Changing Oxygen Sensors on a Gen 1

[DeepPower]

How much effort is it to change the O2 sensors on a Gen 1? I've seen mention here of changing the sensors on a Gen 2, but I don't know if a Gen 1 is the same effort.

My '89 SHO has 282K miles on it and the O2 sensors have never been changed. I don't know how much trouble I'm getting myself into if these things are stuck and won't come out.

And for the socket, do I need one or both of these?
AutoZone O2 Sensor Wrenches

Thanks!

 

[Irish Pride]

Gen 1s and Gen 2s are identical. At least the MTX ones are. Jack up the car and spray them down with PB Blaster and let it soak over night. Get the o2 loaner set from any auto parts store. The first one listed in that link will work. I use the crows foot but the socket will work too but it just doesn't go on all the way.

 

[kevinspann]

Probably won't be too hard to get out on a Texas car. If they do round off, and you're able to pull the y-pipe off, you could cut the wires off and use a regular 22mm deep well socket and get them out.

 

[pjtoledo]

if you are trashing the old sensors anyway,,,
cut the wires off and use a good quality 22mm box end wrench for removal.
the new connector probably won't go thru the wrench, so you'll need to use the open end, or the special O2 socket for the new sensors.



Perry

 

[notbange]

On a rust free car I've had good luck with the open end of the wrench.

 

[DeepPower]

Probably won't be too hard to get out on a Texas car. If they do round off, and you're able to pull the y-pipe off, you could cut the wires off and use a regular 22mm deep well socket and get them out.

Well, unfortunately it's not a Texas car. I just moved down to Texas last year and before that I lived in the Boston "snow & salt belt" for over ten years.

My mechanic just called and told me that both O2 sensors are rusted in and aren't coming out. Car's been with the mechanic all morning and they've hit it with PBR blaster and full phasors. Seems those things are welded in and are not moving.

Any suggestions on getting them out?

 

[Dirk37]

Heat the shit out of them. You'll be amazed at how quickly things come unstuck when they're cherry red

 

[Sholovenothate]

that one AutoZone wrench works fine, i have the exact one. Its not a "set". It is basically a wrench with an open spot so you can slide it on there even with the wires on. I personally have never had too much problem with the O2 sensors coming off. Its the same as the Gen2.

 

[DeepPower]

Heat the shit out of them. You'll be amazed at how quickly things come unstuck when they're cherry red

that one AutoZone wrench works fine, i have the exact one. Its not a "set". It is basically a wrench with an open spot so you can slide it on there even with the wires on. I personally have never had too much problem with the O2 sensors coming off. Its the same as the Gen2.

Thanks. The thing is, my SHO has 282,000+ miles on it, has spent most of it's time in northern U.S., and the O2 sensors have never been replaced. So it's got time and snow and salt against it.

My mechanic is nervous about wrenching too hard and instead of the O2 sensors coming off, the manifold breaks. Unless someone can recommend another mechanic in the DFW area?

 

[go-to]

Thanks. The thing is, my SHO has 282,000+ miles on it, has spent most of it's time in northern U.S., and the O2 sensors have never been replaced. So it's got time and snow and salt against it.

My mechanic is nervous about wrenching too hard and instead of the O2 sensors coming off, the manifold breaks. Unless someone can recommend another mechanic in the DFW area?

Well in that case, you could be in for a new high-flow Y-pipe!

Joking aside, hopefully the sensors aren't welded in place from rust.

My '94 has 82k miles and needs the O2 sensors replaced (I guess sitting for 8yrs does that).

I've always had lots of room on previous cars for this kind of thing, but the SHO isn't so roomy.

 

[AREA 91]

Heat the pipe up close to cherry red where the sensor threads in.
This wll help in removing them.

 

[TimboSHO]

If the mechanics aren't used to a rusty car, they may not be trying hard enough. Sometimes on the really bad ones, even when you heat them cherry read, the threads pull out. I've never NOT been able to save one though. You just need the right thread chaser, and enough threads to hold them in.

Is it still the original y-pipe and cats with that many miles?