EGR doesn't really matter. If the truck had it originally, but, doesn't now, I would expect it to whine about that. If it never had it, or, has it, and isn't whining about it, it's a non-issue.

PCV is just a controlled vacuum leak. On the 2nd gen trucks, I stick with the mopar valves, as they are actually the correct flow rate. It *may* be a contributor, but, also not real likely.

A lean-burn miss, which is what I think you are experiencing..... is usually an O2 problem. But, if it's still there, with O2 disabled, then need to look deeper. Is fuel pressure correct? Injectors working properly?

This is where a scanner than can tell you WHICH cylinders are misfiring comes in handy. Once you know which cylinders are having issues, you can swap around injectors/coils, and see if the miss moves with the parts, or stays on the cylinder. Any of the local auto parts stores have a scanner that can read those? I would think that your *should*...... but, finding it is in the fun part.

Rare-Earth plugs can also give you mystery misfires....... I know the 5.2/5.9 motors hated them.

 

had the O2 sensor glowing hot and still couldn't find t couldn't get to eit to budge it's in the worst possible position imaginable so I hit it with more blaster and walked away for a bit I don't know what else to throw at it
As for scanner, I can see the fuel injector duty cycle. If there's a specific range they should be in and you know it or I can find it to look it up that would be great. I mean I can look at live data. I just don't have reference points for where it should be to compare it to. I do have my original throttle position sensor, but I'm trying to sort out removing this O2 sensor that will not move before I start jumping to the next thing

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If you're replacing the sensor wack off the top with a hammer and get a 22mm 6 point socket on a flex head rachet. 1/2" drive preferably

there are oxygen specfic sockets, also called nox sensor sockets for use on diesels, same size. They can work, but their open design for accommodating the wiring allows them to stretch open, they're similar to a line wrench, more so suitable for installation only

 

I would I’ve got no room to swing anything in there. I’ve got a flex head socket, but it’s literally vertically up-and-down at a 90°. It doesn’t give me much leverage. I’m gonna keep heating it and try to get it free driving me nuts

 

so I got a breaker bar on there busted the end off and got a socket on had that O2 sensor glowing red could not get it to budge no matter what I did. I don’t even know where to go at this point so I have to buy a whole new catalytic converter now and have it installed, will have to cut the bolts off to mount it cause those bolts dont look better. Nothing about this truck has been easy. It’s strange. I’ve had trucks with the frame rotted through that every bolt was removed you know relatively reasonably the frame is fantastic and is not a single bolt on it that can be removed and replaced . I swear this truck is ****ing cursed.
also, I tested the TPS closed it’s reading .71 wide open. It’s reading in the 3.9s

 

Are you heating the bung or the sensor itself? You can buy weld in bungs, would be cheaper to drill a hole in the pipe and weld in a new bung, vs replacing the converter. I think ive even seen clamp on O2 bungs, not sure if i would trust those but its and option.

I really wish i could be there, I've never seen one that didn't twist off or round out with to much force

 

I have my thermal induction heater on what's left of the O2 sensor and it's glowing hot red. Then I'm throwing a 22 mm snap-on O2 sensor socket with a breaker bar. Can I get my max amount of force on the breaker bar no. Because I don't have enough space to really get at it but it should have broken free and it's not rounded off yet and a heap aftermarket catalytic converter from Amazon's like 200 bucks. Could just cut the bolts off and replace the hardware which I would have done anyway. I don't know the truck's driving much better, but if I'm on the gas pedal very lightly around 40 mph, it still feels a little off and is like a massive flat spot there that it didn't have before the transmission was fixed

 

Big wrench, lotsa heat, whack it with a hammer. Chances are good it's gonna take the threads out with it though.....

 

That's when you pray it leaves half a thread at the bottom of the hole, hope the new one catches it

 

Sounds like you are familiar with this exercise.