Replacing my oil pressure sender... quick question

[MysticLlama]

I'm working on getting my oil pressure sender off, and it's stuck beyond belief (been there 24 years, guess that makes sense)

I haven't got it to break yet, but the block that it's attached to has become very loose, and I'm starting to get some oil drips out of it. It's handy because now I can rotate it wherever I want to keep wrenching on the nut for the sending unit, but I want to make sure I'm not going to break it.

To unhook it from the oil line over the top of the chain tensioner plate, there is a nut going between this block and the oil line, I'm guessing that will let me pull it out or tighten it up.

1.) Am I right in assuming that's the way to get it out?
2.) If I remove it and replace it, or just adjust it, how tight is it supposed to be? It seems that it's supposed to be able to rotate forward and back a little, so I don't want to overtighten it.

Sorry for the dumb question, I just have a bad habit of breaking things when having to apply a lot of pressure, and don't quite understand how it all goes together. I can't find anything about it in the Haynes Manual.

[masraum]

THose buggers can be very tight. You really don't want to break anything, the good guys on this list JW and/or Warren, probably both, recommend removing the block from the engine to replace the sender. That way you can put it into a vice to get the sender out.

Mine was pretty tight and not able to rotate, I'd keep it that way.

[MysticLlama]

Okay, I've been pretty close to coming to that conclusion as well, it will probably need a vise.

How do I get the block out? I have the nut attached to the block, adn the end on the oil line, but it's hard to tell which one is supposed to be held tight and which one is supposed to rotate. Either way I try the whole oil line comes with it, so I've been very gentle so far.

[Jim Sims]

Mounting block is secured (clamped) to engine case with a hollow screw that passes all the way through the block and into the case. The oil line to the passenger side cam tower is disconnected from the hollow screw, the hollow screw is then loosened (the mounting block with the sender doesn't turn) and pulled out of the case and the mounting block comes with it. Some of the oil pressure senders are in the mounting block very tightly and it is difficult to apply the torque necessary to loosen them while still installed on the engine plus it is even more difficult to react the torque and it ends up passing through the hollow screw into relatively short and weak threads in the aluminum or magnesium case. If the threads in the case are ruined the repairs are difficult/impossible to properly effect without basically a full engine tear down. It takes a little more time to remove the mounting block from the engine and one needs to replace several metal sealing washers in the process but given the risk of ruining the case I prefer and recommend removing the mounting block to a bench top vise. Cheers, Jim

[Jim Sims]

[MysticLlama]

Damn, erased the whole thing.

I tightened it back up, it seems so-so, I guess I'm just going to leave it for the moment.

hopefully it didn't pull all the way, and there was an extra thread or so to latch onto.

It's better now, but I think I may have that screw replaced when it's in the shop just to be sure.

Right now I'm going to quit messing with it before I give myself a heart attack.

[Jim Sims]

You may be able to do this or have it done:

Stripped mag case where oil line go's

If it works, thank John Walker. If you elect to try this, let me know and I'll post the Porsche part numbers of the plugs/bushings. Jim

[MysticLlama]

It's already going to John's shop on the 5th, I just wanted to change what "seemed" to be a couple of easily replaceable items on the top beforehand, because I'm really anxious to be driving it again.

I'll make sure that I point it out to him so it can be checked over.

Now to clean up the big oil mess I made.