[ZzBloopzZ]

Hello TN,

Long story short, I had my flex pipe replaced (had a friend of a friend weld in a new one... whom does it as a day job at a Toyota Collision Center). Shortly after, I started having the dreaded P0420 code. After advice from my original thread, I plan to purchase a Denso rear O2 sensor.

The thing is, I quit my job 2 months ago to do a start up... so living off my savings right now. I am trying to save money by doing this project on my own. How difficult is it to replace the rear O2 sensor?

I do have the proper tools including a spark plug remover and thread fixer that I had bought for a old project... but that failed as I could not remove the front O2 sensor on a 09 Rav4. Had to take to a mechanic who used his airgun to get it off. Luckily, he just charged $40 but he is too busy to help these days.

Thanks!

 

[Phils Camry]

What year car & engine? Spray with PB Blaster. Wait an hour. Warm the tailpipe up, warm not hot. Remove with a wrench & breaker bar or socket & breaker bar. Harbor Freight sells O2 sensor sockets for a few bucks or use a flare nut wrench. You need leverage of some type to get a stuck sensor out.

 

[Phils Camry]

Watch some you tube videos. Its a very straightforward job. They will give tips.

 

[ZzBloopzZ]

00 Camry i4.

Would I have to lift the car up on all 4 tires to get to it?

Would this tool do? http://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-38-in-drive-long-reach-dual-flex-head-ratchet-67994.html

I already have a O2 sensor socket.

Thanks!

 

[mcgowaw]

+1 on phil. also, if you don't care about preserving the old wires on the shot sensor, snip them and use a regular 6 sided socket in a your socket wrench with a pipe or a 2 foot or longer breaker bar.
(don't forget lots of pb, every hour for 3 or 4 times if you're in a colder climate.)
tony

 

[Phils Camry]

You might have to lift the car up for leverage. Put it on ramps or stands. If you have neither look on you tube on building car ramps with lumber boards. Its a cheap way to make ramps. That's an expensive breaker bar. You can find cheaper... or put a pipe on the end of your ratchet to extend it. I used heavy PVC plastic pipe and it worked.

 

[MrGiggles]

00 Camry i4.

Would I have to lift the car up on all 4 tires to get to it?

Would this tool do? http://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-38-in-drive-long-reach-dual-flex-head-ratchet-67994.html

I already have a O2 sensor socket.

Thanks!

At a minimum you'll need to raise the front wheels, with a jack and stands, or ramps.

With modern quality ratchets, breaker bars are obsolete. The square drive will fail on both before the mechanism in the ratchet breaks.

I prefer either of these two for high torque applications. The extendable ratchet is nice if there's no room to hold the head of the ratchet, but the flex head is handy when you don't have a straight shot at the fastener.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-professional-flex-head-long-handle-ratchet-62332.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-extendable-ratchet-62311.html

If it's been a long time since it's been removed, snip the wires and use a regular deep (preferably impact) socket. Use your 02 sensor socket when you install the new one.

 

[mcgowaw]

giggles, you might be right about breaker bars being obsolete but my 3 foot, 1/2" bar will pull almost anything off that needs pulling. i'd be afraid to put my 1/2" craftsman up against it on some stuff but on the other hand, i've not broken a ratchet in years.
tony

 

[borwish]

I used that harbor freight extendable 1/2 ratchet to help remove an oxygen sensor a few months ago. I found out the hard way not to use an oxygen sensor socket to remove an oxygen sensor. They tend to flex and round the "nut" part of the sensor.

 

[sontakke]

Please update this topic in a month after replacing the rear O2 sensor to fix P0420. I do not believe new rear O2 sensor is the answer to your problem but since you seem to be convinced of that, I would be interested in finding out how it ends up for you.

Frankly, in my humble opinion, you will need either new OEM converter (legal- $$$$) or O2 sensor extension (illegal- $) to keep P0420 away from you for next few years.

 

[ZzBloopzZ]

Please update this topic in a month after replacing the rear O2 sensor to fix P0420. I do not believe new rear O2 sensor is the answer to your problem but since you seem to be convinced of that, I would be interested in finding out how it ends up for you.

Frankly, in my humble opinion, you will need either new OEM converter (legal- $$$$) or O2 sensor extension (illegal- $) to keep P0420 away from you for next few years.

I am going based on probability. Since my car is 15 years old and 165k miles, the rear oxygen sensor is still original so highly likely it has malfunctioned. I have seen few random posts on google where they claim changing the rear O2 sensor fixed the P0420 issue. If issue persists after that, will have to do the sensor extension.

 

[Mike Gerber]

"or put a pipe on the end of your ratchet to extend it. I used heavy PVC plastic pipe and it worked."

I've used the handle from my floor jack over my breaker bar as an extender for extra leverage a few times. Works like a charm.

Mike

 

[artbuc]

I used that harbor freight extendable 1/2 ratchet to help remove an oxygen sensor a few months ago. I found out the hard way not to use an oxygen sensor socket to remove an oxygen sensor. They tend to flex and round the "nut" part of the sensor.

Was suggested on another forum to stiffen the sensor socket with a hose clamp. Never tried it myself but it sounds reasonable.

 

[Phils Camry]

That actually sounds like it would work as long as its tightened really tight. I've changed about 8, O2 sensors in my life. I will consider that solution next time I change any. I have never busted an O2 socket and only had one sensor really stuck badly, but a breaker bar got it off. It was the rear one.

 

[Mike Gerber]

One bit of advice I can give here. When you disconnect the electric connector to the sensor from under the driver's seat, (some manuals say it's under the passenger seat but on my 98 it was under the driver's seat) attach a long piece of wire to the connector before you pull it out from underneath the car with the sensor. The wire must be long enough so some of it stays inside the passenger compartment. Then when it's time to pull the new connector back in to the passenger compartment, reattach the wire to the new sensor's connector from underneath the car and pull the connector back in to the passenger compartment using the piece of wire left inside the passenger compartment. I learned this trick the hard way. I hope all this makes sense.

Mike

 

[Hajoca]

If you are handy with wire crimps or soldering and shrink tube, buy a denso sensor with out the connector.

Look up sparkplugs.com and look at SKU: #234-4209 or even Ebay.

Position(s): Downstream ,Upstream for federal emmissions, and Downstream (after cat) for California.