I was installing a new water temperature sensor a few days ago and the thing just snapped off in the block. I hardly applied any torque to it, less then half as much as I used to loosen the old one, and that came out pretty easily. Are the temperate sensors usually this delicate? How much torque should I use on these things? (Once I get the broken one out and buy another one, that is). I don't seem to remember having these difficulties a year ago when I was putting the engine in.

Also, I had to remove the oil pressure sensor to get to it, and after this I'm wondering just how much torque this guy will take. I've also forgotten whether I need to use gasket maker on the pressure sensor or not.

Any help from those have done either of these jobs before would be greatly appreciated.

 

With these engine blocks being aluminum, you don't need to apply that much pressure, especially with sensor fittings. You could use a little bit of the teflon goo on the fittings. And as far as how tight: snug them down (with a wrench) and then about 1/4 to 1/2 a turn more to tighten it.

 

extractor but dotn use it with a drill. just tap it in slightly until it catches, then turn in counter clockwise by a small adjustable wrench/plier

 

It's a tapered thread. You're not supposed to torque it.

 

I use either a teflon based pipe joint compound, or the good ole gray lead/lindseed oil joint compound found at any hardware store. The teflon compound works better since it doesn't harden/set as much as the gray sealer will due to heat cycling.

 

I've broken one in an engine once. I lightly tapped in an easy out and got it out. It had straight threads.

REVHED, read this (scroll to bottom). Some had tapered threads. Most have straight. http://www.mazdatrix.com/79-85Electrical-Engine.htm

 

Hate bringing a 3 year-old dead thread to the top but I did the same dang thing this weekend. The Temp sensor took a decent amount of pressure to get it lossened, I swear the new one I didn't even tighten the thing and it broke off. I am going to try Jeff20B's idea, but has anyone else had the sensor snap off? I can think of better things to waste 20 bucks on then a broken sensor
Bryan

 

85fb: the housing he's putting the sensor in isn't aluminum.

the sensor body is brass and will break easily. it should thread in fairly easily unless u got it cross threaded the reason u had to wrench it in, or the threads in the housing were dirty. it seals by the washer under it, it's not a pipe thread so there's no taper. i broke mine off during assembly after rebuild only because i didn't plug the hole during the painting process. it broke just before it got to the washer. so i got a mechanical gauge kit and put the probe in the back of the wp.

edit: just realized this was an old thread til after posting. didn't even read thru it all.