Oxygen Sensor Connector Help

[The Shadow]

Hello, folks. First poster here...2000 Expedition 4.6L 4R70W tranny.

I'm replacing the upstream o2 sensors, and am having a devil of a time getting the passenger (Bank 1) connector reconnected. There's just not enough room to get my small hands in there. It seems if I could free the tranny dipstick tube from its mount, I might gain the room to do the connect. If it's like the Panther platforms, one of the bellhousing bolts is securing the dipstick, and I see no easy way to gain access to that bolt from the topside, like I've done with Crown Vics. So I'm trying alternative means, with no luck so far...

Does anybody have any suggestions, or stories of how you managed to reconnect? Any and all help is mush, much appreciated...BEFORE I take the sawz-all to it!

Thank you sooo much in advance!

 

[Trainmaster]

I can't help, except to say I did the same job on a 5.4 2000, and it was a bear. I plugged it in while the pipe and the O2 sensor was out.

Perhaps you can hold the plug with a long right angle needle nose pliers? That worked for me on a Jeepster. I've been told that the job is easier on a lift; don't know if that's true.

I feel you pain, my friend. Welcome to the forum, by the way.

 

[The Shadow]

Thanks for the welcome and the reply.

I just got it reconnected! I found the tranny dipstick support on the side of the head, and that gave me enough clearance to get it from the topside, with the starter relay disconnected, and the engine and tranny harnesses and mounts moved out of the way. Once I got the dipstick wiggle room, it was rather painless.

I went from the underside to see that the connectors were lined up, and then just squeezed...you can imagine my disbelief when I heard a 'click'!

For future reference, I'm pretty convinced it can all be done through the wheelwell and from the bottom, without the need to disconnect/relocate all the electricals.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I don't have that vehicle, but a trick I've used in the past to address this problem on other vehicles is to turn the wheels out and remove the clips for the wheel well cover so I can access it through the wheel well.

 

[The Shadow]

That's how I managed it through the wheelwell, without removing the cover (inner fender?). I would've had a little more room by removing the wheel, but I'm small enough to get by without that. When I was underneath, I could reach my left hand in from the wheel side above the frame, and managed to get the connectors aligned while viewing from the bottom. No need for a lift or jacks, I slid in bit by bit...