1996 GTX - Oil Return/Sensor Fitting very loose

[Lothsahn]

I just replaced the grommet at the bottom of the oil tank, and it's very snug and it stopped all the oil leakage from the bottom of the tank. However, I've noticed that the oil return/sensor assembly at the top of the tank (278000478) is extremely loose. It flops around and definitely doesn't make a watertight seal anymore (or anything close to it). You can see oil seepage from the top of the tank.

Is there a common way to make this fit snugly and seal again? I don't really want to buy another assembly (278001401) for $95, especially since the current sensor and assembly works just fine.

Also, to remove it, do you just pull it straight out, or is there a trick to get it to come out?

 

[Ckrawiec]

I can say I have not dealt with this particular issue of the top oil sensor fitting being loose. I've replaced the bottom grommet as you've indicated, which is more important as the oil system is pretty much gravity based, so oil leaking out of the bottom (or tank seams) is where the main leakages will occur. The seepage out the top is probably just the oil sloshing around during normal operations.

From the oil system diagram it looks like the top sensor pulls straight up and out....MAYBE a little bead of silicone around the bottom might help when you put it back in.