02 sensor removal help

[Riad]

Got the parts from Dan this morning and got to work. I got the rear 02 sensor replaced, that was pretty easy. I am having some problem(s) with the front sensor. One of the nuts just won't budge. I can remove the front nut but the rear nut seems to be corroded pretty bad. What's the best way to remove this nut? Do I need some sort of nut splitter?

Here are some pix of the rear sensor. It looks pretty toast. I wonder what are those white chalk looking stuff on it?

 

[RavenTai]

Others have reported good luck with a nut splitter. mine came right out, joys of a southern Cruiser.


the white stuff is ash built up on it, as long as it does not contain heavy metals (especially zinc from oil additives) the ash is not a problem.

 

[Riad]

Thanks Man!

 

[OGBeno]

Riad--

Try a die grinder but be careful.

If you don't have access to that, use a smaller sized wrench with 12pts as opposed to 6pts. IIRC, it's a 12mm--try a 11mm or a 10mm.

Good luck dude.
-o-

 

[CJF]

You've already hit it with PB Blaster?

Curtis

 

[Scamper]

I tried everything on mine, but nothing worked--the nut was just too corroded/rusted to get a grip. The only thing that worked was a bolt-out (Craftsman), and that worked in all of 5 seconds. I was unable to get nut splitters on (not enough room) and no socket sizes were right to get it off.

I may sound religious about these bolt-outs, but crap...when you need them, they're the schnitz.

The one thing you may find is that you pull the stud with the bolt. In that case, either replace the stud, or if it's still good, just put some anti-sieze on it and put it back in after removing the nut.

 

[Brentbba]

You've already hit it with PB Blaster?

Curtis

x2 and let it soak awhile.

 

[Riad]

Oh yeah, it's been soaking on PB blaster all weekend long, actually since Wednesday last week. That's how I got the one of those two nuts out. I've replaced that nut with a new nut (13mm). The nut that came out easily was 12 mm. It came out with 12Pts wrench. I doubt a 6Pts wrench would give a good grip. Then I felt like stupid when I discovered that the same 12mm socket was too big for the other nut. I was (speaking French and ) wondering why in the world would they put on two different size on nuts! 11mm is slightly big. 10mm would fit but I don't have enough room up there for a good grip on the wrench. My vice grip is way too big, I have tried that too, as well as the pliers. Maybe I should go to Sears and get that Bolt out from Craftsman. I was looking at those nut splitter and they do look little big.

Thanks everyone

 

[napertuckytim]

I just replaced both of mine. Rear came out with no issues due to borla exhaust, front was my problem as well. My cruiser spent most of its time in IL so bolts were rusted pretty bad. I used a socket and 24" breaker-bar from autozone.It has a socket swivel that made getting that front bolt out pretty easy. I could not budge it with the wench and the socket/ratchet combo would not fit. Put the socket on the breaker and with the swivel head it was at about 45 degrees...one pull and it popped loose. After I got it off, the gasket was toast and I had to scrape it off, used a rag plug the hole to keep from sending gasket chunks into the cats.

 

[jhfj80]

i just replaced mine a few weeks ago and had equally good luck with the rear sensor; but the front sensor nuts were basically mounds of rust. a good pb blast the day before, and during the removal helped. but i had to go to work on his a** with a pair of pliers and a blow torch (pulp fiction anybody??). hammer and chisel got things started nicely too.

 

[LICruiser]

I had a rough go with all mine but used a nut splitter where I could and then used a dremel with a heavy cutting blade. Make sure to clean everything very well before installing the new sensors. I also used anti-seiz.

 

[Riad]

Well, I went to Sears and got me one of these. The nut/stud came right out. Here's the final pic. Only piece I could peel/scrape off for the gasket was the metal edge. The rest of it simply became the part of the exhaust pipe .

Thanks a lot every one for the tips