fed buy an oil line off the engine. This is what has us baffled, is the float for a low oil warning? is there an idiot light not hooked or not there anymore?

What Owen meant is that when you press the little button, the gas gauge will indicate the oil level. When you let off, it is back to gas level.

Going back to the first pic in the first post the sender doesn't have a wire connected. Well out of my area of expertise, or rather lack of it, so the guru's will have to advise how that connects to the fuel/oil gauge

Just take a look at the wiring diagram and it should be obvious to you, I prefer the one on the PAC website. The wire from the oil sender in the crankcase goes to the back of the little momentary pushbutton selector switch below the gas gauge. The other wire there is from the gas tank sending unit.

No, there is not an "idiot" light. Just as the gas gauge reads empty to full depending on the senser, when you press the switch to select the crankcase sender the gauge will read oil in the crankcase, empty to full. I use it rarely as I typically check with the dipstick before taking the car out, but it works like a charm. It's not an uncommon feature, many makes of premium cars used that feature in the era.

AJS, if you don't have an owner's manual for your car, I suggest you buy a reprint. Here's the page from the 34 manual describing the gas/oil gauge. Also you will note in the owner's manual the specific recommendation that king pins, universals, drag link and steering connectors are to be lubed with SAE 160 oil, not grease.

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The sender is not connected because the engine has been removed from the car.I have seen that Button under the dash. It was not until seeing the oil pan off the engine and seeing the sender and float that I realized the car has an oil level gauge. I only had the car for 3 weeks before I sent it off the have the engine rebuilt. Thank you for all the help.
Andy