Differences in LX9 of same year?

[caffeine]

I just recently picked up my second LX9. It and my current one are both 06s out of G6s and as I'm taking the new one apart I'm finding differences. Both have the 7484 forged crank.

It looks like the paper/plastic UIM gaskets were replaced by metal gaskets:


The fuel injectors also appear different:

(note that ones from latest engine have a more tapered tip)

I also noticed that the UIM is missing a vacuum port at the accessory end of the engine that is there on the one in my Fiero.

Just wondering what's with the differences in the same year. Are the metal UIM gaskets an upgrade? I haven't removed the LIM yet but am going to sometime soon.

Oh and a question:
It looks like this is a oil pressure sensor:

Is it for a gauge or for a switch? When I swapped one into my Fiero I reused the stock sender in the location next to the oil filter.

[pocket-rocket]

I think the body on a oil pressure switch is a bit shorter than an oil pressure sender. As far as the other differences in your engines, I have no idea.

[robertisaar]

I think the body on a oil pressure switch is a bit shorter than an oil pressure sender.

at least when it comes to the older stuff, this is correct, i have no idea if it holds true on newer equipment.

alldata is showing that a LE5 and LX9 use an oil pressure switch and that the LZ9 would use a pressure sensor.

yours only has 1 pin on it, correct? that would be the switch.

[caffeine]

Yes mine has one pin. That sucks I was hoping I wouldn't have to buy a sensor.

That being said it looks very similar to the one on my LT1, which is also a 1-pin sensor.

[Starglow]

My LX9 also came from an '06 G6. It had metal UIM gaskets and no extra vacuum port on the UIM as not all LX9's had the extra port. I wouldn't be too concerned about the fuel injectors being different since GM most likely used multiple vendor suppliers for them during production.

As for the oil pressure switch, you can just remove it and replace with a pressure sensor if installing an oil pressure gauge, or "T" off the same hole for both sensors like I did when I added an oil pressure gauge but I also wanted to maintain the pressure switch sensor connection.