Shark Bite

Just received a rear o2 sensor from one of the members on the site, but I ran into a little speed bump. the new sensor has a female connection on the sensor side, but there is also the female plug on the car side...


I was wondering if I could cut off the female connector from the new sensor, and just solder on the male connector from the old sensor...

Heres some picture comparisons (sorry my camera is kind of broken)



Notice how there are no threads left on the old sensor, and the sensor itself is just about obliterated. No wonder why I was throwing a cel?

radu_rd2

One thing i noticed is that if you look on rockauto.com, one part# will be the front O2 sensor for CALI cars, and rear O2 sensor for non-CALI cars (and the other way around).. I never noticed any sensors with a female plug in any part picture though. If I remember correctly both my sensors had male plugs.

Even though the front/rear sensor is usually a different part #, I would just try swapping the plug, it will probably work, worth a shot at least.

I just hope you will be able to screw in the new sensor in whatever hole the old one came out of haha

Shark Bite

already made sure the threads on the car side were still intact. they are, surprisingly.

radu_rd2

Nice!
Are the wires the same colors on both sensors? Just wondering how you gonna know how to solder the wires (there seem to be a couple of ways they might be setup, either so they 'look' the same when you look at the plugs from the front, or so that they match up if you plug the male sensor plug into the female sensor plug)

Shark Bite

all four wires are the same colors, and match up to the same pin locations. thats how I got the idea in the first place =)

ugh, upon further inspection, and trying for like an hour, the threads on the car side are off, badly. the first few threads are nonexistent and the sensor just won't catch on the farther ones. Either I can keep trying tonight, or I can use some tap tomorrow?

supercow

I think the tap is an older Ford spark plug tap, I bought one for this very reason. You might end up having to take it to an exhaust shop and have them weld in a new 02 bung. Certainly get the best results that way.

btw, what pipe is this on? if it's the flex pipe you might be able to get one junkyard style and save a few bucks. If it's the manifold check for cracks and maybe you can get it under recall.

Shark Bite

I hear ya man. amd what I meant with tap is the gooey stuff you glob on the threads of the sensor to make new threads on the car side. its how we thread holes for screws and stuff in blocks of stock metals at my schools shop. worst case scenario. I grind saw the rusted bolts on the DP flange and just replace the whole unit.