EJnMN

Been to Clarks Garage, done a search. Seems like with a little bit of wiggling and some patience... and maybe some PB Blaster, the reference sensor should be easy enough to pull out.

No luck. Pulling like crazy, with channel locks and other various tools, but we cannot budge it more than a couple mms. It swivels easily, but just won't come out.

Does anyone have any suggestion for how to get the reference sensor out? I don't want to have to drop the whole deal just to get the new dang sensor in.

Thanks in advance for your help! There's got to be a way!

kandyinmyvan

I got REALLY ghetto with removing mine. clamped vise grips on the top of the sensor and then made a chain of vise grips about 3 high. To the last grip I mounted ANOTHER vise grip at a 90 degree angle so that it was horizontal. Then I beat the hell out of it with a big *** hammer. Didn't take too long that way. Told you it was ghetto

Luis de Prat

Give it a good shot of WD-40. Worked for me.

FRporscheman

I just twist while pulling and I've never had issues with them. If it's getting stuck, maybe you can loosen/remove the housing bolts to free things up?

Calmchaos

You're not cursing nearly enough.
Like Arash said, I always twist it a lot first to make sure it's not all bound up.

EJnMN

Thanks folks... just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. A friend and 944 veteran I talked to also suggested that the end might be mushroomed from an impact. If that's the case, I'd have to remove the bracket. sigh.

joonas

Remove sensors with the holding bracket (remove locking bolt and pivot bolt).

Look some pictures here to get the idea how it is put together
http://joonas.pri.ee/gallery/thumbnails-9-page-1.html
Later cars have only one sensor, reference sensor.
Early ones have one extra. I broke my sensor holder because I forgot to remove sensor before I removed clutch bellhousing. I used early style sensor holder and cut off the part that holds speed sensor. Speed sensor was so stuck there that if I wanted to get it out I had to destroy it.

kandyinmyvan

You should also probably cut off the last two fingers on your right hand along with the palm that goes with them to insure better clearance into the bay.

aribop

The only problem is the metal sleeve inside the locking bolt hole. With the sleeve inserted into the block, there is not enough clearance to remove the sensors with the bracket. The only way is to somehow push the sleeve out of the block so it protrudes out of the bracket. Then it will all come out in one piece.
Then you can destroy the bracket and the sensors trying to get them out

KuHL 951

I had to bend a piece of 1/8" steel strap at 90 deg.; slipped it between the sensor and bracket. Then I applied pressure while twisting it. Most of my corrosion build up was at the top where the aluminum reacted with the steel tube of the sensor. After I got mine up about 1/2" it went easier. A good PB Blaster or Kroil soak really helps.

hardtail15

wow you guys had some tough times...mine just came out with a little pull

EJnMN

Gar... gave up after breaking the sensor with some prying, and went to remove the bracket. Looks like the P.O. broke the head off one of the bolts. I guess I have to pull the whole clutch and bell housing now.

kandyinmyvan

Did the head brake off the bracket bolt? If so, that's not good news as that bracket is attatched to the block. You will also not be able to remove the clutch housing without first removing the sensors unless you've done the bellhousing mod.

IGROWL

Believe me you are not alone on breaking the reference mark sensor. I just had my clutch replaced and that was the only problem that came up.

EJnMN

Mine is an 83, so it is a little different than the picture, above, but in the labelling above, the one that appears broken is the one labeled "Locking Bolt". Do you mean to imply that the bolt goes through the bell housing and into the block? Say it a'int so...