Mice got into my mom's 2001 LS430 engine compartment. Fortunately, the damage seems contained to a chewed-up oxygen sensor wire on the RH (passenger side) exhaust manifold.

Unfortunately, two shops have been unable to get the O2 sensor out of the exhaust manifold, and are quoting over $1100 to replace both the manifold and sensor.

Is it possible, in theory, to splice new wires onto the existing O2 sensor? This would cost a lot less obviously, and I might be able to DYI.

Many thanks in advance,
Marc Jacobi

 

Absolutely. The solution depends on the severity of the damage. The O2 sensor has 2 circuits - a heater circuit and a sensor circuit. The copper portion of the wire carries the electrical signal, and the outer jacket portion of the wire protects the copper from corrosion and from coming into contact with other wires or surround bare metal (ground). If your damage is limited to just the outer jacket, apply "high-temperature liquid electrical tape" to the affected areas and you're good to go. If the damage includes the copper wire, then slicing a short section of wire will be necessary. In which case cut out only the damage portion, slide a section of heat shrink tube, solder the wires back together, apply some high-temperature liquid electrical tape over the newly soldered joint, let dry overnight, slide the heat shrink tube over the soldered joint, apply heat to shrink the tube.

 

I am guessing the two shops trying to remove the sensor may have damaged it to the extent it is no longer functional, so repairing the wires may no longer be an option.

 

Some shops cut the wires to the old, installed sensor allowing a standard deep-well socket to fit (as opposed to using the special O2 sensor socket). I have had success using a propane torch to heat rusted O2 sensors to facilitate removal, similar to removal of old rusted exhaust pipe bolts. Have they tried heating the old sensor, and using PB Blaster or similar?

 

Sounds like they stripped the o2 sensor and want you to pay for it. I had this happen to me on my Acura using an o2 sensor socket. I just cut off the wire than used an impact gun with a impact socket came right out. (let the engine get hot first.)

 

I took it to both an independent shop and the Toyota dealership.

The indy spent a long time on it, said they soaked it, heated it, etc... The dealership had no success either.

I've gone on car-part.com and there are a few manifolds with O2 sensors still attached. Perhaps this isn't such an unusual problem...

I'll take a look tomorrow and see if I can figure out the extent of damage to the sensor.

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

Just a long shot.... I wonder if a custom exhaust shop can assist. If the old one can't come out, Can they install a new port for a new 02 Sensor? You see it on the DYI auto shows all the time where they install 02 sensors where there wasn't one....

 

Great idea, and much easier (cheaper) than an entire manifold replacement.

 

Brilliant! I'll look into it!