Any Ford Mechanics here ?, here's a question for You.

[63t-cab]

Working on a 2003 Ford Taurus, Bank 1 Oxygen Sensor. spent a little time on it Tonight, Man o Man what's the trick to cracking it loose from the Manifold ? I have the kit of special sockets,but basically no room to move the Ratchet because of Metal flex.I'm gonna try again Tomorrow,am I just missing the obvious here

[sweetolbob]

Joe, Can't help but if all else fails, try youtube, I've found the answer to many issues like this there. Bob

[Bordeaux Daytona]

Is it a 24 or 12 valve engine? It's been a while since I had change one in a Taurus. I'm drawing a blank where it is on the car though my Mom has an '07 12 valve Taurus.
I have 4 different oxygen sensor sockets. Worse case I'll cut the wires off and use a 7/8 box wrench or deep socket on them.

[toymobile]

Is it a 24 or 12 valve engine? It's been a while since I had change one in a Taurus. I'm drawing a blank where it is on the car though my Mom has an '07 12 valve Taurus.
I have 4 different oxygen sensor sockets. Worse case I'll cut the wires off and use a 7/8 box wrench or deep socket on them.

X2, I have had to use a saws all to cut the top off for access.

Good luck

Johnny

[8E45E]

Remove it immediately after a good run on the highway when the manifold is HOT.

It will be uncomfortable, and painful if you accidently contact it with bare skin, but the metal will be at its full expansion to make removal easier.

Craig

[63t-cab]

Well I got back to the Taurus, and swapped out the O2 Sensor. I ended up doing the Job with two different 7/8" open end Wrenches,no way was the Socket approach gonna work .


Bob, I tried youtube with no success.

Bordeaux Daytona, I'm pretty sure it's a 12 valve Engine.

Johnny, I thought about cutting it,kinda glad I didn't as I could grab the end of it for easy removal once it was wrenched loose.

Craig, the pre heat really did make the difference cracking it loose "gave the wrench a nice love tap with a Hammer"

I also changed the M.A.S and was a breeze, cept for having to by the "SPECIAL" Torx Bit for the TAMPER proof screws. yea right,must be one of Fords better ideas - some times I must wonder what drives/powers some Engineers/Designers

[rockinhawk]

My wife had a Taurus. Best fix I found for it was to trade it in on a RAM!

[jclary]

.....some times I must wonder what drives/powers some Engineers/Designers

My thought is that, using computer aided design, (no matter what brand) design engineers are given an extensive education on emphasizing maximum use of available space, weight reduction, and aerodynamics. I suspect few of them have had much experience in holding a wrench, changing parts, or cleaning grease from their fingernails. It is one thing to have a partially assembled engine bay in a laboratory "clean-room" environment, where the goal is to assemble brand new modules while shaving off "milliseconds" of union pay-scale assembly time. I doubt there are any computer aided programs that account for a vehicle with thousands of miles of road grime, grit, salt, asphalt oils, driving into a maintenance bay (perhaps dripping wet), for any kind of routine service, or repair.

Some of these tasks were so difficult, many 1980's GM products ended up on the used car circuit, well over 100,000 miles with one spark plug (access blocked by the heat/air unit) having never been changed. On some vehicles, spark plugs, oil filters, air filters, belts, are almost impossible to get to without special tools or bloody hands. I believe every manufacturer is guilty of this kind of malpractice. I don't think it is always the design engineer either. Production managers/engineers have a big say in how things get done. Usually, there is a meeting where the designers get together with the production people. Designers make their case for what they "WANT," and production folks make their case for what they can "DO." I think the compromise often leaves out what benefits the "CUSTOMER!"

[bumpkinvilledano]

For many years as an industrial plant engineer, I kept a poster on my wall (still have it) that states the following;

It is the function of the design engineer to make life difficult for the fabricator, and impossible for the serviceman.

[8E45E]

It is the function of the design engineer to make life difficult for the fabricator, and impossible for the serviceman.

But the most important position is the BEAN COUNTER!!!!

He's the one who tells the design engineer NOT to install an access hole for the serviceman because it 'costs too much per unit' for the fabricator to cut it and fabricate a cover, times X-number of fasteners to hold the cover in place......

(Think of a mid-seventies full-size Ford heater motor!!!
The SERVICEMAN cut the hole and bought the retrofit cover.)

Craig

[bumpkinvilledano]

But the most important position is the BEAN COUNTER!!!!

He's the one who tells the design engineer NOT to install an access hole for the serviceman because it 'costs too much per unit' for the fabricator to cut it and fabricate a cover, times X-number of fasteners to hold the cover in place......

(Think of a mid-seventies full-size Ford heater motor!!!
The SERVICEMAN cut the hole and bought the retrofit cover.)

Craig

In many cases I agree. Some however fall squarely on the shoulders of the engineer. Case in point;

A couple years ago I was at a small independent garage that a friend owns, He needed to run out for a minute to pick up a part. While I was waiting for him to get back, an older couple pulled in with a 3-4 year old Buick (no idea what model). Man asks, "I think I need some power steering juice, but I can't find the pump". My first thought was he maybe needed his glasses changed, but I told him to pop the hood. I spent 5 minutes hunting for it, and only found it by CRAWLING UNDER THE CAR. The only way I could figure to access it was remove the right front wheel and remove the "skirt" from the inner fender. There was no possible way to get to it from the top of the motor to check, never mind add, any fluid.
SMH