Running out of sunlight!!!

[RAF7789]

I started the removal of my spent O2 sensor. So far i have bent a cresent wrench, brocken 3 socket drive extensions and used about a cup of penetrating fluid. Any suggestions?

[97LT1Z28]

The exhaust must be warmed up before you start wrenching on it. If it's cold, it's harder and/or impossible to get out. Run it for a minute or two and be careful not to burn yourself while working on it. If you have enough clearance and room to grip the sensor, use a small pipe wrench on it along with a piece of pipe as a breaker bar - this will give you a lot more torque. Hopefully, it will turn for you. The worst that can happen is that the sensor falls apart and you have to go to an exhaust shop to get the remains of it cut out...... As they say in China.....Good Ruck.

[96FirebirdFormula]

Ouch no Lift sucks LOL!

[formula_gramps]

"Skate".....

I feel your pain son...... Let me guess. It's the one on the passenger side of the engine. Mine was a real $ob to remove too.

I never found that I could get at it, with any combination of O2 socket, extensions, and ratchet, to get an adequate amount of torque on it to break it free from underneath.

So, in my case, after soaking it for a couple of days with PB Blaster, I bought enough extension bars, with a universal extension (somewhere in the mix, and a very long 1/2" breaker bar. (I had enough stuff to build a bridge.) This allowed me to get it from the front of the engine compartment. I was literally rocking the car counter clockwise on its suspension and it still wouldn't let go. So I tried to turn the whole rig the opposite way (clockwise, or tightening it) and thought I felt a slight movement of some fraction of a degree. Was it my imagination, or just slop in the "rigging"?

I went back trying to crank it off and all at once felt it move quite a few degrees.

"That's it", I thought....."I busted the #$%**## thing off!" Immediately followed by visions of having to remove the header and drill the thing out!

But it actually had turned. Eventually I got it out after that. It was still tough. I recall spraying more PB and working the sensor back and forth clockwise and counter clockwise, working the PB in, and each time, I could get it to back out a little further.

Once you get it out, you'll be amazed at how easily the new one goes in!! You can put anti-sieze on the threads of the new one, but be careful not to foul the sensor itself.

[Performin Norman]

I've had to take a torch to the area just around the sensor to get some out.

[Joe 1320]

Since the sensor is bad, no worries about contamination. Get PBlaster, a penetrating lubricant and apply to the sensor. Bang it wath a hammer a couple of times and let it sit overnight. Apply more PBlaster, bang it again and use a dedicated hardened 02 sensor socket (crowfoot style that is offset) that applies even more torque to the sensor and it should come right out. It's the PBlaster and the socket in conjuction that will break it loose.

You should have a set of 1/2" hardened impact sockets and a larger 1/2 wratchet bar. 3/8 stuff just doesn't cut it, especially on exhaust bolts.

[RAF7789]

Thank you to all!
The O2 sensor i am working on is off the left manifold, downstream. Quite possibly the hardest thing to reach, EVER! I have been using the o2 sensor wrench attachment nd Power B'laster is my penetrant of choice.

Will keep posting.

thanks again

[Wild Willy]

Heat is your friend- get it hot, and maybe were heavy gloves- they are a @#$@#$

[RAF7789]

Heat is your friend- get it hot, and maybe were heavy gloves- they are a @#$@#$

Why is that? I thought metal expands with heat....thus making a tighter fit.
Is it perhaps because the atoms vibrate more vigorously under heat?

[Wild Willy]

Heat expands both sides- the 'hole', too- but I *think* the main mechanism is that the heat softens materials, included whatever corrosion that may be in the threads- the softening makes the stuff yield more easily-

If you aren't concerned with re-using the O2 sensor, cut the pigtail off, too- makes it easier to get that heavy-duty 6-point socket over it....

[Black97]

Why is that? I thought metal expands with heat....thus making a tighter fit.
Is it perhaps because the atoms vibrate more vigorously under heat?

You need to put the heat to the header so it can expand. Sure the sensor plug will heat up and expand but it's different material composition and will expand differently. You could heat up the header and then cool down the plug with an aerosol air can or compressed air so it will shrink.

At work on steam turbines sometimes we heat up plugs that won't come out. They want to expand causing them to "break loose" and once they cool down they can be removed a lot easier.

[Joe 1320]

As what was stated, heat between threaded surfaces will cause any bond between the surfaces to break due to expansion. Cooling them will make the threads grip tighter.

If it's hard to reach, remove the pipe or manifold.