Oil presure sender replacement

[skyrocco16v]

hey y'all. i've got a question for ya. i have an '86 k5, with a carborated 350 in it. here's my dillema... my oil pressure sender is leaking. and as far as i know... once they start to leak they get bad fast. is it possible to replace the sender without pulling the distributor?
basically under the hood this thing is all motor... no cruise diaphram, no emiisions controls of any kind... just the basics. see... us up here in nh can get away with that kinda of stuff.
i am a GM mechanic at a chevy/cadillac dealer... but seeing that i'm only 21... i kinda missed out on the days when the old R/V bodies were in their prime. now, i know... there are a lot of people thinking that i'm just some lube brat... but i'm not... i went to GM school and all that... but when it comes to just about anything engine wise on these old rigs... i'm lost.
i just really don't want to have to fiddle with the dist... that's all. and by the way... if it helps... i do have really small arms and hands... so i think i can... but i just didn't know if it is really possible...
thanks
corey in NH

 

[big83chevy4x4]

yea you shoudl be able to do it. it angles away from the distributor, so you could get it out.

 

[bablazer73]

Yes you can, Just make sure that if it has the brass tubing and joint that angles it, That you also put a wrench on that and hold it!! Then use another wrench to remove the sender. The tube often breaks. And when it does, it's the part that goes into the block thats left!