The Hughes Plenum Fix was completed three days ago BUT there is a problem. I put the intake back on with the plate, then realized that I had not taken out the coolant temperature sensor.
The sensor is stock and 11 years old. I pulled the clip off and teh sensor attachment came with it! All I had to do is pull the brass part out. It was in there pretty good so when I tried to get it out and the bolt got stripped.
So then I tried using and extractor and it broke the bolt. This is what Im stuck with, and ideas. If I do have to take the intake off again, I dont wanna wait another 2 weeks to get my parts from Hughes, so I head about being able to use Grade 5 Automotive bolts instead of TTY. Is this info and bolt size correct. Thanks in advance.

 

Pics are a tad blurry.... but, drill out what you can. NOT all of it, then use an extractor on whats left. Be CAREFUL, the manifold is aluminum, really easy to screw it up.

 

I plan on drilling everything out, then using a tap to rethread the manifold. Does anyone know what kind of bolts I can use on the manifold besides tty.

 

Parts store should have intake bolts for ya, or, the dealer....... of course, the dealer will want as much for one bolt, as the parts store wants for a set.......

 

K thanks, Ill take a look at NAPA. Man, this sucks I could be done already. Also I put Black RTV on all four corners where the gaskets meet together and meet the intake. Will it damage the gaskets if I remove the intake?

 

it depends on if you bend those gaskets when you take them off (the front back ones that are black with the steel core). I only RTVd the corners of the head side for the head to intake gaskets in case I needed to take it off.

BTW, I would take the intake off since you will have metal filings in your coolant. A water pump replacement will happen in about 1K miles if you don't pull the intake and get those filings out.

 

I don't know why you need to remove the intake to get the sensor out, but if you feel the need to do so. DO NOT REUSE THE GASKETS!

 

That brass is so soft, you might be able to get it out with a reverse threaded bit that is a bit bigger than what you have currently tried.

You should also be able to tap an EZ-Out in the brass quite easily as well.

Worse case scenario is you can drill a new hole in the water jacket and tap it for a new sensor and leave the old sensor housing there. Just be careful tapping aluminum. Be very straight and level with the tap and turn it only a quarter to half turn before you back it up so you don't gall the threads.

Don't overtorque the new sensor either, or it'll snap clean off.

 

The only way left to get the sensor out is to drill it out. The plastic part and the outer brass are gone, the only thing left is the brass in the threads. So if I drill it out, alot of brass including the bottom part of the sensor will fall into my coolant lines, causing ridiculous damage later on.

And yes by taking off the intake I ruined $50 worth of gaskets and bolts. So I orded some new ones today.

The brass was drill out of the manifold and the hole was rethreaded. Im gonna put it back together tomorrow.

 

Shop Vac is your friend.