once again I thank 2 people, maybe a 3rd.

[pjtoledo]

the first is the engineer that couldn't see the need for future service and placed the O2 sensor to where it obstructs about 1/8" of the space needed for a socket and extension on the upper exhaust manifold to Y pipe nut.
I'll call this person half-assed because they did do a decent job placing the lower nut.
it must of been one hell of an engineering demand that prevented rotating the exhaust bolt pattern or the O2 a couple degrees for a clear path.

the second praiseworthy design genius is making the O2 connector about .050" bigger than the hex surface thus preventing sliding a boxed end wrench over the wires for a better grip on the sensor.
here in the rust belt an open end wrench ain't gonna cut it, and there isn't room for the special socket. I have broken the offending tab off that connector before, just not ready to do it again.

dishonorable mention goes the guy that left just enough room to slide thru the wheel well and under the heater box to get a wrench on that upper nut, then putting a brake line in the middle of that opening so you can't swing the wrench enough.


Pulling a 2.3 out of a 2005.

after I get that top nut I can drop the exhaust system, then have plenty of room to get the O2. WITH A PIPE WRENCH

 

[RonD]

You are correct, engineers don't consider the vehicle its going in when they select places to attach things

You cut the O2 wires off the old sensor when replacing it, so you can get box wrench on it, if it helps, lol
Usually there is not enough room to turn the wrench when its on

 

[pjtoledo]

clipping the hoop do-dad on the connector yields enough room to slide a boxed end wrench over it. But then you have to tie the connector in if reusing it.
on this Ranger there isn't enough room to get a big wrench in there anyway so I'll wait until the system is dropped to deal with it.
I can get a stubby in there, but the O2 is rusted in solid. when I pulled them from my 2000 last year the O2 threads stripped off. thankfully the bungs were OK after clearing thread remnants.

 

[RonD]

I misunderstood, I just haven't taken out an O2 except to replace it

 

[19Walt93]

You guys know they sell oxygen sensor sockets, right? The engineers can design whatever they are told to so they concentrate on cost to manufacture, weight, ease of assembly at the factory, appearance, and way down the list, maybe serviceability. Ford used to count repair expenses under warranty separate form engineering expenses so when stuff wasn't "robust"( Fordspeak for "not crap") and we had to fix a bunch of them, the engineers weren't affected. The criteria for brake rotors, for example, used be be how light they were and how cheap to manufacture. Then someone figured out that a poorly designed part should be held against the engineers and all of our brake rotors got thicker. Brake vibration complaints almost vanished.

 

[Curious Hound]

You guys know they sell oxygen sensor sockets, right?

But PJ already said;

and there isn't room for the special socket.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

There is always the option of unpinning the plug… if you can get to it well enough to. With the plastic part of the socket out of the way it’s just wires to slide the wrench on. I have trimmed the hoop off the plugs before and left the locking tab on, you have to be careful you don’t accidentally break the tab off though. There’s a lot of stupidity in design on vehicles and the newer it is, the worse it is. To change the oil in mom’s Nissan Murano, you have to pull the one front wheel and the plastic clip held wheel liner to get to the filter, which happens to be the same size as the one on my 24 hp Craftsman lawn tractor. Actually, the lawn tractor one might be a little bigger…

 

[Uncle Gump]

I have a couple three O2 sensor sockets. One is like a crowfoot wrench. Don't think I've never seen an O2 sensor I couldnt get at with one of my sensor tools.

 

[pjtoledo]

a crows foot may have worked, if it was the kind that wrapped around. mine are all the straight type.
I clipped the wires and managed to get a boxed end wrench on the sensor, up-side-down, then cheated it.
that opened the path to the upper nut.
deep 6 pt 3/8 fit ok if I put the socket on the nut first then the universal into the socket. had a 20" extension with a 1/2" converter and my really long breaker bar.
the stud stuck out too far to use short flex sockets, I can now justify a deep set.
all this while I'm on my back under a Ranger that has only 5" blocks under the front tires, rears on the ground.

not too shabby for a 69 year old, eh?

maybe I can get some pics tomorrow of the truck!!


I also have another engineer to thank. the guy that blocked the 4th bolt on the PS pump with a metal tube.

 

[pjtoledo]

You guys know they sell oxygen sensor sockets, right? The engineers can design whatever they are told to so they concentrate on cost to manufacture, weight, ease of assembly at the factory, appearance, and way down the list, maybe serviceability. Ford used to count repair expenses under warranty separate form engineering expenses so when stuff wasn't "robust"( Fordspeak for "not crap") and we had to fix a bunch of them, the engineers weren't affected. The criteria for brake rotors, for example, used be be how light they were and how cheap to manufacture. Then someone figured out that a poorly designed part should be held against the engineers and all of our brake rotors got thicker. Brake vibration complaints almost vanished.

yep, I have one of the tall ones.
this job calls for a shortie.


Crows Foot Wrench | NAPA Auto Parts (napaonline.com)