Installation of Pressure Sender
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Tools/Parts Needed:

1 - wratchet
1 - 10mm socket
1 - 24mm socket or wrench
1 - 19mm socket or wrench
1 - Flat-head screwdriver
1 - roll 18 gauge (or thicker wire)
1 - set of wire labels
1 - wire cutter
1 - wire stripper
1 - bundle of tie-wraps
1 - roll of electrical tape

  (these come in the pressure sender set)
1 - angle adapter
1 - pressure sender
1 - 19mm bolt
2 - crush washers

Make sure your car is cool before working on this part.

Step 1.

Remove the airbox.  Use a 10mm socket for the two bolts and a flathead screwdriver
to loosen the airhose from the box.  You need to disconnect the airflow sensor connector
on the airhose.  Now, disconnect the part of the airbox that feeds from the grille.  There is
a hook on the airbox that attaches to a hose.  Unhook this.  Then, to remove the airbox,
you want to pull up on the side closer to the back of the car.  It takes a little bit of finessing,
but it doesn't require too much force to pull out.
Step 2.
Once the airbox is removed, you should unfasten three more connectors.  The first
is connected to the alternator.  The second is inserted into the oil filter housing
pointing towards the passenger side.  The third is also inserted into the oil filter
housing, but points towards the front of the car.  This last connector is the one
connected to the factory pressure sender and feeds into the oil pressure idiot light
on your instrument panel.  Remember this connector for later.

Now you should have acess to the factory pressure sender.  You'll need a 24mm socket
or wrench to remove it.  Once it's removed, clean it and put it away.

Step 3.
You should assemble the VDO pressure sender.  Screw the pressure sender into the
angle adapter and tighten until it's snug (don't overtighten).  Now, you'll need
to cut two wires and attach them to each terminal of the sender.  The first one should
be about 1.5 car lengths and the second can be 6 inches.  The longer one will feed into
the oil pressure gauge and should be fastened to the "G" terminal of the sender.  Then,
fasten the shorter wire to the "WK" terminal.  Next, take the bolt that goes through
the angle adapter and put it through one of the crush washers.  Then, put the bolt through
the angle adapter and put a crush washer on the other side of the adapter so that it
looks like (in order): bolthead, washer, adapter, washer.  Now that the sender assembly
is complete, position it so that you can bolt it into the oil filter housing.  I was only
able to find one position that fits.  Once you've positioned it, screw the bolt in by
hand, but don't tighten it yet.  The position I found gets close to blocking the alternator
connector so you want to put the connector back in before tightening the sender assembly
down.  Once everything is ready, use a 19mm socket and tighten the bolt on the sender
assembly.  There is a torque spec. for this bolt, but I have no idea how you can get a
torque wrench in there to begin with so I just tightened to the point where I could feel
the washers begin to crush (that's why they're called crush washers).
Step 4.
The next thing to do is to splice the shorter wire into the idiot light connector.  You
can strip the wire and push it into the connector contact and glue and tape it all together
with electrical tape.
Step 5.
Now, put all the connectors you've removed back in and reinstall your airbox.
 


Copyright (c) August 2001 by Lance Leong.  All rights reserved.