Yeah I had the exhaust out a month ago, but of course I didn't do it then. Would have been too easy, not my MO.

 

Gotta work smarter not harder my friend. Especially on something like that. You break the O2 sensor off in the bung or snap the bung you're gonna have to weld in a new one which means dropping the exhaust anyway to put a decent weld on it

 

Yeah and I can have the exhaust off in less than 30 minutes but I'm just averse to doing things the right way, lol.

 

Ive got a truck full of work not done the right way. Now I'm doing something few people have done and even fewer people think is worthwhile. Restoring a 1993 Dakota. It's been on the road almost 26 years. 26 years from now when it's considered a classic I plan on my son driving it. To keep it on the road that means doing it right. Plus I'ma bit OCD lol

 

Yeah I put a "new" frame on my '93 and redid a ton of stuff but of course all the things I didn't do are failing one after the other. What's original is the cab and bed and suspension/drivetrain Frame from one truck, doors each from two separate trucks, engine from another truck. Rear brakes from a 70s Dodge. Even the wheels are from a Dakota but a different one. So technically, I guess I'm driving around a bucket of parts from 7 different trucks as well as well as a couple grand in seals, bushings, ball jointed items, calipers, wheel bearings, new fasteners...on an on...

Just waiting for the ax-15, rear end or transfer case to assplode now...

 

I just replaced my O2 sensor on my 93 Dakota just a few months ago. I soaked it with PB Blaster a couple times a day for several days. Cut the O2 wire and slipped a box wrench over it and used a cheater bar. No problem getting it off this way. My Dakota is garage-kept, however and perhaps this helped.

 

Yesterday I soaked it in PB for a while then broke out the torch. Even my Mapp torch was able to get it glowing a bit but still no luck. Multiple heat/cool cycles, wouldn't budge. I'll stop ****ing around and just drop the exhaust.

 

Got it out...barely. I didn't drop the exhaust because I couldn't separate the intermediate pipe and y-pipe. Ha.

The O2 socket started to stretch and almost rounded off the flats, but it came out! Trick was more heat cycles... heat to glowing with torch, douse with hose water immediately, then when it's a little cooler, spray PB. Rinse (literally) and repeat. New O2 on order.

 

Well ****. New O2 and still stalling/low idle sometimes. No improvement. I would've suspected the auto ECU with the manual tranny except for the fact that I had the same issue with in the v6 with the appropriate ECU. But now I'm clueless.

 

Um duh, let's go to the next obvious conclusion--actually trust what the oxygen sensor is telling me! By that I mean now I should be suspecting a bad cat, seeing as the exhaust system is common (save headers) between the V6 and V8. Gonna cut the cat off tomorrow and see what happens. I did replace the cat a few years ago but with a cheap cheap Walker replacement. Could easily be clogged by now.