Maybe someone can tell me if this is an easy job to change them at home, or if I need to have done at shop. Right front the challenge? They came in today and I would work on it tonight.

'01, 4x4, QC, 4.7

I have a shop jack and stands, of course.

Thanks in advance!
Robb

 

I would say do not work on it tonight. Drive the truck home and let it cool off. Set it up on your jack stands and then spray the O2's with PB Blaster several times before going to bed. Get up in the morning, spray them again and eat breakfast, then get after the O2's. They can sometimes get stuck pretty good in the exhaust pipe. The O2 sensor socket you can get at Harbor Freight or the parts store helps out a lot in removing a stubborn O2. It is also a lot better to work on it with the truck dead cold so you don't burn yourself on hot exhaust parts. This is how I did it and mine were easy to remove.

Jimmy

 

AAAAAAH. I had read about a "tool" and figured an open end would work. Although, catching your "socket" comment, mine has probably never been replaced in all its 205K miles. I'll go get the PB Blaster and O2 socket either tonight or tomorrow and set the work up for Sunday am.

Thanks a bunch for the insight!

Robb

 

There is another brand of penetrant called Aero Kroil. If you can find it for sale somewhere Kroil works really well, better than PB Blaster. The O2 socket is split up the side to accommodate the wire harness for the O2 and it should have a hex head on it for turning it with a wrench, and it should also be 3/8" drive for use with a ratchet. The socket really does help, at least on my truck it did.

Jimmy

 

Agree soaking down good give it a chance to do its work and take them out. They also make a adapter kinda looks like a crows ft for the o2's.

 

Did mine at home, bought both sockets at Harbor Freight to be on the safe side. I used liquid wrench because I had it and applied it several times. I had to use a 4 ft. breaker extension on the front one to get it to break loose, thought I broke the O2 socket. Put never seize on the new ones when you install them. Wasn't too bad of a job and saved a lot of money. Buy the replacement sensors that have the OEM wire fitting on them, much easier the splicing wires.

 

Going with the NGK from Rock Auto. The upstream(pre cat) are considerably more expensive than the downstream (post cat). Already had it out and put the piece ### one in that lasted 5 months and put anti-sieze on it so should be a quick fix once I have the part.

 

the 4' breaker bar scares me! There is no room up there to use that!!!!!

Current status:

Pulled the truck up on ramps last night. Had a tough time even getting the can of Blaster oriented to spray them, so I really don't see how this is a home project for the unfamiliar, but I will more forward.

Identified this morning, there is an access panel in the drivers-side wheel well that gives a little access to spray (maybe even use that breaker bar mentioned).

Right now, I'm drinking my coffee after the morning spray of Blaster; feeling a little unsure. I realize I can get to the threads of 3 of the 4, now for finding the connectors and getting both my hands on them....

I'll either edit this post each break I take, be successful with the replacement, or give up and watch the Packers at 1:00!

 

Crazy.... need small to medium sized hands to get at the connectors, I have XL to XXL. Perhaps my luck is the 4X4 and 4.7 and California emissions.

~shaking head~ I can't even get at the drivers rear connector well enough!

Next investment will have to be a 6' lift in my carport or dig a trench under.....

 

On my truck I had to jack it up and go in through the front to get to the O2 sensor. It was the only way to get it to break loose, it was the original with almost 100,000 miles. The back one I was able to get to with a combination wrench.