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How to Replace an Oxygen Sensor in a Jeep

The oxygen sensors on your Jeep meter the amount of oxygen to fuel burning and communicate to the computer of the Jeep when there is a variance of rich or lean mixture. After a while, due to heat and age, the sensors break down and need to be replaced. Since your Jeep may have multiple oxygen sensors, telling which one it is and where it is will be up to you. Code readers can help determine a bad oxygen sensor and its location after it has tripped the engine computer and set off the "check engine" light. Youll need a few things to install one yourself, so have the parts store help you out in locating the right sensor and theyll most likely do it for free if you buy the parts from them.

Instructions

1

Put on the safety glasses and locate the oxygen sensor(s) that need to be replaced. Most Jeeps will have the very front oxygen sensor screwed into the manifold on the drivers side of the engine that can be accessed from the engine compartment. The other ones will be located in the exhaust system, again screwed into the exhaust pipes near the back of the manifold and near the catalytic converter. If youre on the ground under the Jeep and have a creeper, grab the tools and crawl under.

2

Follow the wire attached to the oxygen sensor to the plug. Press the clip lock in with a screwdriver and separate the oxygen sensor wire from the plug.

3

Place the wire of the oxygen sensor through the slot on the side of the oxygen sensor socket and place the socket onto the sensor. Attach the ratchet and try to loosen it from the manifold or exhaust pipe. Its not going to be easy. You may have to heat up the exhaust pipe or manifold around the threads of the oxygen sensor with the torch. Only heat up the threads on the pipe or manifold because if you heat the oxygen sensor as well, the metal in the sensor will expand along with the metal in the threads of the pipe and you will defeat the purpose. When the threads are nice and red, quickly apply the ratchet and socket and try to loosen it again. Once youre successful, allow the area that was heated up with the torch ample time to cool down.

4

Make sure there is a light coating of anti-seize lubricant compound on the threads of the new oxygen sensor. Most come with a light coating on them already. This will make future extractions easier. Screw the new sensor into the threads of the pipe by hand and be careful not to crossthread. Tighten the sensor with the ratchet and oxygen sensor socket. Do not over-tighten. There are only 4 to 5 threads on the oxygen sensors and although they need to be tight, over-tightening them can easily strip the threads of the sensor.

5

Plug the wire of the sensor back into the harness plug. Grab the tools and put them away. Start up the Jeep to make sure there is no exhaust leak coming from the oxygen sensor connection. To reset the "check engine" code, you can either wait it out for the Jeep to reset itself or take it back to the parts store and have them reset it. The computer will have to go through a series of the Jeep heating itself up to normal operating temperatures and cooling down in order to run through the IM monitors. It can take up to a few days or so many miles traveled to do so.

Posted by Unknown at 4:30 AM

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