Getting to the lambda sensors

[TimJM]

Well I have decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and it time to take action. I have attempted to change the lambda sensor myself and I think I am nearly there...just a few more things to take out...




Unfortunatly it is not quite that easy now. That pic was taken a few weeks ago whilst the sump was replaced. I take it the lambda connectors are the bits dangling in the middle - out of interest what are the similar looking bits dangling just behind them???

This is what I am faced with now:


I have read past posts on this and most people say the connectors can be reached from the top and the sensors from the bottom. That is not the case here. The top is that small daylight to the right of the connectors (the access panel is off). There is no way you can get a hand down to past the top of the gearbox and back a foot form the top. Also, I can't see how you get to them from the bottom - my hand is wider than the gap you can see - I can bearly reach the connectors with an out streched finger. The cable has about 1/2 an inch of give moving down and about 1 inch moving up so no way to move them.

I am stuck. Any ideas?

Edited by TimJM on Wednesday 11th July 22:54

[TT Tim]

Trace them back from the sensors themselves.

Get underneath the car and you will see the lambda sensors going into each downpipe, prior to the cats'.

Feel the cable up above the gearbox, disconnect, replace lambda and reconnect, not too difficult, but it may help to drop the exhaust and remove the cats' to get some more space if you have 'normal' sized hands.

Good luck

Tim

[TimJM]

I tried to trace the wire form the top of the sensors in the exhaust but they go over some kind of pump (quite large black cylinder, just a bit bigger than a can of beans) I can't get my hands in much past the top of the sensors anyway so tracing the wire is tricky.

If I take the decat pipes off will this give some play in the exhaust section blocking access?

I know one of the sensors is reading 0 constantly from the garage diags - I don't have a laptop here with with an old stlye com port only usb so I can't hook it up myself. I did notice that one of the exhausts produces a small puff of smoke in a regular interval (every second or so) - would this be the side with the failed sensor? Can I swap over the sensor connections to test this?

[SimonSparrow]

TimJM said:

I tried to trace the wire form the top of the sensors in the exhaust but they go over some kind of pump (quite large black cylinder, just a bit bigger than a can of beans) I can't get my hands in much past the top of the sensors anyway so tracing the wire is tricky.

If I take the decat pipes off will this give some play in the exhaust section blocking access?

I know one of the sensors is reading 0 constantly from the garage diags - I don't have a laptop here with with an old stlye com port only usb so I can't hook it up myself. I did notice that one of the exhausts produces a small puff of smoke in a regular interval (every second or so) - would this be the side with the failed sensor? Can I swap over the sensor connections to test this?

They are a pain to change yourself (without a ramp) but its possible. I've bent a spanner to about 70 degrees to be able to remove the sensors themselves. The connectors are a bit of a bugger, you really need to be able to do them with one hand (think back to teenage fumblings and you'll get the idea). Squeeze the sides and pull gently (it'll all come flooding back to you )

When I've been without a laptop, I simply connected my new spare sensor to each connector in turn to identify which one is faulty - the Mil light will go out when its happy.

[Duke Thrust]

Not much fun that job I'm afraid, but with determination and a bent spanner it's not the worst thing I've had to do.

[marcus1970]

Your wiring loom from the ECU should come from the n/s corner by the expansion tank and then across the back of the engine over the top of the bell housing connecting to the big fuse. The connections for the lambda sensors should be just there and can easily'ish be accessed with a few scraped knuckles and a bit of jiggling about.

I found that access to the sensor in the exhaust was increased if the bottom metal plate that protects the exhaust is dropped a couple of inches - just undo the bolts until better clearance is achieved. You can also buy stubby spanners from Halfords that fit in tight spaces which helps a bit.

It is fiddly and gives rise to a few choice swear words along the way.

MB

[TimJM]

SimonSparrow said:

When I've been without a laptop, I simply connected my new spare sensor to each connector in turn to identify which one is faulty - the Mil light will go out when its happy.

The Mil light isn't lit. I know a sensor is faulty because it was plugged into the diags at a garage where even under reving the sensor didn't move from 0.

I don't think getting the sensors out the exhaust will be the tricky part (I have access to a pit and a well stocked workshop with some very clever spanners - I don't know what they are called but the head is removable and fits over the sensor and the shaft attaches side on). It is the connectors I can't see how to do. I know many people are saying you need to do it with one hand but all I can get on it is the tip of one finger. I think garages keep small trained monkeys for such jobs.

I will take another look tonight - perhaps if I take the decat pipes out and the large plate off the bottom of the car, then take the sensors out and feed them back over the gearbox the connectors might drop down a bit.

Edited by TimJM on Thursday 12th July 15:52

[cerbymad]

Depending on how much work you want to give yourself you could take the decats out and then undo the exhaust manifolds from the engine with those hanging loose you should have plenty of room to get at them from under the car.

Edited by cerbymad on Thursday 12th July 16:01

[marcus1970]

Can you not trace them to the loom and then pull them up?

Maybe they are cable tied to the chassis. Mine were and it took about 20 mins fiddling around underneath the car with long nose snips, to snip the cables, which then allowed much better access to the connectors.

I'm sure that some 'Cerb Places' purposely cable tie them when they have other stuff removed, so that it makes it very tricky for your home enthusiast - if you know what I mean...

MB