I have a 98 4x4 5.4l EB. Is there a trick to get the first o2 sensor out? Its the one right on the exhaust manifold I believe. I can see it from the front wheel well. I have noticed my gas millage is going down and I believe it's the culprit. Also there is play in my tie rods on one side. Not a lot but enough to move. The other side does not. Is that normal or a bad sign? Im looking for a wheel hub assembly . any one better then the other? Thanks!
98 o2 sensor/ wheel hub / tie rods
- Thread starter reefkrazy
- Start date
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FordandPolaris
Full Access Members
Alright so all of these problems you have mentioned have hit me as well. First thing is the O2 sensor. They make a special kit specifically for O2 sensors that you can rent at most auto parts stores, something like an O2 socket kit. This along with some extensions allows you to get to the sensor. Problem that I had is no matter how much torque I generated I could not break them loose. I currently am pulling about 8 mpg's in the city and I know they are the problem, but I cannot get them out... I am going to talk to an exhaust shop eventually and see what they would recommend.
As for the tie rod end, that will need to be replaced. Not too hard to do, but you should plan on doing an alignment. If it were me, I would do both tie rod ends as well as the upper ball joints all at once so that you do not spend extra money in the future on multiple alignments. Besides, if your upper ball joints and tie rod ends are stock then they are near the end of their life. Lower ball joints will be a similar story, but they do not need an alignment when you do them so you can do those anytime.
I replaced both wheel hub assy's a couple of years ago with the cheapest option at a local O'Reilly (can't remember the brand name), and I already have had to replace one, and will have to do the other in the future. My advice for this is shell out on a decent brand. Can't remember the brand of the one I just put in recently either, but it was the premium option from O'Reilly.
Hope all this helps.
As for the tie rod end, that will need to be replaced. Not too hard to do, but you should plan on doing an alignment. If it were me, I would do both tie rod ends as well as the upper ball joints all at once so that you do not spend extra money in the future on multiple alignments. Besides, if your upper ball joints and tie rod ends are stock then they are near the end of their life. Lower ball joints will be a similar story, but they do not need an alignment when you do them so you can do those anytime.
I replaced both wheel hub assy's a couple of years ago with the cheapest option at a local O'Reilly (can't remember the brand name), and I already have had to replace one, and will have to do the other in the future. My advice for this is shell out on a decent brand. Can't remember the brand of the one I just put in recently either, but it was the premium option from O'Reilly.
Hope all this helps.
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I would get some non flammable penetrating lube and spray it on the threads every night before parking it for a couple weeks. Worked wonders for getting the studs out of my manifolds. I didn't feel safe spraying pb blaster or anything flammable in that high temp area on a daily driver.
Flightstopper
Well-Known Member
Exhaust shop got all mine out.
Jeff532003
Full Access Members
You'll likely need an acetylene torch to get them hot enough. Just fire it and let it sit on them. Don't pull the trigger or you'll liquefy them. Propane won't be able to generate enough heat if they're really stuck. You can try but I've never had luck with it.
superexpy
Full Access Members
Try changing your EGR pressure switch. I have been getting bad gas milage for quit sometime now and this weekend my truck poped the check engine light after getting gas in Oregon and was surging at cruze, so i ran my codes with the droid app and saw it was some weird code that read outside temp not normal with fuel temp or something weird like that so i changed my DPFE sensor and my truck had more power and my milage went up 4MPG. Turned out my problem was my gas cap. In Oregon, they pump your gas for you and they didnt put my gas cap on right. I didnt figure this out till i ripped off my throttle body and my upper intake looking for vac leaks and clogged EGR ports. All was perfect. I got the joy of doing all this in a hotel parking lot in the middle of the night. It was a real treat!
FordandPolaris
Full Access Members
This is good to know, I only have a propane torch, guess I will have to find someone with a hotter setup haha.
Lightnig
Full Access Members
as a guy that's use the blue tipped wrench on lots of frozen fittings (just never an o2 sensor), I have to say that it matters where you apply the heat too.
Ideally, you would want to heat the item you want to expand, but also depends on if you want to work with it while it's hot or after it's cool. Just like water, steel expands when hot and contracts when cold.
For this idea, ignore the o2 sensor part for the moment. Consider a bolt in a threaded hole (nut).
If you heat up bolt but not the nut, the bolt will get even tighter as it heats up but will shrink when it cools. You should then be able to turn it out.
If you heat the nut but not the bolt, it will loosen around bolt as it heats up but will grip even more tightly as it cools. In this case you would need to turn out the bolt while the nut is still hot.
The concept is called 'upset'. If you heat up steel to the point where it wants to expand, but is restrained (like the hot bolt in the relatively cold nut), the steel will be unable to expand in diametre but will still shrink when it cools.
All that said, I have never tried it on o2 sensors specifically, but I know it holds true for other circumstances.
Ideally, you would want to heat the item you want to expand, but also depends on if you want to work with it while it's hot or after it's cool. Just like water, steel expands when hot and contracts when cold.
For this idea, ignore the o2 sensor part for the moment. Consider a bolt in a threaded hole (nut).
If you heat up bolt but not the nut, the bolt will get even tighter as it heats up but will shrink when it cools. You should then be able to turn it out.
If you heat the nut but not the bolt, it will loosen around bolt as it heats up but will grip even more tightly as it cools. In this case you would need to turn out the bolt while the nut is still hot.
The concept is called 'upset'. If you heat up steel to the point where it wants to expand, but is restrained (like the hot bolt in the relatively cold nut), the steel will be unable to expand in diametre but will still shrink when it cools.
All that said, I have never tried it on o2 sensors specifically, but I know it holds true for other circumstances.
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Where is the egr pressure switch located?
Thanks for the heads up. I forgot about that one. I was so worried about the gas just disappearing and the money in my wallet.
superexpy
Full Access Members
It did on mine too. I just happen to stumble apon it chasing a different issue. gas cap causing codes
Told ya to watch out for it lol, you're very lucky you weren't going fast. My wheel turned completly inwards and skidded the car to a stop
I would of crapped my pants. I think god was looking out for me that day.
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