Author Topic: DIY Crankshaft Position Sensor + Gaskets (Read 4995 times)

liv2drv · « **on:** March 16, 2009, 09:24:50 AM »

My friend has a 1991 318 with a starting problem. (Stomp test shows crankshaft Position Sensor), we cleaned the area around the sensor and the car started.

The problem is that the sensor is getting goobered up by oil. So we are going to remove the Timing cover and replace the gasket. We are also going to replace the oil pan gasket. While we are at it we are going to replace the thermostat as well. I was just wondering if there are any booby traps because there is no book to guide us..

Does anybody have this outlined somewhere?

Thanks..

JP 91iS · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:22:45 PM »

You should be able to find it in the electronic copy of the Bentley.

doitover · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2009, 01:51:07 PM »

I think if you look through the how to section you will find most of what you need but as long as you aren't changing the chain guides it is pretty straight forward.

Be careful with the water pump. The housing has two threaded holes that you can run a couple of the water pump housing bolts into to pull the pump out. The housings are pretty brittle so go really slow and evenly on each bolt.

The profile gasket that sits at the top of the cover needs a little gasket sealer on either end.

Other than that it is pretty much unbolt, clean, replace gaskets and reinstall.

Be very careful with the torque, between the lower oil pan and timing chain cover I probably had a half dozen stripped holes. I don't know if the thread came out when I removed the bolt or if some previous mechanic had stripped them. They are easy to fix with a heli coil like kit.

doitover · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2009, 02:30:07 PM »

I left out one important bit. You have to pull the crank hub. Some people will tell you that's easy but if you are a novice with the same lack of skills as I am, it's a bit of a challenge.

Search around and you will find some good descriptions. I drilled a hole into a 3 foot or so piece of channel iron. I bolted that to the hub leaving the pulley on. I could then hold that bar down with one foot while loosening the crank bolt with a breaker bar. The breaker bar had a three foot pipe slid over it's handle.

I had to use a gear puller to remove my hub and it needed to be a decent forged unit. The cheaper cast ones wouldn't get between the hub and the case.
Other people have been able to wiggle the hub off by hand.

Since you are pulling the hub you might as well replace that seal.