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Oil Pressure Sender broke off in the block (Brass)
Brass oil pressure sensor broke off in the block. The EZ-out did not work very well. As you can see in the picture I got most of it out but not all of it. I also used a vacuum with a modified hose to clean out the hole.
I want the least amount of debris in the motor. What is the best way to repair this? Helicoil? Tap?
I was thinking turning the engine over (without starting) to squirt some of the oil out of the hole. The problem is the sensor hole is located down stream from the oil filter.
This thread was almost the same situation but I need to re-tap. https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...nit-hole-3163/
Tap the hole to the appropriate size and coat the tap with cosmoline or wheel bearing grease. The grease will catch any metal chips formed when you tap the block.
Tap the hole to the appropriate size and coat the tap with cosmoline or wheel bearing grease. The grease will catch any metal chips formed when you tap the block.
It would be messy, you could also start the engine and use the engine oil pressure to blow out the chips. Definitely have a helper in the drivers seat! I’m guessing 50-60 psi and the volume of oil will clean out any debris pretty well!
It's pipe thread. How badly mangled is the hole? First Guess: Put the same-size pipe thread tap in that hole, tap it another one or two turns deeper, and you're fine. Maybe you have to use a brass nipple with female-female adapter to get deep enough in the re-tapped hole.
You can see the hole in the picture above. Its not horrible. I was planning on trying the 1/8 NPT Tap first. If that doesn't work I will drill out the hole and try again with the 1/8 NPT tap.
Personally, I'd want to ensure as much of the debris is gone as possible. You know for a fact any metal debris which resides in the system is surely going to find it's way into the oil pan and be sucked up through the oil pump screen. It may not be a ton, why risk not knowing.
(1) I'd take a long armed swivel magnet insert it into the hole & remove what you can;
(2) I'd remove the drain plug from the oil pan, and drain all of the oil;
(3) Next, I'd take several gallons of diesel fuel and run several gallons of diesel fuel through the hole - allowing all the fuel to obviously exit the oil drain plug removing what metallic 'debris' may exist;
(4) Refill w/ oil;
(5) Run engine and drive about 20 miles;
(6) Perform another complete oil change.
Get a speeder handle (ratchet and extension would also work) and a six-point socket that fits the oil pump drive shaft. (5/16, I think.) Have a helper turn the speeder handle one revolution per second or slower, just enough to push oil out the sending unit hole. Re-tap the hole with oil flowing out of it; so all chips are forced out of the oil gallery.
Yeah, you'll need a drain pan under the engine to catch the mess.
Last edited by Schurkey; Apr 12, 2020 at 10:32 PM.
Drilled out using 11/32 bit. Used bearing grease to limit debris falling down hole. Used tap coated with grease doing 3 turns then cleaning the tap. I continued this process around 15 times until the tap was clean. I disconnected the coil and used a 1/8 NPT nipple with a hose connected to water bottle. I cranked the engine multiple times until the bottle had a good amount of oil in it. I tried to upload pics but it did not complete. I will try again later
Umm.. Why the tape on new, non-used NPT-fittings? Id get it if they were used, have had few leak which been opened and closed multiple times, but new ones should hold.
Umm.. Why the tape on new, non-used NPT-fittings? Id get it if they were used, have had few leak which been opened and closed multiple times, but new ones should hold.
I have use tape on all NPT. I realize it may not be necessary but I did not want to find out after the fact.
Umm.. Why the tape on new, non-used NPT-fittings? Id get it if they were used, have had few leak which been opened and closed multiple times, but new ones should hold.
Teflon tape is used as a lubricant so the threads don't gall. That ensures the threads get good engagement so they make the seal. The tape does not provide the seal. Well, the tape shouldn't provide the seal. Crappy NPT parts + loads of tape = kinda sorta works.
Even though brass is inherently slippery, seating brass NPT parts together dry will tear the snot out of the threads.
I use Teflon tape to create a thin barrier between metals so they don't corrode together and break off later. I am very careful about the beginning and ends of the Teflon tape. They ALWAYS stick OUT of the hole. On smaller pipe I never wrap closer than 1/8" from the end of the pipe....more than 1/8" on larger pipe.
Teflon TAPE is a terrible thing to do to an oiling or fuel system. When you remove those parts, you'll shred the tape, which may or may not then enter the oil passages.
Far better to use Teflon- (PTFE-) based paste. Has all the advantages of tape, (seals, prevents thread gauling) with essentially none of the drawbacks other than price.
There's as many Teflon- (PTFE-) based "pipe dopes" as there are manufacturers. My favorite--proven superior in actual use at the Bus Plant--is some version of Loctite-Permatex "PST" (Pipe Sealer with Teflon, except Teflon is a registered trademark and Henkel is not big on paying to use it.) #592 is the easiest to source, and works great. #565 and #567 are also recommended, but harder to find and potentially more expensive. All of these have an anaerobic chemical that hardens in the absence of air, just like "Loctite" thread-lockers except more mild.
