Oil pressure switch

[Steve440]

Yesterday I replaced the oil pressure switch on my 2002 Aero to cure a slight weep.

No problem in obtaining a new one and I didnt even think the price was bad ( about £12 ).

But what a mare to replace. I think of myself as being fairly flexible but why put that there and the new one had a different size head to the old one ( why ) there I was trying to get my 22mm spanner on the old one and it would not fit how ever I tried. Eventually after much cursing it came out after finding the old one was 25mm  . The electrical connection is also very fiddly as the wIre is just a bit to short to get to properly. I think if I do another I will chop the wire off the old one and extend the new one by 5 inches with the wire off the old one.   

I now have several large scratches on my lower arm but I am happy I have cured the damp patch on the underside of my car.

Is there an easy way of doing this job without taking the starter or engine out?

Steve

[Max Headroom]

I now have several large scratches on my lower arm

I sustain the same kind of damage every time I work on aeroplanes 

[Audax]

Is there an easy way of doing this job without taking the starter or engine out?

Yeah, you put it on a ramp and get the apprentice to do it. Small hands help too.

[phoenix]

Remove the intake delivery pipe, mounting bracket  for the lambda connectors etc., and use a flexi ratchet spanner working from the battery side. Done it twice that way.

[Steve440]

You expect it on aircraft especially with lock wire and the like. I had heard it was quite a difficult job to change and I suppose 40 mins from beginning to end was OK. What annoys me with a little thought and better design the job could be a lot easier.

A friend who owns a garage tells me some of the horrible jobs they have in that main dealers seem to be over quoting not to get the work. Renault Espace V6, 17 hours to replace the spark plugs as the engine has to come out. I understand the V6 Alfa's are an engine out for the rear plugs on them as well. That would mean at main dealer prices you could end up with a £2k bill for a set of spark plugs

Steve

[Audax]

A friend who owns a garage tells me some of the horrible jobs they have in that main dealers seem to be over quoting not to get the work. Renault Espace V6, 17 hours to replace the spark plugs as the engine has to come out. I understand the V6 Alfa's are an engine out for the rear plugs on them as well. That would mean at main dealer prices you could end up with a £2k bill for a set of spark plugs

Thing is that those main dealers are being sensible. When you take something like an engine out of a car you'll find and create problems for yourself. Things like knackered engine mounts, stuck bolts etc. and then you'll forever be blamed for future faults or noises. Simple answer is if the engine needs to come out for service work then the car is not fit for sale in the first place.

If you're taking the engine out as something is broken it's usually because it needs a new engine and that generally means the car is older so you can fit second-hand parts where necessary... if it's just maintenance it's a bit hard to tell someone they need to spend £300 on a new engine mount!

[Steve440]

£300 for an engine mount?

What are they made out of Gold?

Steve

[Audax]

£300 for an engine mount?

What are they made out of Gold?

Have a look at your own car... Look on the EPC for part numbers 4967345, 5239173 or 4967345 as fitted to the9-5 ~£290+vat. The others are not cheap either.