Long story short my dads car blows teh engine, i get the flu he borrows my car, notices i'm running the CEL for o2 sensors and picks 2 up at advance auto parts. Puts the first one in no problems, second one he stripped after cutting the wire so he could get a socket on it.
So I said well we should just drill a hole through the sensor so that we could put a nail through it to get some kind of grip and leverage, but the drill bit stops like 1/8th in when it hits something too hard i guess.
So what are the sensors made of? That way I can get the appropriate drill bit.
And do i have any other options? He wants me to take it to the auto shop now so that they can take my exhaust apart and deal with those broken bolts. I'm really cheap and dont really have the money, 100 give or take, that they'll want.

 

1) Soak it overnight with PB blaster
2) Get a butane torch (they're like $10 at Home Depot) and heat up the pipe around it until it's red hot (try not to heat the O2 sensor as much as the pipe so the pipe expands more than the O2 sensor).
3) Use channel locks to turn it.


ALWAYS change the O2's when the exhaust is hot and they'll come out WAY easier.

 

^^^ Agreed, you can get a propane torch at Sears for 20 bucks. I had to use one on my exhaust bolts and it works like butter. Oh, and the do make a socket specially made for o2 sensors. They have a slit on the side to let the wires out.

 

Pipe wrench worked well on mine too.

 

Happened to me on my 95 once. Take it to an exhaust shop and they'll replace the bung for $20 or less.

 

OK thanks for the replies guys.
New the socket is not stripped its the sensor thats stripped so I cant get it out.
I'm definitely going to try out that torch idea see what happens, is there anything that would also rapidly cool the sensor?
I still like my idea of drilling through the sensor but I still don't know what its made of on the inside.

 

Get one at Autzone. $10. Just ask for a crow's foot socket. Just for future reference.

 

Just take some wet rags and rap them around the sensor. And are referring t oafter you heat it up. If you heat it withe torch i wouldnt cool it down till you can some how ge tthe o2 to get a grip on the threads and start backing out on its own.