2001 Explorer oxygen sensor removal.

[petersmith]

Hi I am new to the site.
did not see a thread pertaining to 2001 oxy sensors. Is this a job for the pros or can i do this myself? I change oils etc. but nothing major.
thank you in advance - sorry if this is a repetetive ?
peter

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 95-01 section. You will need a special socket to remove the oxygen sensors.

 

[Xplorer82]

Welcome to the forum. they are not that hard to change.

on my 4.0 SOHC the 2 upstream ones are not hard at all. just cramped for hand space at times. jack the truck up, take wheels off. right behind the engine are the o2 connectors, unplug them. Get under the truck and unscrew the o2's (i used a wrench and they came out easily, and i am in the snow belt with rust under there). replace w/new ones.

for the rear o2's you remove the driver/pass seats, remove the center console, pull carpet back, remove the access panel (see link below), disconnect the 2 connectors, get under the truck and unscrew the o2's (again, i only needed a wrench). replace w/new ones.

easy peezy.

(how to take the center console out to get to the access panel, also shows location of rear o2 connectors)
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209770

 

[bobflood]

I agree - not a bad job at all. On my 5.0 all four of the O2 sensor connectors are clustered together on top of the transmission. Rather than remove all that stuff from the interior, I have always found it possible to reach up around the transmission from behind/below and unplug them.

 

[Amznwmn]

Would I be able to access the front two without having to take the wheels off if I just jack up the veh?

 

[Xplorer82]

Would I be able to access the front two without having to take the wheels off if I just jack up the veh?

you will need to take the wheels off

 

[c8zz]

I did a sensor today on my 97 AWD 5.0.

I agree - not a bad job at all. On my 5.0 all four of the O2 sensor connectors are clustered together on top of the transmission. Rather than remove all that stuff from the interior, I have always found it possible to reach up around the transmission from behind/below and unplug them.

 

[c8zz]

The console removal to get to the sensors isn't bad. I took the passenger seat out, popped off the cup holder and the storage compartment in front of it. 4- 8mm socket head bolts loosens the console.Loosened the bolts with a ratchet then spun them out with an air ratchet makes it quick.One 10 mm bolt loosens up the harness plug then unplug it. Tried to pull the console from the back seat, didn't move. Rocked the console side to side and it came right out ! I cut the rug down the middle and had a problem with the transmission access plate that no other forum spoke of. The threaded clips that hold the 4 bolts in where rusted so the bolts just spun. Had to drill out the Aft 2 bolts then lifted the plate up and held the fwd rusted clips with vise grips and took the fwd 2 bolts out with the air ratchet. Only someone with thin arms and a lift and a tetnus shot will get the sensors out from the bottom. Job took 4 hours at home.

 

[bobflood]

Only someone with thin arms and a lift and a tetnus shot will get the sensors out from the bottom.

I don't have thin arms (or thin anything else), but I do have access to a lift. Standing up under the vehicle does make most such jobs easier. Also, living in the South where rust is not generally an issue helps. Glad you were able to get the job done thru the access plate without too much trouble.

 

[AwwPhooey]

I know the thread is old, but adding to it for anyone new attempting it. My '01 XLT only has three, as this pic below shows. All three were easy to access from beneath on jack stands. B48 though has the connection way up, I finally was able to get my fingers in the right place to pull it off, but had to use a needle nose, holding connector at base, to get another inch and a half length to get the new one up there to connect. Took me a good 20 minutes of fumbling.

 

[ambrosiaB]

so I'm guessing ( looking at rock auto heated 4 wire is the standard? i have a limited would that change anything?

 

[SoNic67]

If you have the V8, that picture doesn't apply to you. 5.0L has 4 sensors, three have the connectors bunched together in a very tight spot above transmission. It's a pain to get there.
Plus, if the vehicle has any rust on it, it might be almost impossible to break loose the sensors from exhaust pipe without use of a torch.