Posting my question up here for those that do not want to read:
Has anyone replaced the O2 sensor on a 1997 D1 with SELs and been able to reach the connector behind the engine to plug it in? if so, any suggestions or tricks to doing this?

For those that do want to read:
Starting a new thread here as I think it deserves one. I have a 1997 D1 with the SEL system (as opposed the ALE system). With 140k miles on it and O2 sensor related CELs popping up, I figured it was time to replace them..and why not ALL of them since Im taking the time to do it anyway?. I dont do a ton of work on cars and have never done O2 sensors, but thought this would be a good little Saturday afternoon project for my son (his car) and myself. After banging around, using the wrong tools and then the right tools, we got the downstream passenger side done and we were off and running. moved to the driver side downstream, then on to the driver side upstream. Getting the upstream sensors out of the exhaust was pretty easy...I put my son under the car and I attacked them from the engine compartment with a 36" ratchet extension and a 17mm crows foot...he guided the crows foot onto the sensor and kept it from slipping off and I torqued from above...worked perfectly. Now for the fun part. Most cars have something in them that is a SH*T design. Land Rover chose to place the O2 wire harness connections behind the damn engine block on top of the transmission....seriously, WTF. theres plenty of room to expose these in the engine compartment...but anyway...I digress. We were able to reach the driver side upstream and, after 2 hours and a few broken knuckles, not only did we get it connected, but i even got the connected unit remounted to the bracket. Finally...almost done....just need to get to the passenger side upstream....and this is where my question lies. Seems impossible to get to so if anyone has any tips or tricks Id appreciate it

 

There was a discussion on this recently that said you don't even need the O2 sensors and that there are no side effects of not having them. Maybe it was just for the upstream's.

 

I thought I needed it to pass smog in CA

 

Oh, California. Yea, probably so.

 

On my '96 I just move the coil pack since it is easy to do. I tried not moving it first and couldn't do it.

 

Good news!! In route to removing the coil pack, I pulled all the spark plug wires and, again through grit, cuts and broken knuckles, my son and i got the connection made. Can someone correct my on one thing, I think ive misspoken. Moving from the engine to the muffler, is it upstream to cat to downstream or vice versa? In other words, which is upstream and which is downstream?

 

Upstream is before the cat closer to the engine. Downstream is after the cat.

 

Thanks a ton...always trying to look less like the idiot I am

 

I recently did my down stream 02 sensors. They aren't needed for the engine to run. They help the computer calculate air/ fuel ratios to run more efficient (not sure if this equals better performance or just less emissions). When they fail the computer has a preset tuning it will run. You can clear the codes for the 02 sensors with a OBD2 scanner and they shouldn't show up for several trips in the vehicle. SO depending on how they test the vehicle you could spoof the test by clearing the codes.

 

Thanks Mr Savage - for ****s and giggles, i ended up replacing all 4 (figured if i was gonna take the time to do it, may as well as the car is 25 years old). Much to my chagrin, I finished the project replacing the passenger side upstream and the freaking thing was unplugged which was probably why the codes were thrown in the first place. You live and learn...and as someone in another thread on here said....may the engineer that designed the placement of the 02 sensors suffer the plague of 1000 sand flea bites (or something like that). the upstreams plug in literally behind the engine block on top of the bell housing.......inexplicably!!!