Oxygen Sensor Plug Removal - Help!
 

Any tricks to unplugging the front O2 sensor from the harness on a 97 Taco 4x4 Manual? I tried last weekend and the stupid thing is above the tranny. Grrr! I even tried removing the center consol/shifter boot with no luck...

This write-up is for an Auto Tranny... http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/tech/O2_Sensor/

This write-up appears to be for a Manual Tranny, but I couldn't get my big hands down in there far enough to do it... http://www.lieblweb.com/tacoma/Mecha...placement.html I might be able to get this to work if I had a 1" body lift, but alas, I don't...

Any help is really appreciated!

Cheers, :cheers:

Jeremy

I know i was wishing i had a bodylift when i did mine. I could not get my hands down in there either. I ended up taking the shifter boot off and had a buddy look with a flashlight while i was under the truck. I reached up overtop of the tranny (blindly) as the guy inside the truck guided me to it. It was a real pain in the ass but it does work. good luck

Edit: I think i may have had to snap a piece of plastic that was holding it back under the console towards the front of the vehicle too. then i was able to pull the whole connector out through the hole where the shifter boot is and i was able to disconect it that way.

Also be very careful not to twist of any of the studs on the exhaust pipe when takeing the actuall sensor istself out... HUGH PITA. trust me. Take your time and hit the nuts with some penetrating oil (PB Blaster) a few times before trying to turn them off.

go buy some long nose pliers--they are invaluable for this king of work. You can also try just undoing the crossmember--dropping it a bit and this should give you room to work under there.

50/50 mix of Tranny oil and Acetone work far better as a penetrant. oil also.

On my truck, '99 manual Cali. 4Runner, the trick is to unbolt the sensor FIRST. Then you can pass sensor, connector wire and all over the top and connector hangs down the other side where you can get at it. I have no idea if it applies to your machine, but that write-up had me going crazy trying to disconnect the wire first when it was really easy the other way around.

Thanks for the tips. I don't think mine was attached to anything since I could move it around (may have already been replaced once since it has close to 200k on it). Just couldn't figure out how to pinch it or manipulate it to separate.


Hmmm... So I was meaning to ask whether I needed to pinch the connector or use a flat-tip screwdriver to release the plug. I take this to mean that it is a pinch?

I'll have to try the Trans/Acetone concoction. I'll be waiting a few days for the replacement sensor to get here. Prob hit it twice a day with the penetrant until the unit arrives. Anybody ever use Kroil?


This is a VERY good tip. I'll try it out as soon as the O2 sensor arrives. When I was trying to remove it last weekend, I was just trying to unplug the thing to perform the test that the FSM outlined... Now that the ECU is throwing the P0130 and P0133 codes, I don't really need to test it - I'll just replace it.

BTW, got a smokin' deal on a new Denso O2 sensor on Amazon since URD didn't have mine in stock. It was less than $80 shipped!

Cheers, :cheers:

Jeremy

I cant remember how mine unplugged..i was able to pull it up throught the shifter opening to unplug it..but when your new one arrives you'll be able to tell how it unplugs..

A few squirts of PB Blaster and the nuts came right off! One of the benefits of livin' in the desert!

...mine came right off, too: in lots of pieces. So how did you unplug it?

Replacement sensor hasn't arrived yet so the existing sensor is still installed. I was just testing to see if I needed to keep soakin' it w/PB Blaster.

Will post details when it does for others to see...

Cheers, :cheers:

Jeremy