Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 19, 2007 | 06:04 AM

vthokieharley

Thread Starter

Advanced

Joined: Sep 2007

Posts: 72

Likes: 3

From: NC

Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

Well this weekend, I put on my short shot staggered black V&H's on my 08 Street Bob. Took the stock pipes off, and they came off really easily. Went to take the O2 sensors out, and they wouldnt budge. Put some oil on them and worked them back and forth real good, and they still were stuck. Continued to work them and put elbow greaseon them until they finally broke free. To get one out, I put so much pressure on it that a weld broke on the pipe. So here is the real kicker....

I went to the dealership to get some new ones, and they said it wasnt covered under warranty! They said the only way they could warranty the sensors was if they did the work at the stealership, which is complete crap. They shouldnt have been crossthreaded from the factory. So a 2.5 hour round trip and $90 later, I finally have them on my bike. If the threads wouldnt have been bunged up, the install would have been less than an hour, but it ended up taking 6.

Who can I write a nasty letter too to get this covered under warranty? Or is there no hope? [:@][:@]

Nov 19, 2007 | 06:16 AM

dyna07custom

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2007

Posts: 3,074

Likes: 12

From:

RE: Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

You can try writing to MOCO and send copy of reciept as well as photos. But I would not hold out much hope as the reason you took it apart was to do a non HD modification I know that S**ks just trying to be real

Nov 19, 2007 | 06:27 AM

vthokieharley

Thread Starter

Advanced

Joined: Sep 2007

Posts: 72

Likes: 3

From: NC

RE: Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

Yeah, and I understand that point. I mean, I know I was taking it off for a non HD modification, but what if I was just taking the pipes off to access something? They still shouldnt be wrong from the factory is my only gripe. And the fact that it is only covered under warranty if thedealer does it...thats like creating a monopoly of sorts. So if I spent $300 forthe stealer to install my pipes, I would have saved $90...seems fishy to me

Nov 19, 2007 | 09:43 AM

StreetBobbin

Intermediate

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 38

Likes: 0

From: Macclenny Fl

RE: Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

Same damn thing happened to me! I was trying to get the front pipe sensor out and it took me an hour of oiling and turning back and forth to get the thing out. Then, it was missing 2 threads so i took a file and smoothed out the remaining threads and it screwed right in to new pipes and havent had any problems. Sucked that it was cross-threaded from the factory though.

Nov 19, 2007 | 10:33 AM

fj4069

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 1,342

Likes: 2

From:

RE: Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

beleive it or not this is pretty common not because they were cross-threaded from the factory but because of carbon buildup on the innermost threads from exhaust contamination. i see it all the time. it helps if you heat up the o2 sensor bung w/oxy acetalene and then then spray w/wd 40 or some other penetrant/lubricant. you just got lucky and had it happen to both o2 sensors.

Nov 19, 2007 | 11:52 AM

darkdyna06

Tourer

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 314

Likes: 0

From: North Hills California

RE: Cross-threaded O2 Sensors

This problem goes back at least two years. When I changed the pipes on my 06 Bob, the same damn thing happened in the rear pipe. The whole O2 sensor bung peeled away from the pipe before it would break loose. I ended up sawing out the sensor with a cut off wheel, and hitting the threads with a thread file, I got lucky.