Im halfway through my header install (woohoo!) and am swapping out my old 02 sensors on. I know that given my mileage, I should replace them with new sensors, but I need to get the car running while I wait for new ones to come in. The sensors have quite a bit of carbon on them - is there any way to clean them in the meantime?



Thanks,
Mike.

 

The O2 sensors are very sensitive to alot of different chemicals, agents, ect. Your best bet, leave them alone, put them in, pray you dont get any codes, and replace them as soon as possible once your new ones come in.

 

how about a wire brush on a dremel?

 

NO NO and NO

 

I have heard some reports of header coating curing fouling O2s so I would reuse the old ones and order some new ones to install after say a few hundred miles, actually this is exactly what I did with my recent header install.

 

From what I gather, you can't clean them. Don't even mess with the sensor. It's a replace only part.

 

cool. i wont mess with them and just get the new sensors asap. thanks guys.

 

Hay now I did that on my O2's.
I had no problem with them after.
Your not going to hurt anything It's the rare earth inside that you have to wore about.
So I would not sand blast them or soke them anything.


Chris G.

 

just look for old threads posted by me about car running crappy after header install and ull realize y i said NO NO and NO ,

Im not sure if i tried to clean them or not cuz i really cant remember but i prolly did soooo u get my point lol

just run the car with the old 02s for a few 100 miles then change them

 

Couldn't agree more, no matter how careful I was in taking the O2s out and not exposing them to anything, I still managed to mess up the driver's side sensor as I got the dreaded P0133 code, (slow 02 response). Long story short, I replaced them and have had no problems.

 

haha at least u got teh code for it , i didnt lol

 

Run them for awhile see if you have any problems, that will give u some time to save up for some new ones.

 

I thought I read something about propane torch to clean them. Not sure if
it works or not. Its easy to say just replace them but quite a pain it seems to do in my stock exhaust 96z. I am waiting for header install to replace mine.And do plugs at same time.

 

I sprayed mine with carburator cleaner and took a wire brush to them... after that car ran like crap and I threw a code, I think I helped them to their demise

 

lol... cleaning the housing. cool.