I broke off my Oxygen sensor

First of all, WD-40 is not a penetrating oil, claims to the contrary by the manufacturer and thousands of users notwithstanding. It's a little late now, but really, you should have used Kroil, PB Blaster, or one of the other purpose-made penetrating oils rather than WD-40. Guess you will remember that next time :/

Now as to your immediate situation - that sucker is broken off in a very difficult way. I would personally suggest, if you have access, dropping the downpipe so the bottom of the manifold is open, and then trying to drill it out with successively larger drill bits. If you are lucky the drill bit will "catch" and spin the remaining piece out into the manifold (this is why I suggested dropping the downpipe.) If you are less than lucky, you'll end up drilling it out to the threads, in which case a spark plug thread chaser tap should clean them up.

You may find it easier to remove the manifold from the car; I haven't ever worked on a Honda so I don't know how difficult access is vs. manifold removal.

Needless to say, put some anti-seize on the threads of the new O2 sensor, and next time you go to replace one, before you get to the point of breakage, try heating the manifold around the sensor with a torch, pref. oxyacetylene if you have access to one.

good luck,

nate

Liquid Wrench penetrating oil. Soak repeatedly. Then pull all the garbage out of the center of the O2 sensor that is still in the manifold, and use an EZ OUT, or just drill the sucker with a large drill bit until it spins off on its own.

Lg

WD 40 is $hit in a can.

Or you can also use a pipe tool that when you turn it counterclockwise, will grab the inside of whatever is left in there and will come out. I had a similar problem with my lawn tractor.... the drain pipe for the oil was way too short and wanted to lenghten it. Well somehow, it broke off right at the edge of the engine block and I used one of those pipe tools that goes inside. I got it at home repo (depot) for not too much.

Good Luck,

Fwed

yeesh. some options, in no particular order-

junkyard manifold new manifold new header take it to a machine shop- let them get it out and rethread it you drill it out/rethread it hammer big flathead screwdriver into it, try to turn judicious use of an air chisel, big flathead, try to turn

Hmm, I've never seen what you're describing, but it sounds like something to add to the bag o' tricks. Is this a plumbing tool? I will have to look next time I'm at Home Despot.

nate

PS - I have never had any luck with EZ-outs. They always seem to break on me.

Excellent idea. LEVERAGE IS YOUR FRIEND. Long handles are in fashion.

Lg

Might try a radial cut with a small hacksaw blade.

That's what I had to do with my 40 year old bathtub drain. I had to make 2 cuts, one on each side, about 120 degrees apart from eachother, and then the entire affair collapsed in on itself with a little help from a screwdriver and a hammer.

Because I have to *anneal* mine first, the big ones, by heating with a propane tourch and then letting them air cool. It takes the brittleness out of them.

Lg

Yes, they are sold at home depot....when i had this problem, i didn't know what to do either until I went there and started asking around..... one of the people there showed me it....and told me it works wonders...forgot how much it is, but I don't think it was too much.... it comes in three sizes....well the one i have did...

good luck,

Fwed

I share your frustration. If they grip, they love to break... but often they just don't bite well enough.

I had a thought, though. The threads are jammed because they have tried to weld together, with the "pull" direction being the main force. When the EZ-out is seated, how about a few judicious taps with a hammer (or whatever will fit in the space available) on the end of the EZ-out to try to weaken those welds?

MIke

That sounds like a good idea, if there is room to get it.

Mike

Soak with PB Blaster an hour. Try an EZ-Out, some tapping (vibrations work wonders, like Michael suggests). EZ-Outs often fail, but they often work, too. They may be had at Autozone. Otherwise, what others said.

In my experience, PB Blaster is superior to Liquid Wrench, by a lot. They are about the same price. PB Blaster worked great on my exhaust system bolts last year, though the closer I got to the manifold, the tougher freeing bolts became.

Updates are welcome. Good luck.

"Danny Beardsley" wrote

on my 1993

usual stuff,

for a bit to

suggestions?

HEAT. Grab a torch (MAPP or propane will work just take a bit longer) Heat the remaining part and the manifold till it is red hot and then spray it with some good lube(Kroil, PB Blaster or the like NOT WD40). It will smoke like crazy. Let it cool and wipe it off. Now heat it again and drive a tapered square style EZ OUT in good. let it set a bit and turn it out. should come out easily this way.

If it were my car I would: Not bother with any sort of solvent - IMO it's a waste of time.

| WD 40 is $hit in a can.

Popular Mechanic's article says it's good, so I bought a can : it cannot loosen rusty bolts.

Heat was going to be my recommendation as well (though without spraying it with penetrating oil while it was hot). Once it's hot, try using the EZ out. Though, I tend to prefer the spiral fluted extractors over the taper square style. In addition, make sure that you're not putting a side load on the extractor, just a twisting load. Side loads tend to make them brake. If you're going to drill it, then be sure to use left handed drill bits since they will help to loosen the remaining piece from the threads. Still, it looks like there's enough rust in there to require heating with a torch.

Eric

Probably because it's become "common knowledge" that it works; kind of like "Budweiser is good beer."

nate

Budweiser is beer?