Need to borrow a little person

[jasonmx5]

Anyone have a strong, tiny contortionist I could borrow and hold upside down by the ankles to remove the speed and reference sensors from my recently purchased '83 944?

Seriously, how do you get those out of there? The retaining bolts are hard enough to get to, but then how do you remove something that's been in place for 26 years?

Gratuitous pic as well:

[cvriv.charles]

Im pretty small and flexible but your a bit to far away. As to how they are removed. Cant help you. Never had to do that before. Sorry.

[mikepellegrini]

Nice looking car!

You twist the sensors to break them free, once you have the retaining bolt out.

You get the reference sensor (front one) out, then there's enough space to reach in and twist the speed sensor.

You can't really spray any solvent on them because potentially it could wind up contaminating your clutch.

If you really and truly can't twist them free, you can remove the sensor holder bracket. The problem is if you do that, then when you reinstall the sensors, they have to be gapped again.

Here's the testing procedure at Clark's: http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/ign-02.htm This also covers re-gapping the sensors.

[jasonmx5]

Thanks Mike. She looks good from there, but she does need some love. I bought her not running, and after checking compression to verify no bent valves, etc. figured it was either a DME Relay, Sensor or the computer. I've ruled out the Relay (cheapest solution) and am moving on to the sensors (more expensive - $120 for the set if you by the '87 BMW 535 ones), before I may have to look at the DME Computer (most expensive at ~$500+).

I've tried twisting them, yelling at them, swearing at them, etc., but none of that seems to work. Also having a tough time getting an angle on the hex heads to try to access the bracket. I can get my hand on the sensor, but can't get enough torque on the head of it to turn/pull it.

The good thing is that the car only has 66,727 miles, so once I get her running, I should have a nice little rolling project - as if my '77 Carrera 3.0 doesn't give me enough to do.

[mikepellegrini]

Jeeze - 67,000 miles is practically new! Probably get another 150-200,000 miles out of her.

Have you tested the sensors for resistance yet? The link I gave you above to Clark's Garage Service Manual has the impedance values.

If it was me, I'd check the resistance before spending a lot of time or money replacing them. In a low-mile car like that, I'd think the sensor'd be oaky.

There are a lot of other things that can cause a no-start condition.

Have you verified there is no spark? If so, it could still be the coil or even the plug wires or the rotor.

Clark's general troublshooting section: http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/ts-01.htm

If it is the DME, you oughta be able to find one for less than $500 - I picked one up for my 83 locally for $100. Just find someone who's parting a car out.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by jasonmx5

Thanks Mike. She looks good from there, but she does need some love. I bought her not running, and after checking compression to verify no bent valves, etc. figured it was either a DME Relay, Sensor or the computer. I've ruled out the Relay (cheapest solution) and am moving on to the sensors (more expensive - $120 for the set if you by the '87 BMW 535 ones), before I may have to look at the DME Computer (most expensive at ~$500+).

I've tried twisting them, yelling at them, swearing at them, etc., but none of that seems to work. Also having a tough time getting an angle on the hex heads to try to access the bracket. I can get my hand on the sensor, but can't get enough torque on the head of it to turn/pull it.

The good thing is that the car only has 66,727 miles, so once I get her running, I should have a nice little rolling project - as if my '77 Carrera 3.0 doesn't give me enough to do.

not to steal your thread, but do the sensors from a BMW 535 work?

[jasonmx5]

^
That's what I've been told. that the BMW Sensors are exactly the same with the exception that the wire is a little shorter.

[callmethewander]

i feel your pain! I never got mine out

[jasonmx5]

You are not instilling great confidence in me . . .

At any rate, I think I've narrowed it down to the speed sensor. Not getting any resistance reading on that one. Reference sensor gets a reading. Of course that is the sensor in the back, closest to the firewall that is the harder one to get out. I have gotten it to wiggle slightly.

[mikepellegrini]

If you can wiggle it, it'll come out. You just have to keep working it. It's a real pain, but do-able.

Persevere!

[jasonmx5]

You are right - it is a pain! A pain in my back, knees, forearm, fingers . . . You get the idea.

The other challenge is my limited time to work on it. I'm gone all next week on a business trip, and am trying to get a ton of other things done around the house before then. I can sneak out to the garage for 5 minutes at a time before the wife notices I'm missing, but don't get much more than that.

[Ian924s88]

yeah just sneak out there for 5 minutes at a time, wiggle the sensors each a little at a time, go back to wifey... repeat every day. When you get back from your trip, I'll come over with beer in hand & assist with making the 944 pretty. I'm tearing my 924s apart in a little awhile. putting the Correct Thermostat in! PO or his mechanic thought it was cool to install it without any gaskets, spacers or anything so it jingles in there.. oh well

[jasonmx5]

Originally Posted by Ian924s88

yeah just sneak out there for 5 minutes at a time, wiggle the sensors each a little at a time, go back to wifey... repeat every day. When you get back from your trip, I'll come over with beer in hand & assist with making the 944 pretty. I'm tearing my 924s apart in a little awhile. putting the Correct Thermostat in! PO or his mechanic thought it was cool to install it without any gaskets, spacers or anything so it jingles in there.. oh well

That may be the plan. New sensor should have arrived today, so a six pack and an extra hand might do the trick!

Nice find on your thermostat. Who needs all that stuff when you can just wrap a DELL t-shirt around it?

[exitwound]

Originally Posted by jasonmx5

^
That's what I've been told. that the BMW Sensors are exactly the same with the exception that the wire is a little shorter.

Wire is LONGER on the BMW M3 sensors I got from Bavarian Auto. About 6-10" longer each. I have slack in my sensor wires. But that's okay.

I have tiny hands and it's a tough job. I suggest pulling the wires off the harness at the top and moving their cables out of the way. I also disconnected the wiring that goes to the fuel injectors to push them out of the way. All vacuum lines in the way were disconnected too. This gives you just enough room to get a wrench down there. I used an 18" extension to loosen the bolts from the sensors though so I didn't have to put the wrench down there.

Cover all holes to the flywheel when doing this job

[thekidd]

before you go on your trip, put soe WD-40 or the oil of your choice on the sensors. I took mine out, and it took 2 days, 1 to break the sensors free and relize that my body cant take this job any more, and the second day, I finally got the speed senor out in about 5 mins. It is a much easier job if you take the fuel rail and mainfold off (in cludes taking air box, AFM, throttle bady, FPR/ and damper on fuel rail, intake manifold, oil filler tube, and maybee 1 other thing) If you take all of these off, it make the job a whole lot easier, but some time to re-assemble everything. GL, and take your time, dont get mad makes it harder

[Arizona_928]

I muscled mine off, but if doing that you'll definately have a busted nuckle by the time its done.
anyways here's a link. WTB: Speed and reference sensors i would recomend going with part # 0261210002. And you can get it for 105$ a set at ******** aswell.