My oil pressure guage has been pegging out recently, so I took it to the mechanic, and they tell me it's the oil pressure switch. They want to charge $182 to replace it. I'm no mechanic, but I've been reading the forums, and it seems like a pretty easy fix. So I bought a new sender at Advance for $32.

When I get under the car, I see that there's no room to get a wrench in there to get this stupid thing off. So I go back to advance, and there's a special socket I need that goes over the sender. Yay for GM. I get the 1 & 1/16 inch socket that fits over the new sender. I get back under the car, and the socket is TOO SMALL for the old sender. So I go back and get a 1 & 3/16 inch socket, which PRESUMABLY fits over the old one.

Why am I only presuming? Because I can't get the damn thing over the old sender! There's not enough room to slip the stupid socket on! Is there anyone out there who's changed this piece that can give me any hints on how to go about doing it? At this point, I'm just trying to rip the damn thing off. I already broke the plastic piece that holds the wiring in.

Also, I read that I might have problems keeping the fuel pump running without the switch connected. I started the car up and it ran fine for about a minute, but I want to make sure I haven't painted myself into a corner here. Any help is appreciated.

 

Hey man I just went through this myself earlier today.lol If yours is above the oil filter it should be the same as mine. I couldnt get my socket over the stock on either because its about 1/2 an inch bigger than the one advance sells. I sprayed the crap outa mine with pb blaster then fought with it awhile with vise grips and pliers and finally got it out.
after that i could use the sensor socket on the new one without any trouble. wasnt really sure how tight to tighten it in though. try that with the pliers and see if you can get it out.

 

woow thank you op i was gonna ask the same thing bout three weeks ago but had found some other things out that were easier to fix, but i have the same problem, i shall change mine out once someone gives us some advice! haha

 

Thanks, J-Money. But how'd you even get in there with the vice grip and pliers? There doesn't seem to be nearly enough room there for that, either. I was fumbling around down there with a wrench and pliers for a bit before biting the bullet and heading out to buy the sockets. It seems like I'd have to get something with a really short handle to even be able to turn it with so little room down there. I spent so many hours putzing around with this stupid thing only to end up with failure. It's the sort of thing I wish someone would do a Youtube video of, because after all the things I've tried, I'm still stumped.

 

I couldnt get any of my wrenches on there to be honest with you. and I didnt have much luck with the vise grips either. The channel locks were the best thing to use because of the angle that there at. And be sure you grab the metal base of the sensor because the plastic part will just keep spinning if you try to turn it with that part.
But if you have pb blaster try spraying it with some of that first, it should make it a little easier to remove. If you got you new sensor from advance and its like mine then it should be much easier to get in there than the old one is to get out.

 

Alright, thanks for the tips. It looks like I'll have to pick up some channel locks and PB Buster, then. If that works, I should still be ahead by about $100. If not...then I'll probably smash something. Let's hope for the former.

 

did you take the tin shield of of the factory unit? some of them are equiped. its like a heat shield. gets in the way sometimes.