I've already determined through help from this board that my OPSU is kaput. Do they leak when they've gone bad? Is there anything in particular I need to know about how to change it? I've never changed one out before.

 

it will leak if its broken. but they can go bad and not leak also. just disconnect wire, unscrew, put thread sealer on new one, screw in, hook wire back up and your good to go.

 

You make it sound pretty easy. It looks like it's in a pretty tight spot.

 

It is easy.
Everything's in a tight spot on these cars. That song changed when I had to start working on my 00 TA. Talk about packing it in.

 

I changed mine twice yesterday and will probably change it again this weekend with a brand new one.
Had one sitting in the garage so I decided to try that and it was dead, so I borrowed one from my friends Iroc and it reads funny, 45psi at idle and 60+ (60 is the max on my gauge) on WOT. I am pretty sure my 170K mile motor isn't producing that much pressure.
I have headers (no AIR tubes) and the HSR so there is plenty of space to see the sender and I just used a deep 19mm socket and short extension and had the ratchet near the bottom of the wiper motor.
Took a few seconds to remove and a few more seconds to put back on.

 

Just changed mine yesterday and the only tool that I could get to fit the stock unit is a 30mm wrench! The new one was only a 1 1/16 wrench. Mine just reads a constant 30 at all times so I dunno. I didnt tighten mine really tight but I did use teflon tape. I was afraid to tighten too much.

 

They have two senders if I recall corectly...a 40psi and a 60psi ...you need to check the gague in the dash and match its limit. I bought the wrong one and the guage is usually pegged.

 

FYI
If one wire, the ground circuit is completed through the sensor body, if the thread sealer isn't conductive the gauge won't work properly.

 

Well, I got the old one off, but now I'm having a heck of a time getting the new one to go in. My local parts store sold me a Borg Warner OPSU part number S996. It won't screw in. It just turns. In comparing the two, the old and the new, there is a slight difference in the overall size of the part, and it looks like the part that screws in on the old one is slightly more beveled. The old part screws right back in with no problem.

Does anyone have the correct part number?

1985 IROC-Z, 305, TPI.

 

DelCo D1829
Borg-Wagner sells Neihoff part# OP24721

 

Do not use Teflon tape, use an electrical conductive sealer i.e. graphite grease.

 

Hey thanks for the reply. I just put the old unit back in so I can drive the car today. I'll stop by after work and see if they have the one you mentioned.