Another learning experience
Jan. 1st, 2009 03:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johnridleyThe Taurus needs a new vehicle speed sensor, and it turns out to be kind of a pain to get at it; part of the exhaust system needs to be removed, and most of the bolts are quite rusted.
I decided that, since the garage would charge me about $150 to install it, I'd be justified in spending that much on tools.
So far I have $90 invested; I now have a pretty decent impact wrench (double hammer, compact, 230 ft-pounds), SAE and metric deep well impact sockets, and a couple of feet of extensions. Thank you, Harbor Freight; that stuff would probably have been close to $400 most other places.
I went out this morning to try, and this worked quite well; nuts that I don't think I had a chance of getting off before, came off in about 10 seconds with the impact wrench, with basically zero effort on my part.
Now the problem is, there are four O2 sensors. One doesn't need to come out at all, one I got out with no problem, the other I got unscrewed and secured out of the way (the connector is inaccessible, so I just moved it). The 4th is a problem, it HAS to come out, and I just can't get to it with a wrench.
Googling tells me, guess what, there's a special O2 sensor wrench. Basically it's a 22mm line wrench, modified with either swivels or sockets to account for the fact that O2 sensors are not very accessible.
So, another trip to Harbor Freight at some point. The wrenches are $20 to $50 elsewhere, $3.99 at Harbor Freight. Luckily nobody really needs this car. It can sit there however long it needs to. I suppose someone from the house will get over to Ypsi in the next week or two.
I decided that, since the garage would charge me about $150 to install it, I'd be justified in spending that much on tools.
So far I have $90 invested; I now have a pretty decent impact wrench (double hammer, compact, 230 ft-pounds), SAE and metric deep well impact sockets, and a couple of feet of extensions. Thank you, Harbor Freight; that stuff would probably have been close to $400 most other places.
I went out this morning to try, and this worked quite well; nuts that I don't think I had a chance of getting off before, came off in about 10 seconds with the impact wrench, with basically zero effort on my part.
Now the problem is, there are four O2 sensors. One doesn't need to come out at all, one I got out with no problem, the other I got unscrewed and secured out of the way (the connector is inaccessible, so I just moved it). The 4th is a problem, it HAS to come out, and I just can't get to it with a wrench.
Googling tells me, guess what, there's a special O2 sensor wrench. Basically it's a 22mm line wrench, modified with either swivels or sockets to account for the fact that O2 sensors are not very accessible.
So, another trip to Harbor Freight at some point. The wrenches are $20 to $50 elsewhere, $3.99 at Harbor Freight. Luckily nobody really needs this car. It can sit there however long it needs to. I suppose someone from the house will get over to Ypsi in the next week or two.
