Oil sending unit is leaking , tube looks in good condition not rusty ... However I took some thread tape and put on area behind the fitting on the block .. I am hoping this is enough to help stop the leak along with tightening down more , I am thinking maybe I just didnt tighten enough after reinstalling since I took it off to do my wiring harness routing with cradle in the car....... Wish me luck that the leak is gone along with luck on progress on my first fiero to actually get it to run for the first time since I have owned it.... I was looking forward to having it ready yesterday the 2nd because it was my birthday but tracking down oil leak when daylight was running out made it impossible.... So basically just looking for some reassurance mainly that I am not wasting my time reinstalling rather than buying another one because 44 bucks without shipping on fiero store sounds up there even though its stainless.
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02:56 AM
PFF
System Bot
imacflier Member
Posts: 946 From: Levittown, NY, USA Registered: Apr 2002
BEWARE of using tape in the oil pressure monitoring system! The ground for the sensor is through the threads! Putting tape on the threads on the pipe going into the block may block that ground and your gauge will peg high as soon as you turn the key to ON! If you noticed there is a narrow strip of sealant on the threads of the sender....it is narrow to ensure the remaining threads will provide a ground. I THINK the ground path is through the pipe to the block, so putting tape on those threads is likely to cause you problems.
I can confirm that the ground is indeed through the threads of the sender. I'd also like to point out that if the sender is leaking from the body and not just because it wasn't tight enough, you should replace it without procrastinating. I seem to recall there being a thread here 6 months ago where somebody's car caught fire because the sender body leaked, then failed outright sending hot oil all over the place.
If it's the canister type sending unit becareful to use the metal base only to tighten it, if you apply torque to the plastic housing in an effort to tighten it the housing may slip on the base and that may lead to a leak at the joint that can appear to be a leak from the threaded area.
Thank you for the heads up and the information.... Well I am going to leave thread tape off of the threads , and I got some under the fitting and I think maybe still forms contact from the front of the fitting to the expanded end of the fitting on the tube. So I will see if still leaks hopefully doesnt and was just from being loose cause im tired of delays and more out of pocket costs.
Isnt the mounting plate on the tube ALSO a ground since its going to the block , so do I really need to worry that much about thread tape causing a ground problem?
Yes you still need to concern yourself about grounding the sender through the threads because the tape will electrically isolate the sender from the tubing, the bracket, and the socket effectively making it no different than if you were to mount the sender in a block of plastic.
If the sender and it's accompanying tube is properly installed, it shouldn't be leaking oil at all. In fact, if properly installed it would have the chance to leak oil out of a unit failing in itself before it leaked oil out of any of the threaded portions.
Just properly torque both the tube and the sending unit to specs and you should not be seeing leaks nor have to worry about them. I would also do as mentioned above and make sure oil did not get onto any of the components in that area. Typically when they fail on the 2.8L V6 the first place the oil goes to is the lower coolant hose and the A/C & drive belt.
Well I pulled the thread tape back a bit to where the thread fitting should make contact with the expanded fitting but good news is the leak was happening only from starter cranking before which means would of been a horrible leak under engine rpm , now the leak is gone under starter rpm so hopefully when the engine is crunk it wont leak. I will see how the guage is working once I get base timing set and car started.... It started raining before I got a chance to pull the distributor and set it.
Guys, That tube has Flare joint, Yes? Then goes into brass fitting next to the oil filter....
Flare is the seal. Using pipe tape is not needed and not wanted.
Brass goes into the engine... Pipe dope is needed there.
Pipe tape there should not be an issue if the bolt that holds sender end get a good ground.
BUT
Read Oil Sender in my cave and TSB attach. Use 88 sender and eliminate the tube and brass fitting.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Guys, that tube has Flare joint, Yes? Then goes into brass fitting next to the oil filter.... flare is the seal.
It's hard to know exactly where it was leaking based on his description. At first he said the sender was leaking, then he said "the area behind the fitting on the block" whatever that means. You're right ogre if he's talking about the tube to block fitting... that's a flared joint... no need for sealants there. If he's talking about the sender to the pipe, then it's a tapered pipe fitting which needs sealant, just not teflon tape.
Its for my 88 fiero gt , the area leaking or was leaking not sure yet havent had a chance to inspect after reinstalling............. is at the fitting to the engine block not leaking from around the threads but oil drips from under the fitting from making its way between the flare and the fitting. Thats why I put a little bit of thread tape under the fitting to try to stop the leak its either stopped or slowed but havent been able to check enough and not under engine rpms just starter rpms so far to know if the leak is gone
My car does not have a brass fitting coming out of the area next to the oil filter , so I need one? its just the fitting on the actual flared end of the tube thats going into the block 88 fiero.
