Hello Third Gens,

I have a 1990 IROC 305, Manual Trans with stock exhaust. This is my first time replacing the oxygen sensor myself. Should I buy the Bosch,Delco,Denso sensor? Should I buy a specialty socket? It looks like there is a variety of different sockets available. Any tricks I should know about when replacing this? Thanks for your help.

 

Get the AC Delco. They tend to work better than the Bosch.

By all means, get the special socket for changing it. It makes changing it MUCH easier. As far as changing it goes, I like to start the engine up cold and let it run for about a minute or so. Shut it off and then change it. (The heat seems to make removal easier. But don't let it get too hot or else you'll burn yourself)

Be very careful about burning your hands on the AIR tubes.

The new O2 sensor should come with a tiny bit of thread lubricant on it or a small package of stuff to put on it. Use this. Makes removal in the future easier.

 

Should I but the special socket that just looks like a deep socket?

 

Yes. It should have one side that is open.

 

Ed Wright at Fastchip.com told me to change to the heated o2 sensor that the ECM works better with it.

 

delco's always my first choice, but also had really good luck with NTK and Denso as well.

as for sockets, stop by your local advance auto or autozone; they have oxygen sensor sockets as part of their loaner tool program. put down deposit, take sockets home, get deposit back when sockets are returned. save the money for something else

 

I dont know why you'd need a special socket. I disconnect the pigtail, thread the wire through the closed end of a normal wrench so I can slide it over the sensor, then use that. Sometimes a sharp whack with a rubber mallet on the end of the wrench.

I guess this was a week ago, I hope it's done by now, took me less than ten minutes and mine was the 23 year old original completely rusted in place.