Hi Guys, I'm pretty new here. Here's my problem. '93 F-150 4x2 4.9l. I'm attempting to change the oxygen sensor. It won't budge. It's been soaking in PB blaster for a day. I've tried a Big wrench I've tried the Oxygen sensor Socket. It just spreads open because of the split. Any ideas???

 

Heat will help. A torch or just the exhaust itself.

Heres what I did:
-Ran truck for around 5 minutes. (let pipes get hot)
-Got a wrench and put it on the O2 sensor.
-I got a hammer and hit the wrench .

The sensor came out with just one hit. If you try this, be careful not to touch the pipes.

 

I did try smacking the wrench. I'll try some heat next.. Thanks

 

the spreader socket is that way for the new sensor so you don't screw up wire. i cut wire on old sensor, use a closed socket, remove sensor, heat is a good idea, then use split socket on new sensor.

 

I'm afraid of cutting the wires, because what if I don't get it out?
HOSED!!!

 

the other thing to do is use a screw clamp on the split socket, put clamp loose over sensor, put socket on, tighten clamp so socket does not spread.

 

I have had luck using a box wrench with a pipe on it. You may have to jack up one side of the truck to get the pipe on it. The worst one I ever had to do was on a Bronco II - original O2 sensor, 15 years old. I had the car jacked up about 3 feet on one side and could only get one flat at a time but it came. The longer the pipe the better.

Heat definitely helps. Run it hard for a while, jack it up and go to it. Cut the wires - you can always splice them if you can't get it out.

Good luck.

 

I recently had a similar issue with the O2 sensor on my wife's Suburban. My small (about 10") pipe wrench, with a cheater on the end worked great. I did heat it some with a propane torch, as it was early spring, and pretty chilly out, I'm not sure how much the heat helped.

 

Well, it's out!!!! a little heat from my torch, and a Box wrench. Thanks, Guys!!!

 

good for you! does it run better with new sensor? did you have trouble or codes?

 

Yep grab a torch heat her up and try and spin that sucker out. Its hard but doable.

 

LOL

So I'm not the only one using a pipe wrench!
Theres no need for that silly O2 socket. You don't really care if you damage the wires on removal and going in can be done with a box end or cresent wrench easy enough.

Cheers,
Popa Tim

 

i just relpaced an o2 sensor on my truck it has been on there for 17 years the exhaust was hot from driving and i used a regular socket (cut the wires) with a breaker bar and a 4 foot snap-on extendawrench and it was still hard to turn but it came out

 

I used a pipe wrench too, easiest thing in the world to get that thing out, spent 2hrs with the socked and lube. 10sec with the pipe wrench and it was out.

 

Yep, it seems to run a little better under part throttle. I replaced it because the gas mileage was awful. I haven't driven enough to know if it helped.


And as far as the hose clamp around the socket goes, I tried that....