94' 02 sensor - how to get at clips?

[theofile]

I want to replace my 02 sensors. What's the best way to get at the electrical connection? The sensor itself is easy.

 

[mattadams]

I did mine about a month ago! . Best way to get to the clips. Climb into the engine compartment. Set one knee on the throttle body, one knee on the air filter assembly. Reach arm in until you yank the right cord. If arm is too fat or too short, use a piece of wire with a hook attached to it (thats what I had to do on the passenger side). Getting them apart is relatively easy, compared to putting them back together. Just take a look at the connector and visualize how it's going to come apart before reaching your hand in, its one of those connectors where you have to push in one tab then pull the two pieces apart. Basically, its a pain in the ass (or pain in the knees depending on how you decide to crawl into the engine compartment)

Oh yes, on the drivers side, I actually had to "hug" the engine (left arm went around the left side of engine, right arm went around the right side of engine) in order to grab the right connect and get it off of there! Although a brief note, getting the sensors off will be easiest if you take off the electrical connectors SECOND, the manual says first. I took off the sensors which made it not as "snug" so I could fiddle with getting the connectors off a lot easier. It's your perogative though!

 

[Dannyboy]

Use a wire if your arm is too fat or short. Being that I was LMOA picturing Matt Adam's at 6'7" crouched in an engine compartment, then he says thisl, I think no one has longer arms than you on this board. Matt you pretty much max out the Explorer Driver height. I want a pic

 

[mattadams]

LOL you want a picture of what? Me as I'm crawled into the engine compartment with my arms hugging the engine? Trust me, I don't think I'll get in that position again just to please the board! It was most uncomfortable! LOL But then again, it was more comfortable then paying $200 labor or whatever it was. Except when I poked myself in the eye with the wire I was using to hold that passenger side wire up while I tried to connect them. When I heard that last "click" like hte connector had went in, I jumped up to shout hoorah and hit my head on the hood. LOL. Me working on cars is a funny sight... for other people... LOL

 

[rameyer]

I just did mine on my '94 yesterday. Basically the longer and skinnier your arms and fingers are the easier it will be. You also need to be able to do things by feel since once you jam your arms in there you can't see the clips.

I did the drivers side like mattadams by hugging the engine.

The passenger side I found easier to reach up while laying on the ground underneath. I put my left arm through the wheel well area, past the exhaust, and up to the clip. My right arm I jammed as far up by the exhaust as I could go to help guide my left hand and the O2 lead.

I too got excited at that last click and tried to jerk my left arm out to celebrate but I had jammed it in so hard I couldn't budge it! Almost broke my arm! I had to slowly work my arm out, then I celebrated!

Have fun, its not as easy as it looks.

 

[kps36]

Man you guys are scaring the crap otta me. I was thinking of doing the X this w/e. When I did the Ranger, the clip was real accessible, everything being done from underneath. I do have long skinny arms and will have my son underneath. One thought, would not jacking the car up allow access to the clips from underneath ? Again, I haven't investigated yet, but I would think that is possible.
Oh, on my POS10 parts-runner, the clip for the O2 sensor is ON TOP of the sensor itself ! 10 minutes to change...

 

[kps36]

Is this too simple or is there a reason nobody has done it ?

Go to Radio shack and get a couple of 2 wire connectors.
Cut the wires to the O2 sensors about 6-8" from the sensor, do the same for the new sensor, hook up the connectors and go.
Has anyone tried that or not. Should it not work?
Anyone?

 

[mattadams]

I don't think jacking the truck would help. personally, with something as important as the O2 sensor, I think its worth it to do it yourself, it just isn't easy. I wouldn't trust a radio shack connector for that, especially considering how hot those wires get, I think the chance for wire seperation would be pretty good, but hey, we're always up for easier ways of doing things! As long as you took some precautions to make sure the connection didn't come apart...
I was ALMOST able to reach the connector on the passenger side from the underside of the vehicle, but not quite. I could touch it, but couldn't get a grab on it.