On the bright side, I picked up a DC Sports 4-1 header for my tC today... the bad side... when installing the header, i encountered a minor (well HUGE) setback... the stupid O2 sensor on the OE header was stripped onto the damn thing, so when it was finally removed... all mush that came out... so no threads to screw onto the new header... i called toyota for a price for 02 sensor... $205!!! OMFG! ugh! can anyone help?

im so sad. : (

i also picked up a greddy sp2 exhaust today as well, but can't play with that either because theres no O2 sensor right now. : (

 

you should b able to get a new o2 sensor for a ton less than that online or at a store like pepboys/autozone , etc.. I had a o2 sensor go bad on a friends car and we got him one for 65 bucks.

 

i sure hope you're right. i called a couple of local suppliers, but no luck yet. tried calling like one stop autoparts, cuz i get a good discount there, but i guess next step is pep boys and autozone...

 

two people have mentioned that their 02 sensor was hosed when they pulled it out, wonder if its some sort of defect or if you guys are trying to rip them out dry. use some wd40 or something of the like and make sure its warm when you pull it off.

 

i noticed this about my right bolt that holds my engone cover on. was all stripped. side note, what ever up u do, dont over torque the valve cover bolts. they brake like there plastic.

 

i allowed my car to cool down and then put a hole lotta wd 40 onto it and let it sit for like 20 minutes, then it busted. : / on somewhat the bright side, i got a non-foul spark plug and with whatever leftover threads screwed the sensor onto that, and into the anti foul to the opening of the header... but now the check engine light comes on. i mighta nicked the sensor part when i was trying to clean it up to make it fit. looks like i might needa cough up some $ for another sensor.

what do you guys think about buying just a regular o2 sensor, cut it off from the wires and hook it up to the scion one, cuz i dont think the harness is the same.

 

We had the some problem when we we're testing our tC Race Header prototype. The primary O2 sensor got stripped to hell, even broke an O2 sensor socket in the process. I'm thinking it's the amount of heat generated by the upper cat causing the O2 to bond itself to the header.

Also, don't bother trying to replace it with a universal 4-wire O2, we tried that and it throws a CEL. The sensor could be a wideband, which would explain the high cost and CEL. We picked up a factory replacement and have not had any CEL problems since.

 

I had my mechanic install my alphawerks header a week ago or so. The 02 sensor was clearly stripped. Sounds like a damn quality control issue. The 2nd 02 sensor we took out to put in the old antifouler thingy was fine and came out easy. I was suprised that 1st 02 sensor didnt break off. I'm kinda ____ed at Toyota for this one!

$165 sux, and I dont think you can find them anywhere but the dealer

 

I feel your pain mine did the same thing! $205 later its all good. You have no other choice. The threads on mine melted to the stock manifold and when I got it out it was FUBAR.

 

The same happened to me as well. It is really not just an o2 sensor, it is an air fuel ratio sensor. That is why it is spendy.

 

This is part of an earlier thread, I'm not sure the 04 camry sensor will work.


rethread it or go to rockauto.com and get one for an 04 camry $96
_________________
2005 Black Cherry Pearl tC
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Everyone should be warned, it is a common problem with the O2 sensor. Mine was off the day before and put back on with no issues, the following day I pulled it off to install my DC header. The O2 was hanging up, sure enough it was stripped, luckily the parts guy at Toyota only hit me up for $135.00.

I believe the issue is when the engine compartment has not fully cooled down. The steel header/cat retains heat and the O2 crappy metal with heat expansion creates this fatal situation of the O2 sensor.

If I was admin I would get with the experts and post a note in the tech/header section on the O2 sensors, at $200 bones it is a definite must need to know

 

i wouldn't reccomend trying to 'rig' a sensor(cutting and splicing). they need to have the right ohms for the computer to not have a fit. when you splice it you create a new point where you could have an ohms drop/gain or worse, a short. then you run the risk of damaging the line back to your computer or the computer itself. It's low voltage/amperage, but it's still possible.

 

yeah, so i ended up calling like 5 different toyota dealers, and luickily one of them had ONE in stock. it cost me $165. FRIGGIN AYE! WHAT A FRIGGIN EXPENSIVE HEADER! :? but, no more CEL, so i am most definitely happy. I tried calling everyone for an 04 camry 2.4L air fuel ratio sensor too, but no one had it available... went for like $170. IT FRIGGIN SUCKS! i coulda bought sway bars dang it~!

 

dang wassup with all these stuff breaking on the TC?

 

Nothing is breaking on the TC, we have to let the engine header and O2 sensor cool for about 4 hours, hood open then go mad with the WD40. This should solve the O2 sensor stripping issue.

 

Yeah the 04 Camry Sensor doesn't work for ours. Camry motors are made in the U.S. as where the TC motors are made in Japan.

 

Do you happen to know if this will work for sure? I would like to get a header but I don't want to have to spend a extra 200 bucks for a new sensor. If anybody else out there has some good ideas on how to remove this sensor without killing it that would be great.

 

Yes it does work i didnt install my header but i did see the entire process and helped doing it. My car was only ran for about 6 minutes to get to the location, secondly i left the car with the hood open for about 5 hours to let everything cool. When in the shop a fan was aimed at the manifold further cooling the header. By the time the install was started the header was only slightly warm to the touch hardly noticeable. A lubricant similar to WD40 was used i cant remember the name but according to the guys in the shop WD40 is just as effective. They sprayed plenty of this lubricant around the O2 sensor thread let it sit for about 5 minutes and sprayed some more. The O2 sensor came off with a bit of pressure but no drama no stripped threads nothing. Just let the header cool use plenty of WD40. Also milage is a factor i only had 4500 miles, the more miles the more carbon buildup and the greater the heat expansion experienced by the O2 sensor threads. As some of the forum users mentioned above this post its partly expansion, perhaps cheap metal used or other factors.. just cool it lubricate the crap out of it. Just dont let any lubricant fall inside the O2 sensor sensing mechanism and wipe off all the excess WD40 otherwise the header can stain if one is using a stainless steel header :D

 

^^^^^^^^^

Thanks alot of the detailed process of how this worked for you. I now feel better about giving a new header a shot.

 

no prob here to help.