Removing a 21-year-old Lambda Sensor.....

[K80]

Brooklyn Bay suggested that while I have my exhaust line pulled for a tranny rebuild, I should check out my O2 sensor to see how it's doing.
Boy, am I glad I did THAT! Everything went swell, thanks to Brooklyn suggesting I use a torch to heat the pipe by the sensor so it would come out easier. This sensor is SERIOUSLY jacked-up.....

Here's the beast. It's a three-wire Lambda Sensor; which I believe would mean it is heated, yes?

Preparing the torch....

The Boss (Abilene) inspecting the tool, a 3/4" drive pass-through ratchet from Advance Auto Parts. There's a funny story that goes along with the set this ratchet came out of in my first rebuild diary.....

Perfect fit!

Score!

Heating the pipe....

Checking the temp....800 to 900 degrees seems to be sufficient.

Out it comes!

Now for damage assessment.......

As you can see, the plated Zirconium is not plated much anymore....What do you all think?

I'm trying to figure out for sure just how old this thing is....Anyone see anything in the part number to give a clue?

Here is Abilene, the shop supervisor. When things go right, she gets the credit; when things do not go right, I get the blame...It must be hard to be in charge....

Abby wants to know what I'm going to do with her picture....

Anyway, I think this sensor is shot, folks. Anyone think not? Abby definitely seems to think it's shot, AND she objects generally to the smell of it.

Anybody got a good used one on the cheap?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Since it's Bosch, and it has a Ford part number, it makes me believe that it's the original. Don't buy a used sensor. You could get a new sensor for around $45. The amount that you will save on gas mileage will justify the replacement cost. You will need a special O2 socket so that you don't have to remove the plug. An adjustable wrench might work too.

 

[K80]

Cool. I didn't have to remove the plug(hence the four photos depicting this above)....I just did it once the sensor was out in case I need to adapt it to the replacement.