w210 320 cdi om613 crankshaft position sensor is stuck. Any top tips for removal?

[ChipChop]

Does anyone have any top tips for removing this sensor? Have removed the bolt and attempted to wiggle sensor free but only succeded in breaking off the plastic bit at the top.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Can you run the engine till its hot ,then try ?? Its probably stuck on the rubber o ring if fitted .

 

[ChipChop]

Can you run the engine till its hot ,then try ?? Its probably stuck on the rubber o ring if fitted .

Unfortunately the engine will not start, instead it just cranks and cranks. Already had to charge the battery once.

 

[DSM10000]

Can you get heat on to the sensor?

A hair dryer might work by heating and letting it cook it you might loosen it. If not then you may have to try to break it up in situ?

 

[bob6600]

Seeing as it's going in the bin, I know it's awkward space wise but can you get a small pair of mole grips on it?

 

[ChipChop]

Seeing as it's going in the bin, I know it's awkward space wise but can you get a small pair of mole grips on it?

I can just get a pair of mole grips on it but still no movement. I am thinking i need to get some vice grips with a built-in slide hammer on the job. The sensor is plastic so hopefully it will not self destruct completely if i get one of these from ebay.

 

[bob6600]

Find the biggest hammer you can and hit it as hard as you can.
It won't get the sensor out , but you will feel a lot better

 

[W1ghty]

Can you make a cup around it from duct tape and get some “lube” in there for a few hours

 

[Will]

It won’t be the sensor but more the housing itself that has corroded and will be stuck fast against the plastic sensor seizing it firmly in place.

This is one of those jobs that can quickly get out of hand if you’re not careful!

Not sure how good the access is on your model - absolute worst case you’ll have to drop the gearbox and remove stuff to get at it from the other side.

If all other removal methods work, a fine tipped burner/flame and melt the plastic sensor, pick away from the centre and remove the wire coils and pull the debris away. You can then cut the shell of the plastic until the tension is relieved to remove.

Hoover out any plastic debris, but you also should be able to remove the plastic cover that sits on the bell housing area and get at stuff that way.

Roll up some fine wet/dry paper and use a hoover on the other end to clean up the hole to remove any residue and corrosion to ensure the new sensor can be fitted easily.

Good luck!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Good luck on this buddy. Hope you get it out. Oftr

 

[ChipChop]

Can you make a cup around it from duct tape and get some “lube” in there for a few hours

The sensor is at an angle on the bellhousing / rear of engine so i have already doused it in wd40. Fingers crossed by tommorow it might have done something.

 

[ChipChop]

It won’t be the sensor but more the housing itself that has corroded and will be stuck fast against the plastic sensor seizing it firmly in place.

This is one of those jobs that can quickly get out of hand if you’re not careful!

Not sure how good the access is on your model - absolute worst case you’ll have to drop the gearbox and remove stuff to get at it from the other side.

If all other removal methods work, a fine tipped burner/flame and melt the plastic sensor, pick away from the centre and remove the wire coils and pull the debris away. You can then cut the shell of the plastic until the tension is relieved to remove.

Hoover out any plastic debris, but you also should be able to remove the plastic cover that sits on the bell housing area and get at stuff that way.

Roll up some fine wet/dry paper and use a hoover on the other end to clean up the hole to remove any residue and corrosion to ensure the new sensor can be fitted easily.

Good luck!

Access is pretty bad. I can just about get my hand to the area to get a pair of mole grips on the sensor. Been hammering a sharp screwdriver into the side of the sensor but not much room to swing a hammer. Inline 6's do not leave much engine bay room.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Can you make a cup around it from duct tape and get some “lube” in there for a few hours

Sounds like something Anne summers would promote .

 

[W1ghty]

The sensor is at an angle on the bellhousing / rear of engine so i have already doused it in wd40. Fingers crossed by tommorow it might have done something.

Wd40 isn’t really a lubricant , more of a water displacement .

 

[W1ghty]

Sounds like something Anne summers would promote .

Only if it said 2 minutes , not a few hours

 

[Will]

I think the WD40 is unlikely to do anything if it’s not moving at the moment, the sensor will be so tight it wouldn’t seep through. The sensor will just act like a dowl/bung firmly in place with corrosion in the hole.

It’s probably quicker to drop the gearbox if you can’t get it to start moving, but obviously worth trying for a while first.

The most awkward one I did was on my 911, luckily it was in the garage but took me quite a fair bit of time to remove - nothing worked (I even tried freezing it to break the corrosion seal)

The fine tip flame worked a treat though, found some old pics...



Once the old remains were out, and I had cleaned everything up, it was quite a relief.

Good luck, and take your time.

 

[ChipChop]

Wd40 isn’t really a lubricant , more of a water displacement .

Sadly it was all i could get on a Sunday morning. Will try to get some plusgas.

 

[ChipChop]

After a week of profuse swearing and skinned knuckles i have managed to get the crankshaft position sensor out. However it did not come out in one piece. I now have the outer plastic case with a silver metal bit at the bottom left in the sensor hole. Bugger.

I should be able to get most of the plastic case out using tweezers but my question is does it matter if some of it, including the metal bit at the bottom falls into the bellhousing? I do not even know if that is possible, is there space in there for it or is the sensor hole tight up against the flywheel teeth?

 

[DSM10000]

After a week of profuse swearing and skinned knuckles i have managed to get the crankshaft position sensor out. However it did not come out in one piece. I now have the outer plastic case with a silver metal bit at the bottom left in the sensor hole. Bugger.

I should be able to get most of the plastic case out using tweezers but my question is does it matter if some of it, including the metal bit at the bottom falls into the bellhousing? I do not even know if that is possible, is there space in there for it or is the sensor hole tight up against the flywheel teeth?

Can you place a vacuum cleaner hose down there to suck out any debris as you remove the last parts?

 

[ChipChop]

Can you place a vacuum cleaner hose down there to suck out any debris as you remove the last parts?

Afraid not. I am doing this by the side of the road where the car broke down.