Hey everyone,

Hopefully this is a simple question. When I bought my '04 WRX Wagon, I had the performance gauge pack installed as a DIO. The local Subaru dealer here in Charleston, is absolutely worthless, you don't want to hear the horror story of what they did to my car... suffice it to say that they're never touching my car again, so if I really want warranty work done I have to make a 320 mile trip to Atlanta. I really can't wait until I have 36k miles on the car and Subaru will stop forcing me to go to dealers with problems.

Anyway, the point being: I really don't want this to be a warranty issue, but The oil temperature sender for the oil temp gauge included in the performance gauge pack is having a wire chaffing issue. The sender is a replacement oil drain plug, and 1 ft. section of wire that plugs into a wiring harness going to the gauges.
The chaffing is so close to the sender itself, and is basically inside the recessed, swivel section of the drain-plug that I don't think repairing it is a viable option. I have been trying to find out if it's possible to replace it. So far the best I've been able to come up with is a quote for $270.02 for the sender, the wiring harness, and the oil temp gauge. I already have the gauge and harness, I just want the sender. and I really don't feel like paying 1/2 the price of the whole gauge pack for it. Does anyone know if it is possible to order just the sender, and have a price, part number, etc... If anyone can help I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Andrew

I don't have the part number, but I can tell you that the sender is an expensive part if you have to replace it separately. As long as your car is still under the full warranty and this was a dealer installed option, you would be best off having a dealer repair it. It's up to you whether you are willing to drive that distance or just pay for a new sender yourself.
Anyway what exactly is chafing? Are you aware that the sender itself is free to spin inside the drain plug, perhaps the wire is just twisted and needs to be rotated to the proper position?

wire chafing is when a wire rubs against something and the insulation wears of. Yes, I am aware that she sender is free to spin, however, depending on what position it's resting in, I can see how the wire could have vibrated against either the drain plug itself, or something and chaffed. Especially with the suspension I have on the car... lol, of course, knowing the local dealer they probably did it installing the gauge pack.

I'm not trying to be funny, but how expensive could the sender be? if the entire gauge pack was $570... and if the oil temp gauge, harness, and sender is $270... it would have to at least be a fraction of that.

Heh, I wasn't asking for a definition, I know what it is. I was just asking for a more specific explanation of your problem.
There should be a protective sleeve over the wire by the sender, rather than just the bare wire itself. Could this be missing on yours?
I've seen prices mentioned for the sender in the $100-$200 range.

I can't tell you why except that my sender doesn't seem to swivel easily. There is a protective sleeve, but it doesn't seem to cover the section of wire right at the sender. If you know where to find one in the $100-$200 range please let me know... since right now I'm looking at $270