Oxygen Sensor Agony Mother $#%@&*!

[BennyM]

So I read these posts about how simple it is to replace the O2 sensor: screw out, screw in. Well these people must live in the constant climates of California or Florida or something, because mine (like most parts on my 525i, especially those damned thrustarms) is fused into the exhaust. I have been trying for hours to remove the old sensor. Tried with exhaust cold and hot. I have drenched the little POS in WD-40 and Liquid Wrench. I eventually bought the $13 O2 socket, thinking it might offer some magical properties to help my efforts. This of course was after clipping the wires on the sensor (stupid! stupid!). I've grunted and yanked and cussed and prayed but I have made no progress. I'm going to bring it in to Pepboys tomorrow morning (only place open on Sunday) and pay them probably $60 to do the job. I hate this. It's a complete rip off, I know. But I give up.

Anybody wanna come over and try to get it?

Q: Can I drive my car with the o2 sensor disconnected? Or do I have to splice the wires back together to get to work tonight?

[Bill R.]

So I read these posts about how simple it is to replace the O2 sensor: screw out, screw in. Well these people must live in the constant climates of California or Florida or something, because mine (like most parts on my 525i, especially those damned thrustarms) is fused into the exhaust. I have been trying for hours to remove the old sensor. Tried with exhaust cold and hot. I have drenched the little POS in WD-40 and Liquid Wrench. I eventually bought the $13 O2 socket, thinking it might offer some magical properties to help my efforts. This of course was after clipping the wires on the sensor (stupid! stupid!). I've grunted and yanked and cussed and prayed but I have made no progress. I'm going to bring it in to Pepboys tomorrow morning (only place open on Sunday) and pay them probably $60 to do the job. I hate this. It's a complete rip off, I know. But I give up.

Anybody wanna come over and try to get it?

Q: Can I drive my car with the o2 sensor disconnected? Or do I have to splice the wires back together to get to work tonight?

[BennyM]

and screw in another one. Plus I'm short on cash to begin with. What I thought would cost $80 will instead cost me $150. That sorta thing just really bugs me.

[Martin in Bellevue]

I have a stubby combination wrench that works great for the o2 sensors on the 535's.

and screw in another one. Plus I'm short on cash to begin with. What I thought would cost $80 will instead cost me $150. That sorta thing just really bugs me.

[ryan roopnarine]

1......autozone rents the socket fer $20 or so, but you get the money back, i know it doesn't really help you.

2...not having had to change mine yet, i don't know what the clearance is. the only occasion i've had to lower the exhaust for is to replace the flexdisc. i'm thinking that if you lower it, you can put your new socket on it, and using the handle from one of the cheapo hydraulic jacks as a breaker bar...someone holding the exhaust steady for you, perhaps you can get it out that way. if the thing already needed changing, why not re-connect it, or drive with it disconnected, and wait until you figure out a way to do it instead of handing it over to pep boys...it isn't gonna slaughter your gas mileage to wait. i would think that your cheapest way out of this is to get the cheapest propane torch you can find (borrow hopefully) and try heating it up with that. i doubt that wal mart doesn't have one for under $20, and 20<60 plus tax.......

[ryan roopnarine]

i fergot a logical option for you......drive down to the ghetto and see if any bare-bones muffler shop can handle it for you, perhaps toward the end of the day. grandfather had a certain (cough) component cut off of a 1981 mazda (sundowner or b2k, i don't remember) pickup truck in 1996 for less than $15 by having the gentleman doing it on the down low....if you tell them you tried to take it off, you have the replacement, and that you just want them to heat it off and take it out (perhaps putting the new one in at yer house)...you might be able to get it done for cheaper than the cost of a torch.

[BennyM]

lol. Actually, that thought had crossed my mind. See, I live on the edge of the ghetto already and the exact shop you described is 3 blocks away. I can't say for sure if you were being sarcastic or not, but it just might work. I'd be sure to take everything out of the car before I brought it in there

Forgive me for my ignorance, but wouldn't heating this part simply reproduce the normal operation that got it stuck in the first place?

Also, yeah, I found out Autozone rented those sockets last night, after I had already bought one at Pepboys and beat it to crap. Learned my lesson there.

Finally, since I am more or less a novice, dropping the exhaust would take me quite a bit longer than it would for you expert guys. I was looking for a quick fix, and I don't have time now to go through all of that.

Thanks for your help guys. I'll let you know how it works out.

[ryan roopnarine]

the heat thing---if my understanding is correct.....by locally heating it to temperatures 1.5 to 2 times as much as operation, everything in the vicinity will expand....and when "everything" expands, it does some of the breaking for you...you might still have to torque it for all its worth. google= removing stuck oxygen sensor, and i'd bet money that there are at least a few references to using MAP or regular propane to get them out.

the ghetto suggestion is not me being facetious, all of the alternator/starter rebuild places worth their salt are usually in the less desirable parts of town...when i don't feel like f^^^^ng with an electric motor that's crapped out on me that i don't feel like lubing/rebuilding, there's usually a place in the ghetto that will deal with it for a nominal sum.

you don't have to remove the exhaust to drop it enough to get better access to the o2 sensor...alls you have to do is remove a few of the rear exhaust hangers/donuts and place a jack under the center exhaust piece, and lower it a little...shouldn't take you more than 30 mins the first time, even if crap is rusted. my car began its life in NY and its evident that its gotten to some of the hangers.

[Tiger]

Put a vise grip on it... clamp it tight... then use the hammer to whack it loose.

[632 Regal]

I agree with Ryan here, in the ghetto is good at times. Sometimes you can learn new terms that none of your friends will know and might be a learning experience! Look on the bright side education is expensive but you may also make a new friend that wants to check the car out and be willing to help down the road also. Might be a great place to get to know when you dont want to deal with your flex disk.