I am so smar... DOH!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
I am so smar... DOH!
So I decided to be clever and replace my faulty oil pressure sending unit without removing or loosening the intake manifold or cutting in to the shroud. I bought a new O'reily Brass bass oil sender along with the GM 1 1/16th deep socket and a universal swivel socket extension.
This job went extremely well and can be done in 30 minutes IF all goes well and you're on top of it. I bent a coat hangar and popped off the wire connector and fed the socket behind the manifold, hooked up rotated and pulled her right out. 5 minutes tops.
In my awesomeness I got all confident and placed the new sensor in to the socket and made a small "retaining tab" out of Teflon tape to hold the sensor in to the socket so it wouldn't drop. This works great because you can get it started in to the threads and then pull up on the tape to remove it. I'm so awesome I'm thinking to myself, moving it in to place and then...
*CLANK*
In all my epicness, I forgot to tape the actual socket to the extension.
After swallowing a thick mixture of pride I spent the next 2 hours fishing out the entire socket assembly with sensor out from behind the manifold.
I couldn't believe it. What a bonehead move. But after retrieving it, blood sweat and tears, I taped up the socket connections, fed it back down, lined it up with the threads and hand started it (important not to cross thread the aluminum block) and tightened her right up! After spending another 30 minutes trying to get the damn connector clip back on, the job was done!
So would I do it that way again? Yes. It's actually a very quick (but tricky) job if you take the proper precautions and use the right tools. Taking off the manifold isn't all that hard, but I didn't want to buy a new gasket and more than anything, this was a challenge I wanted to tackle to see if it's really possible and if I could do it.
It worked great and I now have an oil pressure reading. I was excited about that but that feeling of awesomeness sure escaped me quickly.
This job went extremely well and can be done in 30 minutes IF all goes well and you're on top of it. I bent a coat hangar and popped off the wire connector and fed the socket behind the manifold, hooked up rotated and pulled her right out. 5 minutes tops.
In my awesomeness I got all confident and placed the new sensor in to the socket and made a small "retaining tab" out of Teflon tape to hold the sensor in to the socket so it wouldn't drop. This works great because you can get it started in to the threads and then pull up on the tape to remove it. I'm so awesome I'm thinking to myself, moving it in to place and then...
*CLANK*
In all my epicness, I forgot to tape the actual socket to the extension.
After swallowing a thick mixture of pride I spent the next 2 hours fishing out the entire socket assembly with sensor out from behind the manifold.
I couldn't believe it. What a bonehead move. But after retrieving it, blood sweat and tears, I taped up the socket connections, fed it back down, lined it up with the threads and hand started it (important not to cross thread the aluminum block) and tightened her right up! After spending another 30 minutes trying to get the damn connector clip back on, the job was done!
So would I do it that way again? Yes. It's actually a very quick (but tricky) job if you take the proper precautions and use the right tools. Taking off the manifold isn't all that hard, but I didn't want to buy a new gasket and more than anything, this was a challenge I wanted to tackle to see if it's really possible and if I could do it.
It worked great and I now have an oil pressure reading. I was excited about that but that feeling of awesomeness sure escaped me quickly.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
I think those who cut their shroud are crazier than anybody. No way would I do that. But I have seen some guys who managed to dress it up perfectly after they were done. Strength and weaknesses.
Although, if I had a brand new FAST intake sitting there, I would have done the manifold.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Personally I think cutting the shroud is the way to go. You can fashion a removable screw in cover after the cut for future use and seal it up. No one can see it. It should have been that way from the factory.
I plead guilty as charged.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 651
Likes: 33
From: North Port Florida
So I decided to be clever and replace my faulty oil pressure sending unit without removing or loosening the intake manifold or cutting in to the shroud. I bought a new O'reily Brass bass oil sender along with the GM 1 1/16th deep socket and a universal swivel socket extension.
This job went extremely well and can be done in 30 minutes IF all goes well and you're on top of it. I bent a coat hangar and popped off the wire connector and fed the socket behind the manifold, hooked up rotated and pulled her right out. 5 minutes tops.
In my awesomeness I got all confident and placed the new sensor in to the socket and made a small "retaining tab" out of Teflon tape to hold the sensor in to the socket so it wouldn't drop. This works great because you can get it started in to the threads and then pull up on the tape to remove it. I'm so awesome I'm thinking to myself, moving it in to place and then...
*CLANK*
In all my epicness, I forgot to tape the actual socket to the extension.
After swallowing a thick mixture of pride I spent the next 2 hours fishing out the entire socket assembly with sensor out from behind the manifold.
I couldn't believe it. What a bonehead move. But after retrieving it, blood sweat and tears, I taped up the socket connections, fed it back down, lined it up with the threads and hand started it (important not to cross thread the aluminum block) and tightened her right up! After spending another 30 minutes trying to get the damn connector clip back on, the job was done!
So would I do it that way again? Yes. It's actually a very quick (but tricky) job if you take the proper precautions and use the right tools. Taking off the manifold isn't all that hard, but I didn't want to buy a new gasket and more than anything, this was a challenge I wanted to tackle to see if it's really possible and if I could do it.
It worked great and I now have an oil pressure reading. I was excited about that but that feeling of awesomeness sure escaped me quickly.
This job went extremely well and can be done in 30 minutes IF all goes well and you're on top of it. I bent a coat hangar and popped off the wire connector and fed the socket behind the manifold, hooked up rotated and pulled her right out. 5 minutes tops.
In my awesomeness I got all confident and placed the new sensor in to the socket and made a small "retaining tab" out of Teflon tape to hold the sensor in to the socket so it wouldn't drop. This works great because you can get it started in to the threads and then pull up on the tape to remove it. I'm so awesome I'm thinking to myself, moving it in to place and then...
*CLANK*
In all my epicness, I forgot to tape the actual socket to the extension.
After swallowing a thick mixture of pride I spent the next 2 hours fishing out the entire socket assembly with sensor out from behind the manifold.
I couldn't believe it. What a bonehead move. But after retrieving it, blood sweat and tears, I taped up the socket connections, fed it back down, lined it up with the threads and hand started it (important not to cross thread the aluminum block) and tightened her right up! After spending another 30 minutes trying to get the damn connector clip back on, the job was done!
So would I do it that way again? Yes. It's actually a very quick (but tricky) job if you take the proper precautions and use the right tools. Taking off the manifold isn't all that hard, but I didn't want to buy a new gasket and more than anything, this was a challenge I wanted to tackle to see if it's really possible and if I could do it.
It worked great and I now have an oil pressure reading. I was excited about that but that feeling of awesomeness sure escaped me quickly.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Funny stuff. 
BTDT!
Rule #1 for working on any vehicle with small cracks/crevices or "I can see'um but can't reach'em" places = EXTENDABLE MAGNET! Has saved my bacon more than once.
BTDT!Rule #1 for working on any vehicle with small cracks/crevices or "I can see'um but can't reach'em" places = EXTENDABLE MAGNET! Has saved my bacon more than once.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
LOL! After hearing some choice words from my mouth which should never be repeated, my wife bought me gloves with magnets built in the tips of the fingers. I didn't know such a thing existed. Now if they actually work...