honestly, other than that and the oil cooler lines, that's all that's keeping me from removing my engine, but i can't figure out how to get it off! do i need to get a flare wrench, because i feel like my normal wrench is going to strip it if i try to turn it any more (it's kind of at an angle already, because you can't get to it perfectly)

 

Ok. I'll bite. How does the non removal of the water thermo switch keep the engine from coming out? Your talking about the switch on the back of the water housing???????

 

sorry hailers, maybe i've got the name wrong. maybe it's the coolant temp sender unit? the one near the rear of the motor, close to the oil filter pedestal

 

I think you're talking about the oil pressure gauge sender. You don't need to remove it, just unplug it.

 

i guess i could be wrong, but that part looks like it's screwed in....and it's *on* the block, on the rear plate i believe

 

There are 2 things there.

Oil pressure sender-
Big and anodized gold. Threads into the rear iron... comes off with a 17mm wrench

Water temp sensor for the stock gauge-
Small, threaded into the rear iron, comes off with a 12mm socket.

You can leave both of these on the engine when you pull it out. Just unplug them.

 

Yeah. I'm still not relating to the problem. The sensors have elect plugs/connectors on them and the connectors just pull off. It must be another thing your talking about.

Oh. The oil pressure sensor comes off using a 14MM wrench, not 17mm, at least on a series four car. Been there, done that toooooo many times.

 

I must be thinking of an FD then.

 

ok, it's the temperature gauge sender...oh, you mean that it just pulls directly out??? that area's so covered with oil and dirt that i can't tell much, so i didn't want to try to just pull it off (as the wire is a pretty small gauge).

thanks guys, hopefully now i'll have my engine out tomorrow (as long as it doesn't rain)

 

Well it doesn't just pull out of the motor, but the sensor (for both of them) has a plug that the wire is connected to which you can just pull off with pliers or your fingers...

 

I had the same issue.

I'm building a Pro-7 and was testing out if the gauges in the new (to me) car work.
Wanted to see if the gauge moved before I ran the engine.
When it's not been off in a while this sucker does not some off nicely.
Do not try and pull it by the wire!
I used a pair of pliers that are used to take off radiator spring clamps as the recess went around the base of the wire plug and grabbed around it without crushing it. A few twists and it pulled off.