Removing Rear O2 Sensor
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
From: La Vergne, TN
I didnt see what year bike you have?
I just went thru this with my 08. I had a little trouble getting the old rear sensor out, but nothing like you're having. I did, however have a bitch of a time getting the new one in. The longer (new) wideband sensor puts the wire pigtail right against the case and made it impossible for me to get it threaded. I chased the bung threads, used anti sieze and finally said "F" it and pulled the headers.
Once I had a little more clearance, she went right in.
Just sayin, if you got an 08, you may need to pull the pipes anyway.
I just went thru this with my 08. I had a little trouble getting the old rear sensor out, but nothing like you're having. I did, however have a bitch of a time getting the new one in. The longer (new) wideband sensor puts the wire pigtail right against the case and made it impossible for me to get it threaded. I chased the bung threads, used anti sieze and finally said "F" it and pulled the headers.
Once I had a little more clearance, she went right in.
Just sayin, if you got an 08, you may need to pull the pipes anyway.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma
I had a similar problem with a rear O2 sensor a couple of years ago. Same story, turned a little bit at first, sprayed PB Blaster into the threads, ran the bike etc. Didn't want to spend the time to pull the headers.
It was a bitch to turn, but I'm a big guy, and finally I horked it free. It turned hard the whole way out, but finally came out. No threads left on the sensor, though, which should not have been a surprise.
So I wound up having to pull the header off the bike anyway. I finally got lucky, and a muffler shop was able to chase out the threads in the bung without having to drill and helicoil. I should have taken the header off the bike in the first place. With the header on the bike, I was putting a significant amount of side thrust on the threads.
After that experience, I will still try to wrench out the O2 sensors with the header in place, but if there's any resistance, I just pull the headers off the bike. Trying to save a little time by not pulling the header wound up costing me a day of down time and a trip to a muffler shop. And, yes, I use anti-seize on O2 sensors.
It was a bitch to turn, but I'm a big guy, and finally I horked it free. It turned hard the whole way out, but finally came out. No threads left on the sensor, though, which should not have been a surprise.
So I wound up having to pull the header off the bike anyway. I finally got lucky, and a muffler shop was able to chase out the threads in the bung without having to drill and helicoil. I should have taken the header off the bike in the first place. With the header on the bike, I was putting a significant amount of side thrust on the threads.
After that experience, I will still try to wrench out the O2 sensors with the header in place, but if there's any resistance, I just pull the headers off the bike. Trying to save a little time by not pulling the header wound up costing me a day of down time and a trip to a muffler shop. And, yes, I use anti-seize on O2 sensors.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,537
Likes: 6,412
From: Honah Lee
Not a lot of help but problem I have seen is these small plugs are threaded before they are welded. This will get them out of round. Also the problem I had was they are chromed after all the welding and polishing and mine had hard flash chrome rolled down into the threads. ( I was installing a new take off from an Night train which the dealer had taken the oxygen sensors out.) I was plugging them with SS plugs. One would only go about 2 1/2 turns. I am sure a wrench would have made it go but like yours sure would have been bad news getting it out. I destroyed a tap getting it cleaned up since chrome dulls taps big time. Bet you are going to need to take a impact to it. Propane is just too slow and heats too big an area. You need a map-gas torch. Harley can take a simple looking job an turn it into a nightmare. Sound like you have right approach slow and thinking. Least you are not sitting there with a new derby cover and 5 broken off screws like some. Not sure what year you have but mine are the larger straight sparkplug 18-1.5 MM size. They have gone too a much smaller one and I bet this is why.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Jun 7, 2011 at 09:54 AM.
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: huntsville
My road king is a 2009 Police.....I think I am going to take the header pipes off....Never done it before but I have the manual. I don't want to put anymore stress on the threads than I have to. And if the threads are srewed. I will then take it to a muffler shop...Bad thing is, I have been down riding for 4 days now. Looks like a weekend job....
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
From: La Vergne, TN
My road king is a 2009 Police.....I think I am going to take the header pipes off....Never done it before but I have the manual. I don't want to put anymore stress on the threads than I have to. And if the threads are srewed. I will then take it to a muffler shop...Bad thing is, I have been down riding for 4 days now. Looks like a weekend job....
I've had mine down a couple weeks now for what I thought was going to be a weekender.
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: huntsville
Ok. I got the o2 sensor to turn but I got a closer look at it and it is turning at an angle and won't come out. I think it is screwed up.......Any ideas what to do in this situation?
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Road Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 4
From: Central Coast CA
work it back and forth back and forth
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