This is a bit odd to me.

Truck is due for emissions and tags this month. I have had a engine light issue for a while related to a o2 sensor heater failure. In the past I have been able to reset it and pass the emissions no problem but this time around it wont stay off long enough to get tested.

Got the new sensor with the intention of replacing it myself. In my "previous life" it would be a easy thing but currently it is proving to be a bit more....not easy. Basically I can't get the old sensor to come out as I just don't have the proper tools/supplies available to me at my shop.

Ok so fine, I will just pay a local shop to do it. Or apparently not?? I can not find a single shop anywhere around me that will do it. They will not install customer supplied parts. Something about warranties or something. But they are more than happy to charge me to diagnose the light and charge me for whatever new parts they determine are needed and for the labor to replace whatever they find.

So here I sit scratching my head trying to figure out what the heck to do. I have a friend that has a shop but he has been swamped with real customers and we haven't been able to get our schedules to jive to get down by him.

So I guess does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on how to get a rusty o2 sensor out of a rusty exhaust pipe with nothing more than basically a combo wrench, floor jack and a couple hammers? LOL My biggest worry right now is breaking something else in the process and not having the supplies to fix things.

Kroul and heat. Repeat until it comes out.

I used to live in rural Wisconsin. Back in the day there were plenty of shade tree mechanics or farmers needing to make a few bucks. I even got parts at a junkyard and had them put on the car. Sounds like things have changed.

A 7/8" box end wrench usually gets them loose. Spray lubricant an hour or two before attempting.

ZSMICHAEL yup, that is the odd part to me. It has been quite a while since the last time I had something I couldn't fix myself but I was always able to find someone that would happily do it. Not anymore I guess.

I had pretty much assumed some lube and heat should work. The "tricky" part with the heat is the only torch sets I have at work are big, long reach rosebuds. I think I could probably get it to work, it will just be a kinda tight squeeze.

I will talk to the boss Monday and see if I can park it in the shop for a while and try lubing and letting it sit. Hopefully it will work.

You could return the part and pay the markup.

Soak the threads with rust-killer every evening, then it should heat up as you drive it the next day. A few days of that and it should be ready to be removed.

quote:

ZSMICHAEL yup, that is the odd part to me. It has been quite a while since the last time I had something I couldn't fix myself but I was always able to find someone that would happily do it. Not anymore I guess.

^^^^^
Living here in Mississippi there are PLENTY of shade tree mechanics that cater to that market. One shop is from Wisconsin! He and his wife have a small garage with a lift next to their Katrina cottage. He takes a few days but kept my old Honda running for a few extra years. I remember living in rural Wisconsin and the clutch pedal broke off in my hand one day driving to work. It was below zero. I drove to the local gas station and the guy drove me back to work and welded it back on for me. Cost me thirty bucks. Times have changed.

Warranty, my ass. They want their mark-up on the parts.

I get it, it's a business and they need to make a profit. I just don't like having smoke blown up my ass.

Fredward lol I did have that thought. I am not quite there yet but just might be if I can't get it myself within the next week or so.

Some Shot thanks, I will give that a try.

ZSMICHAEL times have definitely changed I guess. I really do miss the "old days" sometimes lol.

Worse case scenario, just drill a new hole.

quote:

So I guess does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on how to get a rusty o2 sensor out of a rusty exhaust pipe

They can be tough.
You need to soak it with PB Blaster first and use an O2 removal tool (essentially a 7/8 wrench or socket with slit in it for the cord).
If you have an AutoZone or another national car part chain around they will "loan" you the tool.

You need an 02 sensor socket for maximum chance of success.

AeroKroil

Lift

Cold pipe for safety

I believe that the warranty comment is true. Yes, they want profit on parts. But, if you get the O2 sensor light again, they need the ability to send the warranty part back for credit and replacement.

PackRatJR,

What is the year, make, model, and engine size of your truck?

Before condemning the 02 sensor, did you check the fuses? There should be a fuse for the 02 heater circuit.

Not to pick on you but several decades ago I was in that business. The old 90/10 rule applied, 90% of your problems come from 10% of the customers.
People that brought in their own parts for installation made up a large part of that 10%. We had people that had done a large part of the major service and the car comes in on the wrecker with something like a broken off spark plug just above the threads or it won't run after their "tune up". They want just that and the remaining part of the service done but can't understand why they pay all of most of the labor they would have if we did the whole thing. I'm sure every business has their version of the same thing.
If I were you, I'd apply Kroil penetrating oil after the car is mostly cool for a few nights, then give it a try again with the correct tool. If that doesn't do the trick it may need a torch with some heat just on the bung it screws into.

Yep heat on the bung, then PB Blaster here. Never seen Kroil.

Unless the sensor socket is very thick-walled, on a tight or frozen sensor, it can spread open at the split and slip off, which also rounds off the sensor. If there is accessibility for a 7/8" or 22mm wrench, I have been known to cut off the connector and slip the box end over the sensor hex, or chop the body of the sensor off with a cutoff wheel or air chisel and put a six -point (less likely to round off than a 12) socket over the stub. These tricks are ONLY for removing the OLD sensor, not installing the new one. Don't tell anyone.

As for the "warranty" question, nobody likes to do work they can't warranty. You can't expect them to provide one on a diagnosis they didn't make or a part they didn't supply.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
Warranty, my ass. They want their mark-up on the parts.

I get it, it's a business and they need to make a profit. I just don't like having smoke blown up my ass.

Yep, and this is stupid on steroids for the local shops. Just accept the part from the owner, indicate on the invoice any warranty is strictly with the manufacturer of th part, and up-charge an additional half hour shop fee and do the work.

But if it were me, I'd hit that sensor with a good penetrating oil, wait a couple hours, then heat it up with a propane torch. My bet, the old sensor will back its way out.

MAPP gas torch and a breaker bar.

Soak it down, for as long as you can. I've replaced a couple of them by breaking off the head of the old one so I could get an impact socket on it. Don't take that step unless you're sure you have the absolutely correct replacement, and possibly another mode of transportation if you're wrong.