Broken oil sending unit

JohnsIH424 · Jun 6, 2010

Was working on my IH 424, trying to get the idiot light (oil) to work. Grounded the wire to the block and the light came on. Figure it is a bad sending unit or may be gunked up. Went to take it off and it was a stuck. Put a little more oomph and felt it give....but not a good give. More like something snapped. Upon further inspection, the sending unit is on an elbow that goes into the engine block (which I snapped with the extra oomph:ashamed

. Is this normal? The elbow is a brass one like you would use for gas or water, which makes me think it was an add-on. I've fooled with old air-cooled VW's and the sending unit goes directly in the case. Shouldn't this be the same? or similar? I just want to know if I need the elbow or can I screw the sending unit directly in the case.
Thanks for your help.

John

Willl · Jun 6, 2010

If you have clearance, I don't see any harm.

JohnsIH424 · Jun 6, 2010

That's what I was thinking, too, Willl. I've got enough left to remove the fitting with vise grips. Maybe an EZ-out but the brass may be to soft for that. I will get a new sending unit and try and if that doesn't work, get the fitting.

Thanks again.

John

JohnsIH424 · Jun 25, 2010

Talked to a guy at Bates Corporation in Indiana, (Bates Corporation - International Harvester Tractor Parts Specialists they specialize in IH) , and asked him to look at the exploded parts view and he said the elbow is part of that but is no longer available.

So, I ordered the new sending unit and am going to try it without the elbow. If I need the elbow, I think I can just go to the hardware store and find a 1/4 npt elbow out of the plumbing department and use that. Looks the same to me.

JohnsIH424 · Jun 27, 2010

Well, it was a successful weekend. Got an extractor set and put it on the broken piece and out it came! :thumbsup: There was a slight clearace issue with the new sending unit, but I hack-sawed a little bit of the stud that the wire attaches to, lined it up and am now back in business.

Now I have to acually do some work. no more excuses. :laughing: