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Help! Need drain plug advice

R

rollinstylee

Hard-core CEG'er
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Mar 30, 2007
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Location
Dublin, OH
I'm trying to install a pressure sending unit in the engine drain plug that is above and directly in between the oil filter and the back of the air conditioning compressor. I have unbolted the compressor to make more room, and the oil filter is off because the oil is drained. I have a 14mm hex socket that I'm using to try and get the plug out, along with a 1/2" drive U-joint and and extensions. I've doused it with PB Blaster and let it sit. Even with a 25" breaker bar I can't get it to budge. My setup is flexing so much I'm afraid to put any more torque on it. How have people gotten this huge plug out?
 
1. How have you been changing your oil if you can't get the plug loose?

2. There is no pressure in the oil pan. You sending unit will not read anything.

3. It will inevitably be hit by road debris, being the lowest part of the car, and cause you to lose all your oil and seize the engine.
 
Getting back to my question, can someone tell me how they got either that 3/4" NPT plug out or post a picture of the location (that is not on the head) where you installed an electric pressure sending unit? I see the 3/4" plug that I'm talking about in my original post, a similar plug on the rear of the block above the stock pressure switch (at least I think that's what that is, correct me if I'm wrong), and a smaller plug behind the A/C compressor that has zero clearance when the compressor is bolted in place. I want to know how people are doing this :shrug: haha.
 
Oh sorry, I misunderstood. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk. You might want to ask the people in the FI forum. They would know from having to run oil lines for turbos.
 
Sounds to me like you are in the right place if its pretty much right behind the A/C. I was able to get mine out without much difficulty. I dont know how far out of the way you can get the compressor but if you get really move it you could try an impact tool of some sort.

But really with 25" of breaker you should have NO issue.

After re-reading your first post....you might be on the wrong location. It was not a plug that I would ever use the word huge to describe. The one you need to be going for is pretty much directly behind the a/c compressor and you will be required to use a 90* elbow of some sort to attach a sending unit there as there is not enough room behind the compressor.

I have a mechanical gauge tapped in that location with no sending unit what-so-ever and there is barely enough clearance.

I need to re-do mine as it is leaking right now. If I do get into that this weekend I will try to get some pics.
 
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mcgarvey said:
Oh sorry, I misunderstood. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk. You might want to ask the people in the FI forum. They would know from having to run oil lines for turbos.
Click to expand...
no worries, misunderstanding

SHOgoFast said:
Sounds to me like you are in the right place if its pretty much right behind the A/C. I was able to get mine out without much difficulty. I dont know how far out of the way you can get the compressor but if you get really move it you could try an impact tool of some sort.

But really with 25" of breaker you should have NO issue.

After re-reading your first post....you might be on the wrong location. It was not a plug that I would ever use the word huge to describe. The one you need to be going for is pretty much directly behind the a/c compressor and you will be required to use a 90* elbow of some sort to attach a sending unit there as there is not enough room behind the compressor.

I have a mechanical gauge tapped in that location with no sending unit what-so-ever and there is barely enough clearance.

I need to re-do mine as it is leaking right now. If I do get into that this weekend I will try to get some pics.
Click to expand...

Yeah after moving the compressor a little I could see a smaller plug behind it but I have NO idea how I'd even get fittings in there to clear a path to pipe to the sender. The compressor bolts up so close to the block I can't even see the plug, so I can't imagine getting an elbow or nipples in there, but people say that's where they put it...I really need pics to see how this is done! I gave up on the 3/4" plug, it was too stubborn.
 
I think that large plug is actually a coolant line plug. So its a good thing you were not able to get it out.

I also have no idea how people are getting sending units in there either, thats why I went with a mechanical gauge. (It barely fits.)

I know stazi has said he was able to get some kind of a 90* setup in there. Hopefully someone will be able to post some pics of that.
 
Easiest and temp, pressure, and run a larger filter. I ran my line the way you're trying to do it before I bought the kit. Didn't want to remove it since it was setup already.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=186&fpart=1&vc=1

I'll be moving this kit to my SVT and will put the pressure in one boss and the oil temp. probe in the other.

If you're attempting to install an electrical oil press gauge (junk!) send it back and get a mechanical.

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Thanks for the pics and idea Todd, I hadn't thought about doing that before but now I am. I read that thread on the old forums but one of the pictures isn't hosted anymore so I couldn't see...did you mount the relocation kit on top of the stock cooler (if that was an SVT) or is the cooler gone? Also the links to the Ford Racing kit were dead so I searched Summit and found this, is this what I'd want? http://store.summitracing.com/partd...908331+4294924667+4294838983+115&autoview=sku


As for mech vs. elec, I completely understand why mech is "better" for pressure but I don't want the hassle and danger (both safety and leak-wise) of running tubing all the way to the cabin. Just personal preference, say what you will.
 
Nope. Not the one. Doesn't have the bosses to hook into. Well your personal preference sucks, sorry. What's the point if you're using an unaccurate elec. gauge? The only place you can put it is in the rear head freeze plug. Might as well not go through the trouble of having one at all of you're not doing mech. I didn't have an SVT cooler on that engine. It will still work with it though.

If you're going to mod a car do it the right way or don't do it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

Could I use that kit and just screw in a tee to the bypass adapter on the block before the barbed fitting for the hose, and tap the sender that way? I would assume the bypass adapter has pretty standard threads that I could find a tee for? Thx for the help.
 
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