Steve Drake

Yikes I have seen that guys have had to remove the torque tube if the CPS breaks when being removed. The plug on mine (86.5) has completely fallen apart and the pins are not a great connection for such a critical part. The car would not start until I tried wiggling the connection.
I need to replace my original CPS and took the screw out and pulled by fingers straight up but it didn't budge.
Sprayed it with some penetrating oil for over night.
Is tuning it to break it free?or out of the question. I should say loosen it
Was advised some people have wrapped wire under it and use this it to pull it straight up. Not much room under the side the screw is on. I am kind of tempted to cut and solder the wires from the harness to the three from the sensor.
Any suggestions? or pics how others have freed it to pull it (out the top) would be appreciated.
Steve in Carlsbad

Kiln_Red

DEFINITELY don't splice!

You are wise for being patient with the penetrating oil. I have a 3lb slide hammer that I like to use in conjunction with PB Blaster for the CPS. Same concept as wrapping wire around it to pull laterally on the sensor.

Steve Drake

Yeah I know splicing around the connector is just tacky and too easy. Do you think my thought of giving it a 5 degree twist to loosen it is reasonable. A slide hammer would be nice. A bit of a confined space but the concept is good. I suppose I could epoxy a shaft to it and try a few taps up. Thought about warming up the engine block. mmmm, warn sounds good. It is down to 45 to 60 in my garage. Really cold! Shivering just thinking about it. Maybe just watch it soak in penetrating oil for another day. My new one is not here yet anyway. Maybe just rob the plug off the new one. The sensor actually works fine when connected.
It's just not my nature to let it beat me I feel like a mouse looking a cheese in a trap.
Steve

dr bob

Steve--

You can twist gently to try and break any crud or corrosion bond without worry. The sensor is plastic housing on top over the metal sleeve, with a wire coil core and a steel "probe" in the center. It's not glass-rod fragile, just use a little respect as you fiddle it out. Risk of damage escalates rapidly when you get out the Vise-Grips and start trying to flex the top. Get something in there to work on the 'crud', like Kroil or even plain old WD40. All you are doing is flushing junk out. There's no rust, and the aluminum there is unlikely to have grown massively as it oxidized. Use appropriate caution as you work with the end, using pliers to get a decent grab. Maybe a little twist as you pull up will get it out. Mine came out with minimal fuss. It's not like you drive on salted snow-covered roads a lot there in Carlsbad.

Landseer

The plastic isn't bonded well to the metal on some of them.

Splicing the harness is simple and effective.
Lots of times the connector breaks on both the harness and the cps side.

Tapping one up from below can be done.

Mrmerlin

get a length of mechainics wire about 40 inches long,

Twist the top of the CPS so the ends are now sitting free of the standoff,
wrap the wire under each side of the edges ,
then wrap the other end of the wire around a long prybar,
put one end on the fire wall and gently pry the bar upwards this should lift it free.

FWIW I would replace the CPS before trying to splice wires,
as the CPS is probably very old and so are the wires inside it.
this will change the signal thats being sent to the computers ,
so you could end up with a bitchjin splice job and a bogus signal generator.

Steve Drake

Thanks for your advice. Glad to hear it is not like glass or old brittle plastic without a metal core. I am just waiting for the new one to arrive. I made a drawing of a simple two sided puller I will make but want one to fit it too. Glad it is OK to give it a twist to loosen the crud. With the number of times I have squirted it should be softer crud soon. So far it is tight and not moving one bit by finger tip power. Will let you know how it goes.
Thanks Again Steve

Steve Drake

Well I turned it by hand and got it carefully loosened up. I gather the rock hard O ring on the end is what makes them so hard to get out. As it turned out I had to repair the harness side of the connection too. Ugg. I used a replacement end from Roger and soldered on the connectors after very carefully peeling back some isolation. I just loved lying on the motor head down into the belly of the beast doing this work. It must have looked like I had been eaten by the car.
I am pleased to say the connection is solid and the car runs again.
Got to take it for a short drive. Take it back apart tomorrow.
Back to finding that darn vacuum leak and then setting the idle and CO.
Thanks for the TIPS on the CPS.
Cheers, Steve