Anybody ever clean and reinstall an O2 sensor?

[Natural Citizen]

I was checking codes earlier this morning and got a code 44, which indicates a lean exhaust, left O2 sensor.

If I'm going to go to the effort of removing it I may as well intall a new one, they're cheap enough anyway, but I'm just curious if anyone has ever cleaned one up and reinstalled it.

I was thinking about trying it just out of pure curiosity.

 

[TNHarley]

My buddy cleaned his. He took it out and let it sit overnight in gas. Looked brand new.
He still had to replace it... lol
Save time, gas mileage and a stinky gas mess, and just replace.

 

[Synthaholic]

I was checking codes earlier this morning and got a code 44, which indicates a lean exhaust, left O2 sensor.

If I'm going to go to the effort of removing it I may as well intall a new one, they're cheap enough anyway, but I'm just curious if anyone has ever cleaned one up and reinstalled it.

I was thinking about trying it just out of pure curiosity.

I replaced mine in my Chrysler about a year ago. It wasn't too difficult but I had to buy a special tool at Autozone for around $15. Years ago I had to change my Honda O2 but took it to a mechanic. No room in that engine compartment for a non-professional like me. I don't know how anyone enjoys working on those.

 

[Synthaholic]

If you're going through the trouble of removing it, just replace it.

 

[Natural Citizen]

My buddy cleaned his. He took it out and let it sit overnight in gas. Looked brand new.
He still had to replace it... lol
Save time, gas mileage and a stinky gas mess, and just replace.

Oh, well that's god to know. I won't even bother with trying to clean it up then.

Thanks.

 

[Natural Citizen]

If you're going through the trouble of removing it, just replace it.

Yeah, they're only around 20 Federal Reserve Notes anyway.

I was just curious if anyone ever cleaned one up.

 

[harmonica]

I was checking codes earlier this morning and got a code 44, which indicates a lean exhaust, left O2 sensor.

If I'm going to go to the effort of removing it I may as well intall a new one, they're cheap enough anyway, but I'm just curious if anyone has ever cleaned one up and reinstalled it.

I was thinking about trying it just out of pure curiosity.

yes......... a buddy and I installed it ...this was long ago .....

 

[harmonica]

..if I remember correctly, it was a pain in the A because it ran along the bottom of the car, a good length

 

[Natural Citizen]

I replaced mine in my Chrysler about a year ago. It wasn't too difficult but I had to buy a special tool at Autozone for around $15. Years ago I had to change my Honda O2 but took it to a mechanic. No room in that engine compartment for a non-professional like me. I don't know how anyone enjoys working on those.

Mine's really easy to get to, thankfully.

I dunno if I have an O2 socket for that sensor or not.

I know I have an oil pressure sensor socket, because I just swapped that out the other day. Of course, that's something else.

I'll have to hit it with a few shots of blaster and let it sit for a couple days first.

I'll take a drive over to NAPA later and see what they have.

Thanks.

 

[Synthaholic]

I think this is what I had to buy. Check your vehicle, look on online forums.

https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/sensor-socket/p/oemtools-3-8in-drive-oxygen-sensor-socket/47738_0_0

 

[Rambunctious]

 

[Natural Citizen]

..if I remember correctly, it was a pain in the A because it ran along the bottom of the car, a good length

Mine's really easy to get to. I can get to it from the top or the bottom, it's right there with nothing around it. All kinds of room.

 

[harmonica]

Mine's really easy to get to. I can get to it from the top or the bottom, it's right there with nothing around it. All kinds of room.

roger that .....

 

[Natural Citizen]

I think this is what I had to buy. Check your vehicle, look on online forums.

https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/sensor-socket/p/oemtools-3-8in-drive-oxygen-sensor-socket/47738_0_0

Yup, that's the one.

I was gonna ask on the vette forum but they'll wanna tear the whole motor apart. They wanna turn everything into a week long ordeal for some reason. They mean well, but damn.

If you get the slightest bit of condensation in your oil, they'll wanna have you changing head gaskets. lol.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Alright, then. I'm just gona replace it with a new one.

Thanks, all.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

If you replace it and it is still showing lean, it might actually be running lean.
It might be clogged injectors or a vacuum leak.
Usually a car runs a little hot and rough when it is lean.

 

[toobfreak]

I was checking codes earlier this morning and got a code 44, which indicates a lean exhaust, left O2 sensor.

If I'm going to go to the effort of removing it I may as well intall a new one, they're cheap enough anyway, but I'm just curious if anyone has ever cleaned one up and reinstalled it.

I was thinking about trying it just out of pure curiosity.

O2 sensors don't fail just because they are dirty. They take a beating in there in the path of hot exhaust.

 

[progressive hunter]

I was checking codes earlier this morning and got a code 44, which indicates a lean exhaust, left O2 sensor.

If I'm going to go to the effort of removing it I may as well intall a new one, they're cheap enough anyway, but I'm just curious if anyone has ever cleaned one up and reinstalled it.

I was thinking about trying it just out of pure curiosity.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=can+you+clean+an+o2+sensor

 

[miketx]

I was checking codes earlier this morning and got a code 44, which indicates a lean exhaust, left O2 sensor.

If I'm going to go to the effort of removing it I may as well intall a new one, they're cheap enough anyway, but I'm just curious if anyone has ever cleaned one up and reinstalled it.

I was thinking about trying it just out of pure curiosity.

Cleaning them usually doesn't do anything, it's the degrading of the sensor that is the problem, also, your engine may actually be running lean on that side. A likely cause is an air leak somewhere at the intake manifold or throttle body. Could be a vacuum leak also.

Every time I hear the phrase oxygen sensor, I am reminded of the 97 Dodge pickup whose transmission wouldn't work because the oxygen sensor was bad. No one had ever seen that one before. Years later I had a friend who worked on cars and he had one that wouldn't shift and he replaced everything he could think of. I told him to disconnect the oxygen sensor and see it worked. It did.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Cleaning them doesn't do anything, it's the degrading of the sensor that is the problem, also, your engine may actually be running lean on that side. A likely cause is an air leak somewhere at the intake manifold or throttle body. Could be a vacuum leak also.

I replaced the TB gaskets earlier this spring when I cleaned the TB. I also replaced all of the vacuum hoses except for one pain in the rear end one that goes to the cruise control. That's probably dry rotted. PCV valve is new. Didn't get an EGR code, just the O2 code. So I'm assuming no EGR problems.

I did use the old gaskets on the plenum when I pulled that earlier this year, though. Could be a vacuum leak there. I had to replace the fuel pressure regulator so the plenum had to come off. I didn't replace the gaskets, just used the old ones.

I'll have to check that out. Because you're right, that would throw a lean code

Thanks, mike.

I'm kind of hoping it is the O2 sensor, though. I just went out there and looked at it and I don't even need an O2 socket, I have enough room to unplug it and put a wrench on it. I hit it with some blaster when I was out there, just in case. At least that way it's soaking.