Adding O2 sensor bung for wideband

[Toby Weir-Jones]

In preparation for my install, I want to add the O2 bung for a wideband sensor. I went to a local shop (won't say which one) to inquire, they said sure they could do it, 2-2.5 hours of shop time!!!

Plus the price of the bung, of course.

So figure $250+ by the time the obligatory 'shop supplies' and tax are figured in.

Time to hit the local independent exhaust shops I think. There's evidently space in the small neck between the cat and the flange on my '05, and no heat shield in the way as there is on the lower extremities of the downpipe from the header, so I'm hoping something with a deft welding head can do it on the car without dropping the bracing, etc.

twj

[pumpkin]

Where do you live? I'll do it for free.
Or just take your midpipe to a welder and let him do it for a few bucks.
Easy job off the car.
JD

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

I have found most muffler shops, unless they really don't want to do it, are in the $20-$40 range. Your AEM came with the bung so they don't need to charge for that either.

[Toby Weir-Jones]

I have found most muffler shops, unless they really don't want to do it, are in the $20-$40 range. Your AEM came with the bung so they don't need to charge for that either.

I once had an EGT bung welded onto a turbo downpipe on my old '96 Miata. I took it to the local race/fab shop. I'll never forget watching the lead guy do it. The pipe was still in the car, he just held the bung in place WITH HIS THUMB (no glove) and ran a bead around it, then drilled out the hole for the probe with an air drill. Charged me $10.

The AEM bung is likely still attached to Jack's old exhaust, so I suspect a fresh one is in my future.

JD -- I live in Northern Virginia, I suspect the round trip costs to SC might eclipse my exposure in finding a local shop, but I do appreciate the offer!

twj

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Here at the dyno shop they will weld it on in place as well. Just remind them it needs to go up hill so moisture doesn't collect in the sensor with engine off. Any slight angle is fine.

[beatle]

I'm in NOVA as well and I ended up at Springfield Motorsport in Lorton. They advertised $40 to do the job on their website, then tried to charge me $176 after the deed was done. After arguing with the owner, I pulled up their website on my phone and showed them their price and he reluctantly changed the bill. I would avoid this shop.

[Toby Weir-Jones]

Found a local shop who quoted me "an hour" of shop time over the phone, I'll see if I can whittle that down a bit but they're willing to do it while the midpipe is still on the car, which saves me a bunch of crawling around in my own garage.

twj

[Toby Weir-Jones]

Success. And it genuinely took an hour from driving the car onto the lift, to giving it back to me. Actual work time was 46 minutes, though a certain amount of that was consumed by walking around collecting tools and whatnot.

The guy used a torch to blow a big enough hole for the entire bung to sit in the pipe, then fabbed a dummy-O2 sensor using an M18 bolt with a length of hanger tack welded on the end, so he could confirm the real sensor wouldn't have any clearance problems. Welded the bung, sanded down the welds, checked for leaks, and done. It's a good job. He did have to remove the factory spider brace for access but that's trivial on a lift.

The bill came to 48 minutes (initially an hour but he gave me back two tenths when I asked for a labor break), so with the bung itself, shop supplies, and tax, it was $79.

On to the next steps!

twj

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Not too bed. At least they were honest about the time.