i need to change my o2 sensor, and the damn thing is like rusted in there or something. i’ve coated that thing in liquid wrench, and still no budging…
do i need to remove the heat shield to take out the exhaust manifold (EM)? the two lower bolts on the heat shield are very low, and i can’t get at them…
what bolts do i need to remove to get the EM out? are they hard to get to? if they are hard to get to, impossible it seems for me, how do you guys get to these fricking things? do you remove other components to create room? or do you just use 12mm little wrenches or something?
Unfortunately rust and heat have a way of welding materials together. If you are just trying to replace the O2 sensor go to an auto parts tool store that will sell you a special deep well socket for removing O2 sensors and use an extended breaker bar or impact driver. There are some alternatives like cutting the top off the O2 sensor and using a normal socket and breaker bar. Or just taking your car to a shop and asking them to loosen the O2 sensor for you and finish the job at home. If your replacing your exhaust manifold the proper tools will also help you get the job done.
Hehe … I had the body shop cut the factory downpipe with a torch, then drove home (fawking LOUD), and removed the two sections. The bolts that held the manifold and the downpipe together were rusted, and hard to reef on, so I said fawk it :).
To remove the EM: unbolt the heat shield (carefully, and with lots of WD-40 … those bolts like to snap). Then loosen the 3 manifold/downpipe bolts … VERY tough … be ready for a battle, and have something useless and worthless sitting next to you, so you can kick it, punch it, and throw it as far as you can …
Then remove the 12 castle nuts that hold the manifold on the head … starting from the middle, and working your way out, evenly on either side … loosen them a little first, then remove them once they have all been loosened.
For the O2 sensor, a breaker bar/torque wrench combo would probably do it … just work it out, and go slow.
