Well here's a new one...

[tirwin]

File this under "crazy things previous owners do."

My oil level sender has never really worked. It had a mind of it's own. Sometimes it would work, most of the time not. That's ok because I never relied on it.

There is a pretty good leak at the gasket around the sending unit on the oil tank. I have the engine out and I'm fixing leaks so I figure I can spring for the $1 or whatever a new gasket costs.

First thing I do is disconnect the wiring and there was some black goo everywhere under the rubber boot. It was some type of sealant. Sticky as hell and it closely approximated the consistency of whale boogers. I got it all over my hands and I couldn't put my wrench down! Good thing I was wearing nitrile gloves. It looked like somebody thought the leak was coming from where the male spade goes through the plate and connects on the inside. Uh, no. I don't know what the heck that stuff was for.

After I cleaned up that mess I started backing off the 8mm nuts and 3 of them put up some resistance but nothing too bad. I got them off and then I tried to pull the sender off. Well it didn't want to come off without a fight. Someone had chimped the nuts down -- I can only guess in an attempt to stop the leak -- so hard that the metal edges of the holes in the plate had compressed to the point that they basically became springs. As I pulled the plate back they basically sheared like corkscrews and now the holes are bigger and jagged.

And the seal was completely shot. It just crumbled into pieces.

I can understand some hack job fixes. But good grief... All that for a $1 gasket?

Now I just need to figure out if I can rehab this sending unit.

Oh and no extra dipsticks found in the tank, so that's a plus...

[mnez]

The goo on the spade may be why it was erratic.
Mine was like that, but clean tight connections at the sender solved it.
Now it is actually useful.

[tirwin]

I think you're right. I wonder what that junk was and who put it there? That gasket had to be original to the car. I'll put new connectors on the wiring and clean it up. The plate is warped. -- might be from me trying to pull it off. I'll have to see if I can straighten it up enough to get a good seal.

[93nav]

What I want to know, is exactly how do you know what the consistency of a whale booger is?

[timmy2]

What I want to know, is exactly how do you know what the consistency of a whale booger is?

^^^ this^^^

[Ronnie's.930]

^^^ Bob K sez they're delicious on Wheat Thins!

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by 93nav

What I want to know, is exactly how do you know what the consistency of a whale booger is?

My guess is there's a Sea World story involved. Probably goes along the lines of "I was enjoying the show when all of a sudden Shamu sneezed on me!"

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by 93nav

What I want to know, is exactly how do you know what the consistency of a whale booger is?

[chrisbruck]

Originally Posted by tirwin

Oh and no extra dipsticks found in the tank, so that's a plus...

Wouldn't it be a "plus" to find extras? Then you some spares!

[Ronnie's.930]

Originally Posted by tirwin

Oh and no extra dipsticks found in the tank, so that's a plus...

Originally Posted by chrisbruck

Wouldn't it be a "plus" to find extras? Then you some spares!

I thought Tim meant that he didn't find Reid or Wild Willy in the oil tank!?!?!

[T77911S]

i did a thread on reuilding/repairing the sending unit. search for it.

a lot of people put that system down but i think it is because they dont know how to use it.
its really complicated ya know.
get it working and never pull a dipstick again.

[tirwin]

Ronnie, you made stuff come out my blowhole! I need a little warning next time.

T77911S, I saw your thread. I think the sender itself is probably ok. I think the plate will need a few whacks with a straightenin' hammer. I started to do a more thorough investigation but after i cleaned up the years of caked oil schmeg of the tank, I decided to have a beer instead. I will take a closer look today.

It's not a big deal at the end of the day. You just wonder what other people were thinking sometimes...

In retrospect I should've resurrected the "things that make you go.. dammit!" thread.

[93nav]

Ah, your day job. You can move pretty fast when you need to.

Originally Posted by tirwin