Oil Pressure Switch for a M35B - urgent request

[Michael]

Can anyone help me out with the name of the original equipment manufacturer (and ideally the OEM's part number) for the double prong oil pressure switch that is used on the M35B engine?  The Universal/Westerbeke part number is 37323.  I would order it from Torresen but Hali is scheduled to go out on Friday and there isn't time.  A picture of the switch appears as item #17 in the "Oil Pan Assembly, Oil Pressure Switch - M35B/M40B" diagram on page 7 of the Universal Parts List (for Marine Diesel Engine M-25XPB, M-35B, M40B - Publication No. 201021 1st edition December 2001).  There is also a picture of the switch (not to be confused with a sender unit which some engines might also have) at page 50 of the Universal Service Manual (Marine Diesel Engines M-25XPB, M-35B, M-40B Publication No. 200554 1st Edition/January 2001).

Hali is equipped with a low oil pressure idiot (appropriately) light and low oil pressure audible alarm, which is why, I assume, there are two leads on the oil pressure switch, one to run the light and one to run the audible alarm.

If there was a work around for replacing this switch with something else, advice on that work around (Ron and Stu are you out there?) would also be welcome.

If I find the information elsewhere, I will post it back here in case anyone else has this same problem.

Regards and thanks for any offerings that might result.

[Stu Jackson]

You "must" have a Kubota dealer in Vancouver.  Try them.  The oil pressure stuff is NOT marinized parts, it's part of the basic tractor stuff.  The Kubota dealer network can be found at Kubota's website.

See reply #6 at: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,3133.0.html

[Michael]

Hi, Stu, thank you for replying.

Oops, I should have said that I had contacted the Kubota dealer here (Frontier Power) and their parts department said that Kubota's oil pressure switch has only a single lead and that they don't make other (double prong) oil pressure switches.  He could only recommend that I take the oil pressure switch off the engine and bring it to him to look at...but he was not optimistic that they would have the same thing.

I've just called Kelly at Torresen.  She very kindly told me that supposedly a Chrysler part number 3619738 will work...but unfortunately Chrysler tells me that is not a good part number.  Unfortunately, Kelly didn't know who the OEM for the Universal/Westerbeke numbered part is.

I'll report in later if there is good news.

Thanks again. 

Addendum: Here was the temporary work-around:
(1) disconnected the audible alarm that was sounding all the time;
(2) jury rigged an oil pressure gauge visible from the helm so that we would know whether we have enough oil pressure.

Hali's M35B didn't have an oil pressure sender - just an oil pressure switch - but somewhat as appears on the drawing on page 50 of the Universal Service Manual referred to above there is a removable 9/16" hex head bolt plugging a hole where an oil pressure sender can be installed.  (The locations of the oil pressure switch and oil pressure sender are separate but near each other.)  The hole is a standard 1/8" NPT that most oil pressure senders and switches seem to be made in.  Removing the plug resulted in only a small ooze of oil before the sender (threads wrapped with some teflon) was screwed in, so it seems there isn't any need to drain the oil before doing this operation.  The oil pressure gauge and sender came as a kit, bought at Lordco. 

Further addenda:  The workaround bought time to order new oil pressure switches from Torresen.  (They were $14.41 each.  I bought 6 and the shipping to Vancouver by US Postal Service was $28.06....so not too bad for a supply that will last for several years.)  Thanks to everyone, including private messages and Roc (see next message), for help on this.

A search at the Torresen website indicates that this Westerbeke Part # 37323 (oil pressure switch) is referenced in (among others) the following online engine parts catalogs.
Universal M-25XPB OIL PAN ASSEMBLY, OIL PRESSURE SWITCH - M-25XPB
Universal ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Universal M-35B / M-40B OIL PAN ASSEMBLY, OIL PRESSURE SWITCH - M-35B / M-40B

Torresen's contact particulars are:

Torresen Marine, Inc.
3003 Lake Shore Drive - Muskegon, Michigan 49441
Phone: 231-759-8596 - Fax: 231-755-1522

[Roc]

You could try Hansen Marine.  They are the Universal parts distributor for the east coast.  Located in Marblehead, MA.  800-343-0480 or 781-631-3282