Getting the '96 Mustang ready for sale. Part two.
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| This was the long section of hose. |
This process has been a bit unusual, because these events are happening almost in real time.
I started this job almost two weeks ago. I first posted about the repair last week. I had started the process at the beginning of the week that I posted. The car has been up on jack stands all this time. A couple of days after I posted, I was still trying to install the passenger side upstream oxygen sensor.
Without success.
I just could not get my hand far enough up to turn it, and get it started. Working upside down under the car is probably the worst situation. I ended each day with a bunch of familiar aches and pains.
It looked like there was plenty of room on the driver's side, and I was right. I removed and installed the sensor in about fifteen minutes.
I thought that it was a better idea to concentrate on the most difficult side. Though I was frustrated, I didn't get mad, I just kept plugging away.
Luckily I could just stop when I got frustrated, since I didn't need to use the car.
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| This was with the medium section of hose. |
First, I tried using a section of fuel line that I taped on the sensor, so that I could turn it. I'd been doing that for years with spark plugs. You don't want to cross thread them. However I couldn't find any success. I spent six hours on one day. I tried a long section, then a medium section, then a short section. Again with no success. When I was finished for the day, I got cleaned up and told my Wife that I'd spent six hours in what was equivalent to trying to screw in a light bulb!
ARRRGGGHHH!!!!
The heat shield I spoke about last week wasn't a factor. I'd gotten my orientation mixed up, the heat shield was actually a bracket to hold the sensor connector a safe distance away from the exhaust.
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| To the right of the green connector is the starter, next to that is the bung. |
What do you do when you need some ideas? You look it up on YouTube!
I watched a lot of YouTube videos trying to glean some hints.
It looked like the only way that I was going to be able to do the job would be by removing the starter. There were quite a few videos on that subject, and this was a pretty difficult operation with very limited access,
I went out today, Monday, and thought that I should just button up what I'd removed. So I re-installed all the bolts I'd removed back into the chassis brace. Then I decided to investigate how bad the access was to remove the starter.
It was quite a tight fit.
I saw that in one video, that the repair guy removed the right front wheel on a 2000 model, and found a opening in the body, under the plastic inner fender liner where he could insert a weird, right angle ratchet extension wrench. I couldn't find a similar opening on my car.
I also saw that some guys could access the starter bolts by placing a long extension in from the front, in the space under the exhaust manifold and the cross member. I couldn't get my 3/8 extensions through that space.
After that, I figured that I'd do the easier two downstream sensors for now. I raised the rear of the car another three or four inches, which gave me a bit more space to work. These sensors are right out in the open, and were very easy to remove and replace.
After that success, I thought I'd give another final (?) attempt to replace the passenger side sensor without removing the starter. Which I really did not want to attempt.
After watching several videos, I realized that the best way to remove the starter is by dropping the exhaust down pipes and the mid pipe unit. I wasn't prepared to do that, so I decided to give it just one more try. I had just gained some practice replacing the downstream sensors, and had familiarized my "touch" at screwing those in.
This time I decided to try the bare sensor, without any "aids."
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| The "bare" sensor. |
I squeezed my left hand in, over the top of the starter and squeezed three fingers of my right hand through the narrow opening, holding a bare sensor and fed the end into the bung. I held the sensor up with my left fingers, and turned the sensor body with the index finger and thumb of my right hand. I also turned the sensor body by turning the faceted collar with my left index finger. I kept a tight hold of the sensor which would try to unscrew itself, as the wire lead tried to untwist itself. I would stop and let the wires unwind themselves. I could finally feel, and see the threads engaging. I took my time, and worked slowly and steadily and eventually seated it as far it would go by hand.
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| This is the shorter 7/8 wrench that worked the best. The socket was not needed with this car. |
I used the smaller of my 7/8 open wrenches to firmly tighten down the sensor. The open jaws are much slimmer than on the longer wrenches. The short length was also a better fit into the cramped available space.
Success! Finally, and believe me, it was a very hard won victory!
After this, I decided to call it a day, I could put away tools, lower the car and clean up the garage, ...tomorrow.
That's just what I did.
After I finished cleaning up after myself. I took the car out for a test drive. After twenty miles of mixed driving the car ran fine, it seemed better than ever, with no CEL light.
Success at last!
Now, what's that funny sound coming from under the hood of the Riviera?
It's always something!
