*#$@% O2 sensor plug, how to replace?

[Russ in VA]

After much debate (and reviewing many old threads), I bought a Ford application Bosch o2 sensor #13953 (across the counter at my local NAPA store for $45) planning to splice it into the plugs off my old one. I then came home to pull the old one out, starting at the plugs (car is an 84 so there are two plugs; one single wire for the signal and one two wire plug for the heater) where the sensor attaches to the harness. When I pulled on the boot for the single wire plug, the connector from the end of the car's harness crumbled to peices, leaving the tip of the factory wiring harness in boot that I just pulled off. Can I buy this part without buying a whole wiring harness?

Or my BETTER IDEA, buy the factory harness end plug for a FORD and then use ford O2 sensors on a plug and play basis from now on.

So where can I buy the wiring harness end of a Ford 02 sensor plug (I called NAPA and they, off course, said try the dealer)? Is this something the dealer has to sell me? Or do I have to go cut one off a car in a salvage yard?

Next question, any idea what Ford this unit is for?

Ugh. This is not what I was hoping to deal with on my Sunday project.

[Rick Lee]

Call a used Porsche parts place like Oklahoma Foreign or PartWerks. This can't be too big a deal. Maybe try Steve Timmins - I know he has a lot of 3.2 parts laying around.

[Wayne 962]

It's problems like these that lead me to recommend that people don't mess with cutting wires - anywhere. If your car starts running rough or you have problems down the road, you will be guessing up the wazzou whether or not it's with the O2 sensor, or not.

If you do more research, you may find out that the wires to the O2 sensor are special, and that cutting them or breaking them (and adding resistance) may impede their readings. There was a few posts on this BBS a while ago about how some Bosch expert told one of the members here that story. Sounds implausible to me, but I tried some things with the O2 sensor on my truck (basically the same thing), and the computer didn't like it.

My opinion is biased, of course, because we sell the OEM parts, but my recommendation hands down is to not mess with cutting any wires and using an aftermarket sensor not designed to be used with the 911. Cutting wires is just asking for trouble...

-Wayne

[derkpitt]

Why buy the connector? Don't buy anything yet.
Splice in the single wire first, of your new 02 sensor.
See if it going to work. The single wire from the car's harness should be shielded. Push the shielding back and butt splice in your single wire.
The heater is only need until the car is up to operating temp.

[Russ in VA]

Well, I hope that I have conquered this problem. The O2 sensor is installed, but I have not driven the car since I have some other things apart at the moment. If anyone is interested, I think I have come up with a nice clean solution. I went to the salvage yard and found the wiring harness end conector from a 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis (any late 80's, early 90's Ford product with the 302 V8 should be the same) . This plugs right into the Bosch #13953 3-wire unit for Fords with the nice long connectors ($39 at NAPA). We (actually my certified mil spec soldering friend David I met via this board... THANKS DAVID) spliced the plug onto my factory wires (after pushing the sheild up on the signal wire as mentioned above). I now can replace my sensor anytime as a plug-and-play for less than $40. The wires are all soldered on and heat shrinked so I feel good that I have a solid conection. Since my factory plug was broken off anyhow, I HAD to play with the wires, so might as well save some money at the same time. If you want to try this and don't want (or have to) cut up your factory harness, you could cut the plug (or plugs since mine had two) off your old sensor and make a adaptor with the salvage yard connector so that your car plugs into the adaptor, the o2 sensor plugs into the adaptor, but you can change back to the porsche part anytime. I don't have this flexibilty, but you could easily. Hope someone finds this helpful. I even have an extra conector from the Mercury (it had two) that I'll mail to any fellow pelicanite that would like it.