ok i changed the battery on saturday then ran the car for a about an hour and a half just trying to throw a few codes
(comp was cleaned out when batt died last week)
after everything i finally got to pull some codes all it seem to be telling me is that i have a bad O2 sensor...........

how hard are they to replace and
is there any special brand i shoud use?

thanks again

 

For all of my sensors I only use/trust good ol' A/C Delco products.
They are very good quality. My suggestion is to stay away from the aftermarket brands like Wells, etc.. that you will find in mst part stores like Autozone. I have connections on Delco stuff so I don't have to go for dealer prices.

As for changing it, get the exhaust warm to hot then unscrew the o2 sensor- reason- the exhaust bung (threaded part) will expand from the heat and allow the sensor to losen. Its nearly impossible to remove one when the exhaust is cold.

 

thanks again

 

I've always used a Bosch oxy sensor, part #12014, $26. So when the parts counter monkey at Pep Boys (or similar) asks you for the year of your car, tell him to shut up, and give you Bosch #12014. This one actually comes with a new connector. Many out there are "universal" oxygen sensors; what this means is you cut the old connector off your old oxy sensor, strip the wire insulation away, and use a butt connector to connect the old connector to the new sensor. It's a waste of time and you're adding a joint that could fail; might as well get one with a connector attached already.

Make sure you don't crossthread the new sensor when you reinstall it into the exhaust. I usually crack off the old sensor at the pipe, and use a large breaker bar with a socket on the old sensor. They sell oxygen sensor sockets, which are basically a deep socket with a slot cut in the side for the oxygen sensor wire. If the sensor's really tight in there (as in, it hasn't ever been changed!), those sockets suck, because of the slit in the slide, the socket can spread open, slip on the oxy sensor nut, and ruin the oxy sensor nut- and then you'll never get the sensor out!