I bought the OPS and the socket designed to remove it, so I thought OK I can do this. Boy was that a job. First of all, you have to remove the fuel filter housing to get the socket down there, next, surprise the socket doesn't fit. The OPS is about 3" long, the socket is about 4" long and there's only about 6" below the intake manifold, so you can't get the socket over the OPS. You can break the old one off however, then the socket fits just fine. The tough part is putting the new one in hand tight then using pliers or a wrench to hope you get it tight enough. Whichever GM engineer put the OPS in that spot, at that angle should've been fired. OK I can get off my soap box now and go wash my bloody knuckles.

WOW! I have changed literally hunddreds of them, and never had an issue.
takes all of about 15 minutes if I really screw off doing it.
Maybe you go the worng socket.
or if you had that much trouble you could have used a crowfoot wrench.

Notice his is a 98 - like my 96, a real bastard to change. I put a 1 inch wide 1 1/4 inch long slash in my socket to get it to fit. I do agree that a crowsfoot would probably be easier.

WOW! I have changed literally hunddreds of them, and never had an issue.
takes all of about 15 minutes if I really screw off doing it.
Maybe you go the worng socket.
or if you had that much trouble you could have used a crowfoot wrench.

I have a '95 Tahoe, and believe me, he's right. I purchased both an OPS socket and had exactly the same problem. I then purchased a basin wrench for putting in sinks, but there isn't enough clearance between the manifold and the OPS to get the wrench to fit. The only option is to use a crows foot wrench. It's a bear.

Sincerely,

Rob :)