This past weekend my ultra gauge showed the p0130 code, and when I checked the voltages, B1S1 was acting weird. So after reading up on changing the O2 sensors, I started soaking with penetrating oil and going on short drives. Today it started causing misfires (plugs, coils, and wires are all new and everything is secure) on cylinders 5 and 3. So I decided after it cooled down I would give changing it a go. I tried the socket O2 sensor tool, but it started rounding the sensor. I switched to a 7/8 spanner, same issue. The sensor is not budging. After a little more googling I cut the wires from the sensor (it's bad anyway right?) to get the circular head of the spanner around it. No dice, just more of the same, it does not budge and it's just rounding the area I can grab on the sensor. So I am not sure how to proceed. Any ideas on how I can get this damn thing out? I have not tried heat yet, feels like I will just end up burning myself and rounding the sensor more. I can always take it (have it towed probably) to the mechanic and just beg for forgiveness... I don't need to drive it for anything for a few weeks so I have some time to mess around with it.

 

I wouldn’t throw in the towel. Try it when it’s hot, or heat the boss with a torch.

 

What kind of penetrant are you using? Aerokroil is one of the best, recently saw some engineered testing where ATF mixed with Acetone was supposed to be better but have not tried it. If you are tired of it take it to a muffler shop and have them do it. They will use heat and then cut it out and weld in a new one if they need to, which I doubt they will. Should be relatively low cost.

 

After doing some digging I've seen people have cut the sensor to put a socket on. So I'm going to try that and heating it up before throwing in the towel. It was just very frustrating earlier.

I can't get anything I'm familiar with here, beyond WD-40. I'm using a penetrating oil the guy whose billed as one of the best LR mechanics around uses. It seems to do nothing. I read a report on the atf-acetone showing it was best and might have to buy some ATF to try that. If I need to drive it 10 or so miles with the o2 sensor non-functional will that be an issue? It was going about 3-4 miles today before it started misfiring. Stopping, turning it off, resting the codes fixed it for another 3-4 miles so I can probably do that again.

 

I was working with a friend here a few months ago whose truck had codes indicating a bad upstream O2 sensor. We tried everything at our disposal to remove the sensor with no success. He ended up taking his DII to a muffler shop and even they had a lot of trouble removing it. It may be time to call in the professionals. Good luck.

 

No O2's does not affect drivability if you disconnect both. I drove a truck for years like that, got 17mpg and drove fine. Without O2s the ecu reverts to using the maf for fueling and it runs quite good.

Regarding penetrant, every d2 owner should have a can of Aerokroil, available from Amazon.

 

When I couldn't remove a sensor I took it to a local shop. They heated it red hot but it wouldn't budge. Ended up at the muffler shop where they cut out the entire bung and installed a new one.

A VERY small amount of anti-seize helps. Do NOT get it on the sensor itself.

 

Copper anti-sieze is the go to