Allright, who's the guy that engineered the lcoation of the oil pressure sensor on the 88 duke? I need to pay him a visit! First off, I had a heck of a time getting my big butt in a spot where I could reach it. Secondly, it is impossible to get a wrench of any kind on the sensor. I rummaged through my tool box and could not find a socket deep enough to fit over it. I spent almost the entire day running all over town looking for a "OP Sensor Socket" No one had one.

I had one last ORiellys to check - and like a dumb a$$, it was the one a block from my house. No good roten son of a ...... They had one. So I get home and wiggle my arm up in there and the socket will not fit over the body of the OP sensor. It fits the new one perfect. CRAP! So I get a 1&1/8" deep socket and persuade it onto the body of the old sensor, get a ratchet on it and get 1/4 turn before it snaps part of the body off the sensor. I managed to get it loose enough that I could take it out by hand.

New one installed and what do you know - the gauge works. Ok, rant over - now you can jump in here and tell me all the different - easier ways there is to get this done....lol

Pat

I feel your pain. Did this myself back in October on my 88 duke...Never again...I'll pay the $35 to a garage to get the next one changed

Easiest way to do it is grab an open end wrench (1 1/4" I believe. May be a 22 mm...Its quite large and odd sized, had a hell of a time trying to find the right size), take out the coils and the crank sensor as one unit, and wrench it out slowly. Its a b*tch to do, but gets enough room to get the wrench in there to get it out. Just be careful when you pull the coils off, if you have the original crank sensor its not hard to snap off...Ask BackonHoliday all about that one

Thanks X,

I looked at those coil packs but could not muster enough courage to dismantle them - my luck the damn thing would not start after I put it back together. The next one will be easy as this OP sensor socket fits over the body and I can get my hand up in there to move a ratchet. I love these cars........

quote Originally posted by katatak: Thanks X, I looked at those coil packs but could not muster enough courage to dismantle them - my luck the damn thing would not start after I put it back together. The next one will be easy as this OP sensor socket fits over the body and I can get my hand up in there to move a ratchet. I love these cars........

IIRC, its 3 bolts that hold the coil pack mounting bracket down. But on the back is a 6.5 mm I believe that is bolted to the crank sensor.

Reinstallation isn't really hard if you trace your wires from the plug forward. IIRC, the packs go from left to right 4-2-3-1. If they are original, I believe they are marked. If I can do it, I'm sure anyone can

I guess you haven't replaced an alternator yet, or a door lock cylinder. The oil pressure sending unit is maybe a 4 out of 10 on the PITA scale.

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1984 Fiero SE

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: I guess you haven't replaced an alternator yet, or a door lock cylinder. The oil pressure sending unit is maybe a 4 out of 10 on the PITA scale.

The altenator on a Duke does not appear to be too difficult, but I have not had to do one yet. The door cylinder, however.... #@$#@^%$#@%$#*^%$$%^*%$* Been there, done that.

Jim

Yes I too have done a couple of door lock cylinders but I had the doors off and tore completely apart I could see that being a PITA with the door on the car. I have done an alternator on an 86 V6 and an 88 V6 - the 88 was definitely tougher than the op sensor.. I guess my complaint on the duke op sensor is that there is all this room in there and they have to stick it the tightest place in there. Maybe I was just having a bad day today....Just was agravating.

Now I was looking at the alternator on the duke and it looks bad to me. That will be a project for another day - with lots of beer.

at our place the PITA award still goes to the 2.8 water pump. words cannot describe my feelings for the OEM round head mounting bolts. the bolts were of course frozen/rusted in place, we managed to get some out and broke one and then on the final bolt the inner hex rounded out and we ended up with a hacksaw blade and cold chisel to cut/break the head off. before we were done i had run out of curse words and was making up new ones as i went along :-) that particular jewel ended up mounted on my garage wall as a reminder/warning to all present and future cars "dont %^&* with me, you'll lose" :-)

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: I guess you haven't replaced an alternator yet, or a door lock cylinder. The oil pressure sending unit is maybe a 4 out of 10 on the PITA scale.

I did the alt on my 88 duke before I did the OP sender...You are correct, it is a PITA and a half. Everyone here told me to take it out the wheel well...ended up squeezing it under the intake mani and out past the cruise servo and can

Never again do I want to change the alt on this car. But I fear it may happen sooner than later Think its on its way out again after 8 months

quote Originally posted by wolf63: before we were done i had run out of curse words and was making up new ones as i went along :-) that particular jewel ended up mounted on my garage wall as a reminder/warning to all present and future cars "dont %^&* with me, you'll lose" :-)

Amen Brother!... I have a few of those myself!

My biggest PITA nut was one of those stamped steel nuts that hold the firewall bank exhaust manifold heat shield on...
To this day I still hold that rusted piece of debris as the acorn of all things I hate.