2001 Yukon removing O2 sensor upstream Bank 1

[Ella ramaley]

I am having a problem with being able to reach into the area to remove this sensor plug end.
Does anyone have any suggestions? The sensor screw in is easy to get to , but the plug in not.

 

[MassHoe04]

Are you are trying from the top? I got to mine from underneath. It has been a few months, but I don't recall anything was difficult to reach. I did it in the middle of my front lawn. It didn't take too long.

 

[Ella ramaley]

i did manage to get both arms

Are you are trying from the top? I got to mine from underneath. It has been a few months, but I don't recall anything was difficult to reach. I did it in the middle of my front lawn. It didn't take too long.

I found a way to get my hands to reach the clip and I had to cut the plastic thing that held the old one in place. I was so proud that I managed to attach the new one , but I attached the clip before I screwed in the sensor which is a problem. Now I can get the new one to pull back out of the thing that keeps it in place!! are so things permanent ? and don't back out with out cutting them?

 

[Fless]

There should be a latch on the plastic connector, but I'm not sure if it's on the sensor connector or the body harness connector. Should be able to pull up on the plastic latch to enable you to pull them apart again.

Alternately, wind the sensor in a counter-clockwise rotation a few turns -- essentially winding the sensor in the direction of how you'd be removing it -- then screw it into the exhaust pipe clockwise.

 

[Ella ramaley]

There should be a latch on the plastic connector, but I'm not sure if it's on the sensor connector or the body harness connector. Should be able to pull up on the plastic latch to enable you to pull them apart again.

Alternately, wind the sensor in a counter-clockwise rotation a few turns -- essentially winding the sensor in the direction of how you'd be removing it -- then screw it into the exhaust pipe clockwise.

I can take the semspr connector apart, but the body is pushed into a retainer clip that can't get back out.

 

[Ella ramaley]

okay, I had to cut it off and still had some left to connect. So now we'll see if it works. Thanks for help. I know most of you didn't know what the heck I was trying to describe. LOL

 

[Fless]

Good luck with it. Sometimes we do better with pictures.

 

[MassHoe04]

When replacing O2 sensors, I usually snip the sensor wire right at the top of the old sensor. The sensor is going in the trash anyway...

Then, I unclip the cut end of the sensor wire from the harness connector. Cutting the wire at the old sensor allows me to get on there with a good box wrench to remove it easily.

Hand-thread the new sensor into the port on the exhaust with the wire disconnected. That way, the wire can spin all it wants while the the sensor turns. Then I use an open-end wrench to tighten until it feels "tight enough". Like a spark plug... tight, but not too tight.

Once the sensor is in and tightened, connect the new sensor wire connector to the harness connector and push the retainer clip back into the hole on the frame to keep the wire from flopping around.

No need for fancy "O2 Sensor socket" (the special socket with the slot).

There are other tricks, like twisting the wire before wrenching it in. That works fine.
It is just that I never find the right number of twists and it bugs me when the wire is left with a bunch of extra twists in it, so I let the wire dangle unconnected until I am all done spinning the sensor around during install.

 

[MassHoe04]

There should be a latch on the plastic connector, but I'm not sure if it's on the sensor connector or the body harness connector. Should be able to pull up on the plastic latch to enable you to pull them apart again.

Alternately, wind the sensor in a counter-clockwise rotation a few turns -- essentially winding the sensor in the direction of how you'd be removing it -- then screw it into the exhaust pipe clockwise.

Here is a good pic of the sensor wire connector... Lift tab (latch) is on the other connector on the harness side.


On the body harness connector, there is a safety retainer clip (a pin-like thing that has a tether on it to keep it from getting lost). That needs to be pulled out towards the side before you can lift the tab for release.

 

[Fless]

Here is a good pic of the sensor wire connector... Lift tab (latch) is on the other connector on the harness side.
View attachment 374651

On the body harness connector, there is a safety retainer clip (a pin-like thing that has a tether on it to keep it from getting lost). That needs to be pulled out towards the side before you can lift the tab for release.

@Ella ramaley's connector may be the one that is flat, with all the terminals in line. Same principle. In this case it appears the damage has been done.