HELP! He Spliced my 02 sensor wires!
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Merritt Island, Florida
HELP! He Spliced my 02 sensor wires! We all know you should never cut and splice wire into O2 sensor wires...(except the mechanic who did it to my car to reach the new long tube headers- and he shall remain nameless! 
Doing this throws the sensitive o2 sensor readings and gives your car the fits. Sure enough - Runs like crap now.....You must buy O2 extensions. I'm told that nothing else works, soldering or anything. But now that they have been cut I need a whole new wiring harness.
But the Painless wiring harness is $800! Sure, I could look for used PCM harnesses, but that's risky b/c they can be damaged easily if not very carefully taken off the donor car....Plus what a hassle to hook it all up again!
OK....I'm thinking of buying O2 extensions, cut one side connector off and just use the very best kind of solder possible to splice it onto the original harness wire. At least the wire will be the right kind.
Anyone been successful doing this? What kind of solder to use...the wire is copper. Can you "weld" the wires together with pure Copper?
Thanks!
Doing this throws the sensitive o2 sensor readings and gives your car the fits. Sure enough - Runs like crap now.....You must buy O2 extensions. I'm told that nothing else works, soldering or anything. But now that they have been cut I need a whole new wiring harness.
But the Painless wiring harness is $800! Sure, I could look for used PCM harnesses, but that's risky b/c they can be damaged easily if not very carefully taken off the donor car....Plus what a hassle to hook it all up again!
OK....I'm thinking of buying O2 extensions, cut one side connector off and just use the very best kind of solder possible to splice it onto the original harness wire. At least the wire will be the right kind.
Anyone been successful doing this? What kind of solder to use...the wire is copper. Can you "weld" the wires together with pure Copper?
Thanks!
Last edited by rambo benson; Dec 17, 2006 at 05:08 AM. Reason: headbang is a smiley?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 535
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From: Warner Robins, GA
If care and proper soldering procedures are used, I don't see any problems with splicing. After soldering the connections, heat shrink should be slipped over the connection and shrunk to fit the wire. This will provide weather proof seal against the elements.
what the hell did he splice? the 02 sensor wire itself to make it longer or what....cuz 02 sensor with new 02 extensions dont cost anywhere near 800 bux....besides this point no harm in splicing into the 02 sensor...ive done it on 3 diff cars to make extensions and have had no problems
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Merritt Island, Florida
Kurtomac, yes, he extended the wire itself.... Usually I would get extensions like for my other car......if everybody is saying OK to solder and heat-shrink...we will certainly give it a try.
Thanks, I see 4 cars here at least with no problems soldering.
By the way, thanks for the quick replies!
Ram
Thanks, I see 4 cars here at least with no problems soldering.
By the way, thanks for the quick replies!
Ram
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I've spliced almost every car I've ever owned. Hell I even spliced my rear 02' SS sensors into the front spot of my 97' silverado. I've completed 3 sets with splices and never had a problem.
i wouldnt solder them.... the o2 sensor wires are prone to different types of heat/cold/water etc.... solder can break.. i would get some mil spec wiring and connectors and crimp them properly... but thats just me... extending the wires if you dont have extensions isnt bad... just takes a little more time and doesnt look AS pretty.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Merritt Island, Florida
Thanks all...we decided we are going to get new connectors, then use special tool to properly insert the wires..... Then I'll get extensions (hopefully long enough now that they are cut!)
Where do you guys get extensions, I forgot which vendor....
I would get those 13111 O2's with longer wires if we had not have just bought new ones....next time!
Thanks guys! Sure Appriciate it.
Where do you guys get extensions, I forgot which vendor....
I would get those 13111 O2's with longer wires if we had not have just bought new ones....next time!
Thanks guys! Sure Appriciate it.
Originally Posted by jub jub
If care and proper soldering procedures are used, I don't see any problems with splicing. After soldering the connections, heat shrink should be slipped over the connection and shrunk to fit the wire. This will provide weather proof seal against the elements.
Exactly I have a friend that cut and spliced is to make them longer, didnt even solder and never threw a code, but def soldering is the properway to do it.
All this bearing in mind I personally would have just bought plug in a play 02 extensions
I would bet the problem is a short in the wire...many times the coating on the wire will melt off from the header heat and then short on the chassis or header. Check that out while you are under there.
Getting ready to splice mine Wednesday. I'm an electrician on C-130s don't see how a car would be any harder than wiring on an aircraft. Why spend the money if your confident that your splice will be just as efficient as the o2 extention.
Last edited by DVS99TRANS; Dec 18, 2006 at 11:17 PM. Reason: mispellings
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 572
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From: Western WA
Spliced mine a while back when I installed the wide-band,and had no problem. BUT, you have to be careful. The wire strands (at least on mine) are plated with some metal that does not stick to solder. I had to take a pocket knife and scrape the strands down to the copper. Otherwise the solder would either not stick, or would stick very poorly, resulting in a bad connection.
