I suggest using stainless fitting instead of brass. As fabrik8 said, brass is very soft. Also to note, stainless steel on stainless steel the threads can gall and weld itself together so be careful putting a stainless steel setup together. Best of luck.

 

This has nothing to do with the strength of brass. I broke the oil sender off my Camaro once while changing the oil filter- motherfucking thing was plastic! What's even more astonishing is that the actual diaphragm separating that hot high-pressure oil from the plastic and electronic sensor bits- just a piece of clear cellophane not much more substantial than saran-wrap. I drove it like that for 2 weeks, electric bits dangling, oil light on, oil being held in by naught but a piece of saran wrap. (Note: I did not know about the saran wrap diaphragm at the time, otherwise I'd have done it much sooner!)

I highly doubt the problem here is that the brass wasn't strong enough- brass is more than strong enough for this application.

 

There really isn't any similarities between the two things you're comparing.

I doubt your stock sending unit was attached with a long adapter fitting and weighted anywhere near the same as that aftermarket sender. Didn't you say it was plastic? There isn't anything wrong with a brass fitting sending unit attached right to the block (the sending unit fitting has a lot thicker wall), but once you add a cheap adapter (which in this case obviously has a thin wall, crap threads, and is very weak) and move the weight away from the block, then you'll have problems. Vibration is amplified with distance away from the source, and the effect of the weight is also. It's a very basic concept, the farther away you put the mass, the larger the force (moment or torque, whichever you prefer).

Also, I would guarantee that the brass adapter was tightened much greater than the point at which your stock plastic fitting would completely break. Brass has a higher yield than plastic obviously, but that doesn't mean it can't be severely weakened, and then made to fail with too much weight on it.

 

have you ever felt the weight of one of those units, its not a stock little honda one that weighs as much as a quarter. Its probably a good pound or so, its heavy for a sending unit. You put that with a couple threads on to an adapter, sticking out of the block about 6-7 inches,thats gonna create some hella leverage and snap that fitting where its so thin connecting the threads to the body.

Ive dealt with this situation one time and didnt want to experience it again. Ive done this on 3 of my cars so far. I had a 14 inch stainless line made. mounted the heavy ass sending unit to the firewall of the car, ran the line directly from the block to the sending unit. Problem solved.

 

Is that all you fucking have to say. He came in here asking what happend,Fabrik8 obviously knows what hes talking about.


But since your Einstein,you go over-tighten brass,or any metal for that matter into a piece of metal with threads and tell me how it goes.


Back on topic,listen to Fabrik8 and moreimpatient,too much vibration will break anything loose.

 

If this unit is that much heavier than a stock unit, why the hell would anyone try to mount it by the fitting in the first place? Even if it the fitting WAS steel, it's still prone to breakage- a mass on a stick is just asking for trouble, and next time, it could be the block that's damaged. My fault for assuming common sense would prevail and that this aftermarket unit was a more modest size, I suppose.

 

That's the whole point, it should never be mounted like it was. If the adapter wasn't used, it probably would have been fine, but it is still better to use a flex line and mount it securely somewhere else.

 

Thanks again for the replies, guys. Seems like a simple solution. Bummed that it was let out of the shop this way without a word, especially in the care of "experts", and that the motor needs to be torn down and looked over as a result.

 

Did the engine lock up or something? How did you find out that it had broken?

 

Totally off-topic... but Travis, Peter ended up getting a camber kit for the G. He started going through RF tires crazy fast and had one blow-out on him. Car now sports 1.9 degrees negative up front vs. the 3.3 it was! Out back is maxed out (as little neg as we can get) at -2.2 and -2.1. He may end up getting the rear kit to get it out to the same as the front. Car still looks sick, but as much as he drives it going through those tires so quickly sucked... plus the blow-out was scary. Car still kicks ass.... he's wanting me to walk him through a supercharger install this winter... pushing him toward the twin-screw because the low end power would suit his driving style (street only, no racing, no track BS). Does anyone make a hood for that thing other than Stillen that isn't butt ugly?

/Hijack