What does this sensor do?

[Gage]

This plug and sensor are on the lower right hand corner of the engine, nearest the back right tire on the exhaust side of the motor.  What is it?  

The muffler inlet pipe is the blurry pipe on the top.   

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="Gage"]
This plug and sensor are on the lower right hand corner of the engine, nearest the back right tire on the exhaust side of the motor.    What is it?[/quote]

No pic, so I'll have to guess...

There are a row of plugs in the oil galley (shiny w/ a smallish Allen insert). The leftmost one is used for the Masterlube if your car has it. The rightmost one is for the oil temperature sensor (dash only - not connected to the PCM). The middle ones are still plugged.

[Gage]

Sorry Terry.  Picture now attached.

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="Gage"]
Sorry Terry.   Picture now attached.
[/quote]

Yup - oil temperature. Look to the left (between cylinders) and you'll see a matching row of plugged holes.

Note: Most Brammo Atoms won't have a sensor here - it is unique to Microdash cars (i.e., mine) and your pre-production one.

[Gage]

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
[quote="Gage"]
Sorry Terry.   Picture now attached.
[/quote]

Yup - oil temperature. Look to the left (between cylinders) and you'll see a matching row of plugged holes.

Note: Most Brammo Atoms won't have a sensor here - it is unique to Microdash cars (i.e., mine) and your pre-production one.
[/quote]

Thanks Terry.  Mine wont stay plugged in.  I was trying determine how important it was.  I'm not sure its working anyway.  Now I have to go and check.

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="Gage"]
Thanks Terry.  Mine wont stay plugged in.  I was trying determine how important it was.   I'm not sure its working anyway.  Now I have to go and check.
[/quote]

Yours is different from mine. I have a SPA Microdash sender in there, which goes into a threaded adapter and then into the block. Mine also has a 6" or so pigtail with a connector on the end.

You can remove the sensor as long as the engine is cold and the oil has drained back into the pan (in other words, it isn't "below the waterline"). Just be sure not to start the car with it out! (I'd disconnect the battery and put a note in the battery compartment).

Once you have it out, you can check it for any identifying marks. I think I see green WeatherPack gasketing there, so it may be a GM part. If that doesn't work, look for brand identifiers on your extra instrument faces, or on the back side, and contact them for a replacement sensor.

Or you could just plug it. As I said, it isn't an input to the PCM, so the car doesn't care if it is there or not. Personally, I like to see what my oil temperature is.

[Gage]

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
Personally, I like to see what my oil temperature is.
[/quote]

I agree.  I want all the information I can get. 

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="Gage"]
I agree.  I want all the information I can get. 
[/quote]

If you take it out to examine it, I'd be interested in seeing it next to a ruler. The SPA sensor doesn't really protrude past the adapter it is screwed into, so it is sort of measuring the block temperature, not the oil temperature.