Help with this sensor (Pics)

[jacketfan89]

Okay. I got my last bolt out of the clutch housing today along with the clutch release pin (which was MUCH easier than I thought it was going to be! yay!! The Housing was loose so I jiggled and tried to pull it off. It was caught on something.


Then I remembered. That stupid sensor (closest to the firewall) was still stuck down through the bracket and into the housing. AHHHHH. If you don't already know, I snapped the head right off of the sensor so now the actual metal sensor part is stuck about 1/8" down in the bracket.

I'm at a stand still. I can't see how to reach the allen bolts to remove the bracket. Hopefully someone can look at these pictures and tell me how.

So I labeled the parts I have questions about with letters.

A- Of course is the broken off sensor
B- Whatever this is (I know I should know) is in the way of the allen bolts. What is this and is it okay to remove it? Are there steps on clarks for removing it? Please tell me it doesn't require adjusting...
C-Allen head bolts (please don't be stripped)
D-Some other hose thing that's in the way. (Can this be loosened and tucked away somewhere else).



Thanks again for all the help,

Matt

[944 Ecology]

B is the heater control valve. If you move it there will be coolant leakage.

D is the DME wiring harness. Removing the clamp and moving the harness should not cause any leakage.

I have taken to throwing away the allen bolts and using plain old 13 mm bolts on reinstallation.

[jacketfan89]

Great. This sucks. Heres my plan. I've already had luck with this multi metal epoxy in the two syringes. I'm going to get a drill extension and try to get a selp tapping metal sheeting bolt to bite into the sensor...Then I'm going to back the screw out and coat the hole and the screw with the epoxy and screw it back in. I'll let that cure for a few hours and then pull like HELL with vice grips while twisting and turning until I can pull the sensor out.

Sound like a plan?

[earlr85944]

should work, i would also spray the sensor to bracket space with penetrating oil and heat bracket before pulling \ twisting

[John_AZ]

Matt,

Good as any. Better than dropping the engine.

I would use a screw with bigger thread pitch. A self tapping sheet metal bolt has fine threads. Maybe a standard long phillips head.

If the drill extension does not work due to adequate room, you could try a flex drive with a 1/8" bit on a hand power tool--Dremel

If you need a little extra room, from the picture, remove the cable clip on the heater control valve. Do not loose the clip!! The cable does come off as well.

The penetrating oil should help you get out the broken sensor. If you have some foaming engine cleaner, spray some on to help dissolve the dried grease in the sensor bracket. It might help loosen up the broken sensor when you try to pull it out.

If this does not work, TSNAPCRACKLEPOP, just hammered the bracket and got a new used sensor bracket when it broke into pieces.

If this is not an option, try to remove the bracket. You can crawl on top of the engine and with your left arm get to the passenger bracket bolt.
The drivers side bolt is easier to get from the bottom. Tilt the engine down a little but keep the floor jack under the pan (with wood block in between)

Get a small universal/swivel joint with a spring to hold it in place. Without the spring, the universal will flop all over. Get a couple of feet of extensions. Get a quality 6mm metric hex socket. Try to remove the bolt. It is about 1 1/2 inchles long. Maybe the bolt is not stripped.

When you replace the sensors in the bracket, wipe some antisieze on to prevent this from happening again. Cut out the bell housing area for the sensors as mentioned a few times earlier.

Good luck on the drill screw removal idea

John_AZ

[HondaDustR]

OMG...this is like the 5th "stuck speed/ref sensor" thread this past month! I sure would like to know how the mechanics at the dealerships did these things! Or did they just break stuff every time?!? Why is it made the way it is to begin with?

[Grandad#3]

Simple logic!! Pure German Engineering, just like any engineer, they never have to work on what they design or where ever they can make it fit on paper.

Cheers,
Larry

[kdjones2000]

FYI, getting the sensor out by itself probably will not solve your problem of dropping the bell housing. You need to get the bracket loosened and removed from the block, as it should have a sleeve as part of it that will still prevent the bell housing from dropping.

Use a couple of universal joints and extensions and try to get the bolts loosened from below maybe?

