Brought One Of These

[jasper65]

Picked up a Lambda sensor socket off ebay the other week so I could take a look at mine and perhaps replace, but have to say boy is it tight.

I'm worried sick if I put anymore pressure on it I will cause damage to the manifold, used Penetrating oil and WD but this is seriously tight, any advice on this one guys please?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310210493843&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

[martinthrapston]

they can be tight to undo tho

 

[yippeekiay]

Excuse me for being a duh...but is this on the exhaust as I've never ever had anything to do with one in all my years. I'm pretty certain it is. I'd say to give it a hand it may be worth running the car for a bit to get everything hot. A little heat usually helps in these matters although I'm not sure how much will get to that area as I have no idea what area it is...

 

[Marcus000]

Yip, it's located in the top of the exhaust manifold so it will get crazy hot with the car running.

It's there to measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases and reports back to the ECU to ensure the right mixture is being created.

Unfortunately they do seem to be screwed in pretty darn tight, I tried un-doing the one out of my 1.4 when I was changing the engine but gave up and switched the whole manifold instead. :evil:

Not sure what else to suggest on removing it, WD40 over a period of a couple of days and a big hoofing ratchet/socket usually does the job for me.

 

[yippeekiay]

Cheers, knew what it did just didn't know where it was apart from being on the exhaust. I'd still give it a go when it's crazy hot as it's more likely to shift than when it's cold. As he has a socket it won't burn him...lol.

For stubborn nuts/bolts etc I just get my torque wrench on to them if possible. The extra length really does count despite what people say...lol.

 

[jasper65]

Cheers guys I'll give it a go sometime this week! I have a extension bar to give me a bit of extra leverage but would hate to break anything and more expense. why ford did away with the old mixture screws is beyond me :roll:.....

 

[XIIVVX]

Not to mention the starting handle!

 

[shaziman]

Spray WD-40 on to the base of the sensor when its cold, take it to work, it would have warmed up then, and when you stop do it again. (it will burn a bit when you spray it on to the hot manifold, but carry some water with you just incase!) Do it again on the way back from work, before and after the journey. Keep doing this for a week, and it will come out with very little effort.

 

[pumapilot]

Cheers guys I'll give it a go sometime this week! I have a extension bar to give me a bit of extra leverage but would hate to break anything and more expense. why ford did away with the old mixture screws is beyond me.

Not to mention the starting handle!

Thanks guys, i'm feeling my age now.

 

[hydrotec78]

I have never known a lambda not to be tight, this happens (so i was told) due to the change in temps of the metal causing them to change in shape ever so slightly when there at max working temp and when cooling off they never really go back to there former state. Although the change in the metal compounds can never been seen by the eye even a minor change causes them to become mega tight. Also the build up of carbon blokes the threads.
I was told that it is always better to do them when the engine is cold, unlike when you get your hot axe out to heat a stubon bolt, here you would heat the nut making a very slight gap around the nut and the bolt allowing it to move, but when your car is running the nut welded on the the manifold or the thread that's cut in to the manifold will also heat the lambda to the same temp so you dont get the same effect.
Its going to be a pain what ever you try if its being stubon, try and undo it a turn then go back a turn, this will help brake off any carbon build up on the threads.

Hope this makes a little sense and i have been told the right info ! :lol: