need help with oil press. swich

bob hodges · 02-12-2002, 07:55 PM

anyone tell me how to change the oil press swich on my 80SC without lowering the engine?

Bob 80SC Guards Red

JDaniel · JDaniel's Garage

Are you talking about the one just to the right of the fan shroud?

khyden · 02-13-2002, 12:35 AM

Hi,

if it is the one on the left side of fan. I had a wrench bent in 90 degrees and the swich comes off easily.

Kris

cary · 02-13-2002, 03:52 AM

Oil Pressure switch is behind the air box.
Oil Pressure sender is to the right of the fan. Along with the Oil Temp sensor.

I have a K & N filter on my car. So I can reach around and get at it. Not easy, but do-able. So you might have to remove the air box to at it.

Suggestion given to me on a post. Before you put in the new switch. Put a bead of glue around the seam of the sender. Where the fiber part is pressed into the metal part. Might make it last a little longer next time. Can't hurt. I've started using GOOP Automotive Glue for these types of things. Seems to be working.

Good Luck ..........

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

I bought an MIT wrench (made in taiwan) from the hardware store and cut it off very short. A crows foot wrench (same as cutoff, but with a socket hole in it) should work as well...

beepbeep · 02-13-2002, 05:31 AM

i removed airbox on my 930 to change it...

RoninLB · 02-13-2002, 06:29 AM

A partial engine drop is not complicated. A double jointed midget could be of assistance in getting to rear of air box.

beepbeep · 02-13-2002, 09:47 AM

Seriously, it's a no-brainer...just detach the airbox and you'll be able to reach it w/o problems...

It's a usual oil-leak culprit.

Takes 30 minutes to change it ... even for a programmer like me :-)

gslater · 02-13-2002, 12:45 PM

Assuming that we're properly talking about removing the oil pressure switch, behind the air box, and not the sender, I've done this twice on my '80 SC without dropping the engine.

It was not the most fun thing I've ever done. After removing the air box cover, and removing the U-shaped rubber boot on top of the throttle stuff, it was just a lot of fiddling until I learned how to twist my arm and wrist just the right way. I'm 6' 3", 230 lbs., and my hands are correspondingly sized, which didn't help.

The first time, I spent much, much time (something well over an hour, if I recall correctly) fumbling around in the dark, twisting my arms/wrists into weird shapes, fishing for the switch a number of times after dropping it from my oily fingertips, and so on. Getting the old one out was easy using a socket and an extension. Getting the new one down between the various wires and tubes and such required much finesse. I used a flashlight and a mirror to try to get a good look at the area, which helped me to visualize what I was doing.

While my big hands were a disadvantage, I'm quite sure my long arms were an ADvantage. Reaching over the top of the engine, I could hold the switch in my fingertips, and just barely reach far enough to get the switch started in the threads. This is why I dropped the switch several times and had to go fishing.

The second time I undertook this task, it still wasn't easy, but it did go faster, and I think I only dropped the switch once. Dropping the switch in there can really suck, especially if it bounces its way back toward the rear of the car, under the CIS stuff.