I am working on replacing the cat converter in my 99 Civic EX and need to remove the oxygen sensor and hope to reuse it. I have seen a socket designed to remove it, but don't know if I will be able to get it to work since the shifter linkage is in the way. I want to disconnect the wiring, but it goes through the bottom of the car. Any ideas as to the best way to remove the sensor and where the wire goes so that I can disconnect it to avoid damage?

Thanks
KReese

 

if you crawl under the car and trace the wire straight up from the O2 sensor in the header you will find a clip that holds the wire in place, then further up you'll find a gray plug, it's attatched to a metal bracket and you can slide it off of the bracket. Then you just unclip the plug. The plug is too big to get a normal socket or box wrench over so you can do that oxygen sensor specific socket or use what I use, that's sock it in PB blaster, use an open ended wrench. Then when you're putting it back together, put anti-seize on the threads and you'll be good as gold. Now If it's the one in the cat converter itself, I always take the heat sheild off for maximum space then again PB blast the **** out of it and use an open ended wrench for the job, there actually is just enough wire that you can spin the entire sensor without ripping the wiring apart.

 

If its the secondary o2 sensor.. follow the wires to plug that covers the hole in the frame. Pull on the plug and the wires will come out of the hole along with the connectors. You can get the secondary o2 sensor off without removing the heat shield, but its obviously a lot easier with the heat shield out of the way. Just use a normal open end wrench with a tight fit.