Oil sending unit bit the dust
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Inman SC
Oil sending unit bit the dust
Decided to change my bad oil sending unit myself with the help of the forum folks, I decided to forgo removing the intake manifold and opted to cut the fiberglass cowl for access in the future. After the unit was replaced, I installed a piece of black plastic over the cutout with epoxy and after the black cowl cover went back on you cannot tell that anything was cut. By the way I did not cut too much to affect the ridgidity of the cowl. Thanks again to all the forum folks who post their fixes, It saved me some cash at the dealer!
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Nicely done. Will make the next replacement a snap.
Melting Slicks
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I used the chop a hole method and the best part is my sender has lasted for years. When I swapped to an ls6 intake I decided pulling the intake wasn't hard but it adds many issues like sand falling into the engine, nicked O rings, forgetting to hook up the wires or vacuum lines, breaking stuff, etc. I still don't regret the little hole I dremeled out.
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I removed my intake to replace mine and while I was in there I relocated it for future issues, The intake is really easy to take off, I bet the time you spent cutting up your car you could of had the intake off and fixed in the same amount of time.
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From: Long Island NY
Decided to change my bad oil sending unit myself with the help of the forum folks, I decided to forgo removing the intake manifold and opted to cut the fiberglass cowl for access in the future. After the unit was replaced, I installed a piece of black plastic over the cutout with epoxy and after the black cowl cover went back on you cannot tell that anything was cut. By the way I did not cut too much to affect the ridgidity of the cowl. Thanks again to all the forum folks who post their fixes, It saved me some cash at the dealer!
I did mine the same way. I'm not ashamed to admit that I wasnt confident in my abilty to remove the intake. I know ther are some who frown upon this method, however I see no ill effects from doing it that way. Kudos for you for tackling the job on your own and you saved a nice chunk of change and learned a little about your car along the way.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Vancouver B.C.
Do it once - do it right. When my sender failed I refused to cut any holes. I relocated it with a kit from DPE. Now my sender resides under my fuel rail cover, where it can be changed in less than five minutes. I think heat helps to kill the senders. Mine has lasted for several years since I moved it to its new home.
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Do it once - do it right. When my sender failed I refused to cut any holes. I relocated it with a kit from DPE. Now my sender resides under my fuel rail cover, where it can be changed in less than five minutes. I think heat helps to kill the senders. Mine has lasted for several years since I moved it to its new home.
Same here. Ever since I put my DPE relocation kit on with a new sender (aluminum unit) it has been several years and working fine.
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From: ct
Decided to change my bad oil sending unit myself with the help of the forum folks, I decided to forgo removing the intake manifold and opted to cut the fiberglass cowl for access in the future. After the unit was replaced, I installed a piece of black plastic over the cutout with epoxy and after the black cowl cover went back on you cannot tell that anything was cut. By the way I did not cut too much to affect the ridgidity of the cowl. Thanks again to all the forum folks who post their fixes, It saved me some cash at the dealer!
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From: Medford NJ
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From: Long Island NY
Here ya go. Replaced mine with this over a year ago and it's been working great.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPSESWAMS_____
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPSESWAMS_____
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Medford NJ
Here ya go. Replaced mine with this over a year ago and it's been working great.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPSESWAMS_____
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...RPSESWAMS_____
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Joined: Nov 2010
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From: bowie md
I did the same thing to mine last year and it turned out to be a stroke of good fortune that I went that way. Incidentally I did a neat job and fabricated a cover so next time , and there will be a next time, acess is pretty easy. Anyway , I went back and forth about which way to go and I decided that the only way to replace the sending unit then start the car and check for leaks was to create an acess hole. Well, I am the second owner and I've had the car for about 9 years ('98 coupe) and evidently the first owner had the original unit replaced since the one that I pulled out wasn't an AC Delco. When I pulled the old unit out , 40 years of machining told me that whoever installed it crossed the threads so now I was looking at repairing the threads in the block. I made a fixture to sit on top of the block in order to insure that the threads were perpendicular to the block and that would not be possible any other way since the fixture was about 8"long. Turned out great ! I installed a new sending unit ,torqued to 15lbs/ft. and was back in business. As far as I'm concerned, GM should have put an acess panel in that location when the car was designed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Concord California
Ditto, I felt that removing the intake and all the other stuff would/could cause other issues. The dremeling of the fiberglass was so easy and covering up with duct tape under the plastic cowl is a no brainer. I thank who ever documented it here in this forum, Thank you so much, you save me lots of bucks and time.
I made as small a hole as I could, that socket is rather large, I had to trim and make the hole larger to fit that sucker. Yea, and you need two cut down coat hangers to remove that sensor, like working with chop sticks trying to undo a button on a shirt, that was fun... Enjoy..
I made as small a hole as I could, that socket is rather large, I had to trim and make the hole larger to fit that sucker. Yea, and you need two cut down coat hangers to remove that sensor, like working with chop sticks trying to undo a button on a shirt, that was fun... Enjoy..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Hawaii
I opted to pull the manifold. The oil sender was ok but I had to change the #2 bank check valve. Replaced the sender and the valve. Wondered why no one mentioned replacing um both when you were there.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Inman SC
My theory was that if I removed the intake and had a leak at the threads of the sending unit than I would have to start all over again. So I was more comfortable with cutting so I could inspect it. I was just happy that I did not have to pay to have it done
