a 90* will work no problem. 

Cool Ka0... thanks!

how about this part?

Since I have to pull the manifold at this point anyway, what should I use to when I put it back on to seal it... RTV or something else?

Gasket should be pretty darn fresh as the engine only has about 4 hours on it.  Does it need anything?

its all personal preference. 

some people like manifold gaskets... ive personally never had a problem with just some red RTV.  i make a bead around the ports, let it sit for a little while to "skin" and then i put it together.

but exhaust gaskets are what... $10? not a big deal.  i wouldnt reuse an exhaust gasket as they're made to one-time compress and seal...

Update:  Got a new sensor/sender from Napa, special order.  Got the exact same sensor that was in there.  A VDO.  There is a VDO gauge in the boat dash.  Used the brass stuff to extend it out and then down to give a better location for the sensor.

Hook it up, RTV, logs back on, new wire to fuse block.... G'damn gauge just sits there dead.  No zero out when the key is turned on... no nuthin'.  Hmmm...  I recheck all the wires and ignition juice and all the rest.  They are all good and there is power to the gauge.  I pull the gauge and take it back to the engine area and hook it up directly to the sender and the + - to the battery.  Nothing.  I ground the sender wire and it pegs at 80+ psi.

Hmmm...  So I pull the VDO gauge from my VW Bus and hook it to the sender.  It does nothing.  Dead.  I pull the sender from my bus, which looks exactly like the sender from Napa by the way.... install the bus sender (without pulling the log!) in a tight but doable situation.  I hook up the boat gauge and it reads about 40 at idle... but sorta goes backwards at RPM... So I hook up the gauge from the bus with the sender from the bus and get about 38 or so at cold idle and then it goes up with RPM increases to maybe 55-60. 

So, with the bus sender and gauge, it appears that the pressure stuff is working well.  No idea why the new sender did not work with either gauge.  It is supposed to be a universal sender for VDO gauges in the 0 - 80 psi range.  Odd.  And a time waster for sure. 

Any ideas?  I suppose it is a slim chance the new sender has some sort of problem?  I looked on the actual VDO site and after a ton of sifting it appears that sender would work with either gauge.