Hi friends.
1999 explorer Eddie Bauer v8.
Trying to remove this sensor. Looking from the front I can get the right bolt out.
The left is a bitch. A big black bracket, tranny dipstick in the way, barely enough room for the socket....any tips here. No extensions work it seems and the space between the bracket and the sensor makes it difficult.
Don't think an open end will work, not enough room from side to side.

Could be I'm being a baby being I have to crawl into the engine to get at it not to mention reconnecting the hoses which have little to no slack.

What a dumb place to put a semi frequently failing sensor.

Any tips from a pro... or novice....or contortionist would be appreciated.

Thanks guys.

 

I don't know exactly where the DPFE is located on a 5.0 or what's in the way. I have a '98 Ford shop manual and took a look at the procedure. It's pathetic. 4 steps - remove battery ground, remove electrical connector, remove hoses, remove bolts. The image for the procedure is just a closeup of the DPFE with nothing in the way.

I find the installation procedure rather puzzling. It's basically the reverse of the removal, but there's a step that says, "If you have the 4.0L, tighten the bolts". Then, the next step is exactly the same except "4.0L" is replaced with "5.0L".

The procedure for this part is very poorly written. It's not as bad as some steps for other procedures that say, "Remove the bolt" and there's an image with a closeup of the bolt head (as if most mechanics have never seen a bolt head before) but you have no idea where the bolt is. I expected more from a genuine Ford service manual. I'm guessing it was written by someone in Brazil or some other ESL country. You might actually have better luck with a Hanyes or Chilton. Your local library should have a copy.

With modern cars, I find that I often spend more time on a job trying NOT to remove otherwise unrelated stuff. Lots of seemingly counter-intuitve things on new cars compared to cars from the '70s or '60s. Removing the tranny dipstick tube shouldn't be too difficult, assuming reasonable access. Normally, just one bolt on a bracket and the dipstick tube slides out. Usually, there's an o-ring on the end, so make sure you don't lose it. And, you frequently have to access things through the wheel well or from underneath. That's the price of progress.

 

I had to replace the DPFE sensor on my 97 Mountain countless times during the 200,000 miles I drove it. It is a pain in the rear. I used 12 point box end wrench and could only move it a small amount before removing the wrench and putting it back on the bolt again. It just takes a little time. Be sure to use anti seize on the bolt when reinstalling. That sensor gets very hot.

The 12 point box end is the key. A 6 point wrench will not move the bolt head far enough to be able to reposition the wrench.

 

12 point box end!!!
Yep.
What a royal pain in the ***.

Appreciate the input.....off to the wrench store.
Yes....I typed wrench store.

 

Of course it's the only wrench set I don't have.
It's the only solution I think.
Get this...
12 point box end wrench set at Sears?12 point box end wrench
$124.00-$186.00
Got to be ****ting me!
That's for the short shaft....want long shaft.
Crazy.
Hope harbor freight carries these. The hell has happened to the price of tools?
I understand snap on prices but sears?
****....I'm getting old and crankey.

Thanks for the tip.
Dumb just woke up question.
SAE not Metric right?

 

Sears still sells individual wrenches. I don't remember which size is was but there is no need to purchase the whole set. I bought most of mine around 30 years ago at Sears. Prices sure have gone up.