Buggered O2 sensor nuts (1 Viewer)

[Godwin]

Looking for some advice on how to deal with a couple of rounded and stuck nuts. I need to replace the rear O2 sensor on a '97 and I can't break the nuts loose. Someone in the past rounded rounded them. I've tried an 11, 12 mm and 7/16 socket and none fit well enough. The 12 is too loose while the 11 and 7/16 just won't go on. I attempted to drive an 11 onto a nut but there's not enough space to swing a hammer. My final attempt was to sacrifice the shield to get vice grips on a nut. That worked but the nut tightness exceeded the grip of the vice grips.

At this point I'm looking at a nut splitter or Irwin bolt-grip extractors. Any guidance as to what may work well in this situation?

 

[Chaldaean]

Yeah, the Irwin bolt-grips would be a good choice. Check out post #22 for the tool that worked well for me: https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/87050-new-oxygen-sensor-installation-need-help.html

Also, get them cherry-red with a torch and they may loosen up enough to turn them with channellocks/vise-grips or something.

Good luck!

 

[Michael Hanson]

torch. Mike

 

[Godwin]

After reading the other thread I think I'll be going with the bolt extractors. Thanks.

 

[86tuning]

I use a chisel and hammer on most of the toyota bolt-on sensors. Just hammer them in the spin-off direction and they come free, even if they're rusted to nothing. Or especially if they're rusted to nothing.

Air chisel works pretty good too, if you have good throttle control.

 

[93Chewbacca]

My first choice would be a torch and vise grips, but if thats not available the Irwin bolt-grips sound good.

 

[93Chewbacca]

In fact, if you're really good with a cutting torch, you can cut the nut off without harming the threads (my favorite technique)

 

[autobon7]

Mine were rusted and cone shaped, could not see a flat surface only round. A short pair of need nose vise grips worked well. Had to beat on them a bit (as well as a few magical words so no children please).

 

[harrydunn]

PB, Heat, Vice grips, Curse. Repeat. This worked for me. Takes a while sometimes but you just have to be patient and take whatever movement you can get each time.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/453989-replaced-my-o2s-they-have-seen-better-days.html

 

[ralphy1997]

Pipe wrench with a breaker bar--if you can get it in there.

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

I just went down this road last week. I too had rusty nuts when replacing the O2 sensors. Go to the Home Dept and get the Irwin Bolt off tool kit, its $19. They fit on a ratchet and easily get the job done in the tight confines between the exhaust and body.

 

[Godwin]

I just went down this road last week. I too had rusty nuts when replacing the O2 sensors. Go to the Home Dept and get the Irwin Bolt off tool kit, its $19. They fit on a ratchet and easily get the job done in the tight confines between the exhaust and body.

Thanks for the Home Depot reminder. I had decided against the bolt grips because the same set from Advance Auto or Autozone is nearly $30 and I did not want to spend that much for essentially one socket. $20 is not as bad so I picked up a set this afternoon. This task has become enough of a pain and if the bolt grip will take care of it without too much hassle then it will money well spent.

 

[Godwin]

The Irwin Bolt Grips are worth the money. With the 11 mm socket and 1/2" socket both nuts came off without effort. Even at $30 this kit would have been worth the bucks.

 

[Eicca]

I tried (in this order): PBBlaster, sockets, wrenches, chisels, blowtorches, vice grips, a dremmel, more blowtorching, more chiselling, more vice gripping, and finally after taking a three-week breather because I was so pissed, got it off by spraying it with PBBlaster one more time, waiting ten minutes and then it just threaded off by hand.

 

[nuclearlemon]

Grind both sides almost to the thread and knock the halves off

 

[NKP Garage]

make sure to get the correct ones when replacing them too after you get the old ones off. The studs/nuts on the exhaust should be 8x1.25 thread

 

[Tools R Us]

For this application I prefer VW exhaust nuts. They are the proper size and copper plated, so last longer.

Exhaust nuts 8mm copper plated locking ea. [253 104] - $0.35 : Techtonics Tuning, VW and Audi Tuning and Repair Parts

 

[rhyary]

Just ordered 20. Shipping is a killer. Cost is now .50

 

[FJ80 Money Pit]

If everything mentioned above fails, you can always cut the plate in two with a dremel and spin the plate with vise grips.