Good luck, Keith

[Techno Duck]

I vote for breaking the bracket. Seriously, they are not that expensive and are not all that sturdy and a quick run with a pry bar is all that's needed.

[Rasta Monsta]

Follow the Duck.

[jacketfan89]

FYI, getting the sensor out by itself probably will not solve your problem of dropping the bell housing. You need to get the bracket loosened and removed from the block, as it should have a sleeve as part of it that will still prevent the bell housing from dropping.



Use a couple of universal joints and extensions and try to get the bolts loosened from below maybe?



Good luck, Keith

I don't understand why the bellhousing would still be stuck...all of the guides people have written say the sensors just need to come out to get the bellhousing off and most reccommend NOT pulling the bracket. is it true that the bellhousing still won't come off even after I remove the sensor conpletely?

[John_AZ]

There may be a sensor sleeve in the sensor bracket. Just get a pick and slide it up 1 inch or so.

GL
John_AZ

[Techno Duck]

That sleeve was only on the later cars I think, in particular those with the smaller starters.

Interesting fact, that sleeve looks like aluminum but is made of nickle iron alloy which is very effective at EMF shielding. It's also about $75 new from the dealer.

BTW, if you put the smaller starter on your car which is now the only one available, yes you need the updated bracket and shielding sleeve. I put an older style unshielded bracket on my car after my clutch job and had tons of starting problems as a result. The EMF was causing hell on the sensor pickup.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by Techno Duck

That sleeve was only on the later cars I think, in particular those with the smaller starters.

Interesting fact, that sleeve looks like aluminum but is made of nickle iron alloy which is very effective at EMF shielding. It's also about $75 new from the dealer.

BTW, if you put the smaller starter on your car which is now the only one available, yes you need the updated bracket and shielding sleeve. I put an older style unshielded bracket on my car after my clutch job and had tons of starting problems as a result. The EMF was causing hell on the sensor pickup.

Thanks Techno Duck, I did not know what the sleeves purpose was.

John_AZ

[kdjones2000]

Originally Posted by jacketfan89

I don't understand why the bellhousing would still be stuck...all of the guides people have written say the sensors just need to come out to get the bellhousing off and most reccommend NOT pulling the bracket. is it true that the bellhousing still won't come off even after I remove the sensor conpletely?

Matt, as mentioned above it depends on what year your car is. If it is 87+ I think that you have that sleeve. If it is an early, then you may be okay....

[jacketfan89]

Thanks! it's an 84 so hopefully I'll be fine! We'll know tomorrow...cross your fingers! On a side note, I'm going to take pictures while putting everything back together! Should be a good reference! Thanks for the help,

matt

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

it sure has been "the summer of the sensors". chisel break was my solution, and it was fast, cost effective, and mentally rewarding.

[jacketfan89]

Alright...what are these sensors made of??? Supermetal? I could get any drill bit or screw to bite into the thing with that little clearance. I'm just going to break to freaking bracket...lol. Once the bell housing is off, I can remove the allen bolts...I'll cut the gap in my bell housing and gap the new sensors with the bellhousing off. Question is, easiest and quickest way to break this thing. Techno Duck said pry bar and tsnapcracklepop used a chisel. I'm going to lowes to buy whatever I need ONE more time and this better freaking work!

Thanks

Matt

[Techno Duck]

I just man handled the bell housing because it was hung up, that was after spending a few hours trying to get one of the sensors out. I didnt even realize i had that sleeve on there which is what was hanging it up.. after enough man handling i broke the bracket and the bell housing came right out followed by the broken bracket and sensor sleeve. Either method will work.



Do yourself a favor and slot the bell housing like this, with this simple 1 minute modification you will not have to remove the sensors if you ever have to do a clutch job again. You can also gap the sensors with the bell housing off the car.. makes like much easier.

[jacketfan89]

Good! I broke the sensor bracket off! Woohoo! but I missed a step on clarka garage and I can't figure out how to remove this cable clamp next to the sensors that's mounting the starter wires to the clutch housing. Any pointers?