second hole in new oil pan

M

mmarriottxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Aviano, Italy

• Nov 6, 2005

• #1

I just purchased a new oil pan for my 96 4.0, and I see that it has an extra hole rather high up on the pan. The pan came with its own drain plug, but this second hole is not filled. So, what the heck is this hole for? And where do I get a plug to fill it? And yes, the pan does fit, as I have already put it on and put oil in it, thats how I found the extra hole.

 

Yucca-Man

NAXJA Member # 683

Location

Castle Rock, CO

• Nov 6, 2005

• #2

Where is the hole? Front, back, left, right and how big is it? Did you get the pan from a Jeep/Daimler dealer, or a third-party organization? Got a part number?

 

T

the_bandit87

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Sydney,NS

• Nov 6, 2005

• #3

sometimes parts companies intentianally do things like that so that they can ship their parts over for cheaper. They're damaged parts instead of good ones. Its not the first time I've heard of it.

 

Comanchedude

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Cincinnati,Ohio

• Nov 6, 2005

• #4

Bummer that you did notice that extra hole before installing the pan!

Is this hole threaded? If so is it about the same size as the drain plug?
If smaller is it for a sensor?
I don’t have a 96 to look at so I don’t know why it has the extra hole just giving food for thought

 

Yucca-Man

NAXJA Member # 683

Location

Castle Rock, CO

• Nov 6, 2005

• #5

There's nothing like that on my '96 pan...that's why I wondered about the application although bandit87's comment seems to make sense in a twisted sort of way.

 

M

mmarriottxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Aviano, Italy

• Nov 6, 2005

• #6

Looking from the back, the hole is on the right side, and is about midway up the pan. It didnt start to drain until the 6th quart was going in. Also it is threaded, and requires a larger bolt than the drain plug (tried to put the one from the old pan in already).

 

L

LazarusMJ

NAXJA Forum User

Location

New Hampshire

• Nov 6, 2005

• #7

Most likely that second hole is for a oil level sensor. I would just find a plug that fits it and seal it up well.

 

XJ88User

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Melting in Texas

• Nov 7, 2005

• #8

LazarusMJ hit the nail on the head.
It's for a second oil sensor so that the computer can sense you have oil before you turn your vehicle over, I have seen this on more than a few other manufactures vehicles. But I'm not sure as to why it's in a jeep oil pan as I have never seen it in any of the jeeps I've looked at, maybe the ZJ's with the 4.0L had this?.
Maybe one of the people on the board here that work for a shop can find out if the later models had this feature in them.

 

R

Rob Mayercik

NAXJA Member #920

NAXJA Member

Location

NJ, U.S.A.

• Nov 7, 2005

• #9

XJ88User said:

LazarusMJ hit the nail on the head.
It's for a second oil sensor so that the computer can sense you have oil before you turn your vehicle over, I have seen this on more than a few other manufactures vehicles. But I'm not sure as to why it's in a jeep oil pan as I have never seen it in any of the jeeps I've looked at, maybe the ZJ's with the 4.0L had this?.
Maybe one of the people on the board here that work for a shop can find out if the later models had this feature in them.

Click to expand...

Here's a thought - what if this pan dates from the days of that "System Sentry" gizmo, and the second sensor was for the engine oil light from that?

Of course, that would mean that this pan's for an older XJ (System Sentry was an option on the pre-HO XJs), but I've never heard anything to suggest that the oil pan changed from 87-01.

Rob