Replacing o2 sensor fail

How you can tell from those pictures that the stud is fractured?

 

years of experience...

 

This was supposed to be an easy fix I feel like this stuff happens a lot to me. Thanks for your help guys, I'll keep you posted. I guess my first move after work will be to hit it back into place. I know it will turn loose still, because I can tighten and loosen it until the bolt is bent at a certain angle that the nut hits the top of the o2 sensor. Than forcing it more I'm guessing is what made it worse

 

OP Go get a nut splitter http://www.amazon.com/Steelgrip-226...8&qid=1442766732&sr=8-1&keywords=nut+splitter
Once the nut is off, get a die from a tap and die set with the appropriate thread pitch and recut those threads.

 

Lol. Ok. You can't tell from the pictures that anything is fractured. That was a complete assumption. Oh and the stud is not " hard". It may have been at one time but it has been annealed by the heat from the exhaust. Hence the threads getting soft and binding on to the nut. Metallurgy 101.

 

I hear you, I just replaced the precat on my 2000, fubared two of the upper exhaust flange studs during removal of bad cat, one real bad, was able to use a die to recut the threads, thankfully....I was not looking forward to removal and replacement of the studs as further dis-assembly usually leads to more problems....if you can remove the nut with the splitter, you may be able to restore the threads well enough to fix it, that is assuming the stud in not bent...

Good luck, fingers crossed...

 

if I was in South Carolina I bet I could get that bitch off the key is >>>>PATIENCE

 

I just posted this yesterday...

CAVEAT: If you are embarking on the replacement of the pre-cat air/fuel ratio sensor be prepared. 2000 PreRunner 2.7. 155K miles. So Cal truck. No rust. I attempted to change mine due to a code for lean exhaust (forget what the specific code was but the scanner showed that sensor voltage stuck at one reading, did not fluctuate like it should) and one of the mounting studs broke off when attempting to remove the retainer nut. I then had to remove that portion of the exhaust system and have a machine shop drill out the stud. The studs are not available from Toyota separately so you have to source something yourself. Not too difficult to find as it's a run of the mill exhaust stud. You need the right hardware. Then, in removing that part of the exhaust by trying to loosen the mounting nut holding the pipe to the manifold, the nut was seized to the stud and the manifold mounting stud came out of the manifold instead, leaving damaged threads behind. I had to buy a tap to chase the threads in the manifold so that I could install a new stud. Limited room to access that hole, too, and I was almost forced to remove the manifold from the head. Toyota does sell the manifold studs separately. All in all, a job that should have taken ten minutes took three days!

 

Okay guys here is my update. Driving back from work today (old sensor in, the one bolt still bent like in the picture) I got my old code p0136 that was on for a while. My guess was there was a little bit of a leak from the exhaust from the Bing. Sprayed some WD40 on the thing and let it soak. Came back to it and it started turning. And what do you know.....

SNAP

Bolt broke in half. Pretty much expected that. The new o2 sensor is in with one but on with very little thread from the other bolt on there. Reset my engine light and drove around for probably 20 miles. No light yet but I'm not gonna be surprised if it pops back up, probably the p0136 again. Now all I can do is play the waiting game. I know I need to get it fixed but I wanna see if the light is gonna pop back on first. I was thinking if it does maybe I could seal that whole where there isn't a nut with some highly temp sealant?

 

Boo-ya...nut is on the broken stud with just a smidgen of leftover threads if I am reading this right? So you have nuts on both sides to hold it down?...I call this more than lucky if true....hopefully it will hold...if only the one stud and nut, you can try the large radiator clamp method to buy some time for the bad side...

To CD20H Not a complete assumption, just applying years of experience upon picture observation, and busting a few studs here and there....

 

Nope just on the one side for now. It's secure, but worried about leaks. I might be able to get a nut barely on the threads but wouldn't think it will hold

 

I expanded on my reply a bit, you still could try the large stainless steel radiator clamp...to fix this right, the precat has to come out, again, more studs on upper exhaust flange (three of them) can knacker the removal and smooth replacement...been there, done it.....

 

Wow It broke just like us with years of experienced figured.

Working on exhaust 6 point sockets or box wrenches lots of penetrating lube of your choice

 

Good luck Sean. Hope you learned from this.

 

Thanks....

I hope that wasn't meant in a smart ass "I told you so" kind of way.

I've replaced my other o2 sensor with simply a socket and ratchet. Didn't need anything else. That's why I didn't think to spray anything on it before hand for this one. Yes my exhaust is rusty but I live in sc so it's not like there are rust holes every where in it or anything