After living with the dreaded CEL on the maxima for a few years, I've finally decided to replace the B2S1 O2 sensor on the maxima. For those uninformed, this is the post cat sensor, about 1/3 the way down the exhaust pipe, and is not up near the engine. EASY PEASY!!!
I jacked up the car and used stands to get it reasonably tall enough to crawl under. I have both https://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-6...d=1488214679&sr=8-3&keywords=o2+sensor+socket
and
https://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-6...d=1488214679&sr=8-4&keywords=o2+sensor+socket
sockets to remove o2 sensors. I liberally doused the sensor with pb blaster and waited 20 minutes. I took out the torch, heated up the bung, and doused it again to suck the blaster in. Then I started.
It would not budge.. not an inch. I finally had to get a cheater bar on the end of my 1/2 in flex handle just to get it to turn. I used mapp gas to heat up the bung and area until it glowed red and still, didn't want to budge more than about a 1/4 turn. Finally, after some persuasion, it turned a bit more.. and more, and then got really easy.. uh oh. Turns out I had chewed up the threads in the bung and the sensor was just spinning around, still stuck in, but not coming out. I was loosening it, and still, threads.. gone..
Long story longer, I had to break the exhaust free at the flange, and since it was all super rusty, that involved a grinder and some cobalt bits and lots of drilling, then had to chisel the o2 sensor apart, drill it out, etc.. All the while, its in the mid 40s outside, I'm lying on my back on a cold garage floor, and not enjoying this at all.
Tried to tap the bung with a 3/4x16 pitch tap but the threads were too far gone. Ended up welding a nut on top of the bung, threaded the sensor into it, and put it all back together.
CEL is off, car is back together, and I wasted all Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday futzing around with this.. GRRRR. Now need to tackle a random misfire (p1320) and then the car will be done.
We also replaced the B1S2 sensor on my son's audi a4 and it took all of 20 minutes late Sunday afternoon..
I jacked up the car and used stands to get it reasonably tall enough to crawl under. I have both https://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-6...d=1488214679&sr=8-3&keywords=o2+sensor+socket
and
https://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-6...d=1488214679&sr=8-4&keywords=o2+sensor+socket
sockets to remove o2 sensors. I liberally doused the sensor with pb blaster and waited 20 minutes. I took out the torch, heated up the bung, and doused it again to suck the blaster in. Then I started.
It would not budge.. not an inch. I finally had to get a cheater bar on the end of my 1/2 in flex handle just to get it to turn. I used mapp gas to heat up the bung and area until it glowed red and still, didn't want to budge more than about a 1/4 turn. Finally, after some persuasion, it turned a bit more.. and more, and then got really easy.. uh oh. Turns out I had chewed up the threads in the bung and the sensor was just spinning around, still stuck in, but not coming out. I was loosening it, and still, threads.. gone..
Long story longer, I had to break the exhaust free at the flange, and since it was all super rusty, that involved a grinder and some cobalt bits and lots of drilling, then had to chisel the o2 sensor apart, drill it out, etc.. All the while, its in the mid 40s outside, I'm lying on my back on a cold garage floor, and not enjoying this at all.
Tried to tap the bung with a 3/4x16 pitch tap but the threads were too far gone. Ended up welding a nut on top of the bung, threaded the sensor into it, and put it all back together.
CEL is off, car is back together, and I wasted all Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday futzing around with this.. GRRRR. Now need to tackle a random misfire (p1320) and then the car will be done.
We also replaced the B1S2 sensor on my son's audi a4 and it took all of 20 minutes late Sunday afternoon..