Oxygen Sensors

[CaptSquid]

After the stealership did a thorough diagnostic and repaired the bad chassis ground, he told me that I needed new O2 sensors.

Questions are:

1. How many?
2. Where?

TIA.

[CaptSquid]

Did some research and found out that there are FOUR O2 sensors on the beast. The stealership wants $299 PER UNIT installed. I can get Bosch units at Autozone or O'Reilly's for $62.99 each.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalo ... rentId=117

[mdmead]

Cheaper for the parts I'm sure... but they still need to be installed!

[CaptSquid]

Ain't that the truth! And I'm handicapped, on top of that.

[LAZ 1]

Before paying the big bucks for new O2 sensors,
try adding a can of Seafoam in your gas tank
or some of the [ much more expensive ] Startron.

a couple of my Mazda Mpv 4WDs used to throw the error code for the O2 sensors and set off the check engine light. A can of Seafoam every fifth tank cleaned the sensors and stopped that code.

Good luck
LAZ 1

[Slicky]

Which seafoam product?

[Smiliesafari]

http://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-motor- ... ent-works/

[Kidhauler]

Try going to the local high school and talk to the shop auto shop teacher. The sensors are simple to change maybe a student could do it just to have something to work on for a hour. A small donation to the school shop program is always nice. The obd2 system should tell you which sensor is bad. I just had to change one of mine and the code said which side it was on.

The school should be able to run a code reader on the van it just seems like bull cookies to me that magically all the sensors go at the same time. I think your getting hosed.

[CaptSquid]

I don't think it would hurt to run a few cans of Sea Foam through the system, but I don't think that's going to cure the O2 sensors. After 186K miles, they're bound to be tired. I'll check out the local shop class when school is back in session. But $1200 is a bit much to charge, considering that brand new sensors go for $63 each. I certainly don't want to break off the sensors in their threads, which might just happen if some ham-handed amateur attempts to remove them.

[Kidhauler]

Unplug them put a big wrench on it with the closed end on the sensor then smack the other end of the wrench with a big rubber mallet and it will crack the sensor loose. If you try to just push on the wrench it might strip or break but a swift sharp smack will crack them loose.

[chesehd]

My local Auto Zone allowed me to rent a set of crowfoot heads specifically for removing oxygen sensors. Rent isn't exactly right as I got the full deposit back when I returned them, but it does take cash up front to get the tools.

Several different sizes came in the kit. I tried using a couple different sized wrenches but none got a good-enough grip to make it work. I ended up using a breaker bar and a torque multiplier (36" iron pipe) to break mine loose with the crowfoot.

Good luck with it!