I just got done changing the 2 sensors before the cat on a v6 98 RS camaro. Wow, that was fun. Now the question is this: What is the CORRECT way to do this?!? Now that I don't have any skin left on my forearms and knuckles?

 

NO skin on your knuckles and forearm? Sounds about right. Just finding the right angle to get to your sensors and get them out.

Massey

 

I just cut the wires and used a deep well socket to get them out. No problem with a cheater pipe. Getting them back in was a @#$^@! The tool you rent from autozone is completey USELESS here. I seriously think it would be easier to pull the manifolds out to do this job!

 

I have 2 O2 sensors laying in the tool box. Looked at them today and thought about putting them in but I could not get the 7/8 wrench in the right position. I was going to buy the socket from Advanced that has a slit in it for the wiring with an offset attachment hole for 1/2 inch drive. Is that the tool you are referring to? I could just kick myself! I should have replaced them when we put the engine in but, noooo, we used the old ones because we were in a hurry!

 

First on the old ones I unplugged the wires, then I cut them off. Then I used a half inch drive deep well craftsman socket to get them out. I put a 1/2" to 3/8" reducer in it, and put a 3/8" ratchet on it. I maybe could have used a 1/2" drive ratchet but there really isn't much room in there. I could get the tool on it, but could not do anything with it at all, it hit the flange no matter how it went on there. The tool is useless for this.

Anyhow, on the drivers side one, I have a 2' long cheater bar that I have had for years, I used it to loosen up the O2 sensor, I had to unthread it about half way before I could go at it without a cheater. On the passenger side, I had to use a deepwell socket with some 3/8" drive extentions on it to work as a cheater pipe because of the transmission lines. I still had to coerce the lines a bit to get 1 click on the ratchet. It took about 20 clicks before I could finish it by hand.

Getting them in, I put some grease on the threads, and put them in as far as I could by hand, and to be honest, I used a pair of pliers to tighten them up as good as I could. There is really no way to get anything on there at all. You can't use a socket because of the wires.

I really, really, really think that the correct way to do this is probably to take the two bolts out of the flange on the exhaust drop downs, and unbolt the exhaust from the heads and swap them out in the open air, then replace gaskets and put the exhaust back in. If it has to get done again, that is how it is getting done next time.

I've done this on my truck before, and it is right where you can get at it.

Another option here is; Can you just eliminate this useless thing? lol

 

theres 2 ways to eliminate the o2 sensors first plug the holes and get your comp reprogrammed to not have them or get o2 simulators which still requires them to be installed but some states require all that emissions sht