Introduction
Check engine light, OBD2 codes indicate bad upstream O2 sensor (about 100k miles, 70% in wet/snowy climate and 30% in dry climate).
What you need
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Due to heat cycling, it is likely that the old sensor is cold welded in to the exhaust header. It is worth trying to remove the old one with an O2 sensor socket because you will need it for installation (it has a slot for the cabling), but I needed a regular (long) socket for removal (with the cabling cut off), a breaker bar, and a helicoil kit.
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When I tried to remove the old one with a sensor socket, the socket just flexed open to rotate around the sensor. Trying to clamp the socket shut didn't work, so I ended up clipping the cable and using a regular (long) socket and breaker bar to remove the old sensor. This completely stripped the threads to nearly smooth.
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Fortunately the exhaust header is relatively soft material, and running the helicoil through was as straightforward as helicoiling generally gets. This picture shows the end result
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
