oxygen sensor problem kinda serious

[ChefJ]

Ok heres the scoop I was in dearborn one day and I was pulling out of a restaurant when my car started spitting and sputtering and **** it died. I tryed restarting it and from the reaction I was getting I knew it was a sensor. It had been giving me the check engine light for about a year and I never checked it. I had it towed and sure enough both of my O2 sensors were fried. Not only did I find that out but I also found out that one of the previous owners removed the cats. The mechanic told me that it could happen again soon considering there are no cats which can become a problem for me with O2 sensors being 75 dollars a piece and I don't like to be stranded. I said ok and drove off with no check engine light for a bout 5 days and then it popped on again. My question is what do you guys do to avoid blowing the O2 sensors when you have no cats. Can you take them out of the exhaust and let them simply lie outside of the car?

 

[SHeepsclOthing]

Im suprised it just died. Usually it will throw the ECU into "limp home mode" which is exactly what it sounds. Its a set parameter that the computer uses instead of taking readings from the other sensors. The car wont be fast and will be horrible on gas, but it will limp you home. You can NOT leave the o2 sensors lay outside the car, that can lead to some serious problems. Its the computer's only source of reading air/fuel ratios, which are crutial. Next question, if the o2s are mounted before the cats, why would it matter? Unless Ive mistaken, and they have them mounted after the car, which I dont recall at all.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

Running without cats has ZERO effect upon the life of an 02 sensor.
A failed 02 sensor would not cause a car to stop running, nor cause it to not start.

Your SHO has other issues. Fix it.

Also, FYI, 02 sensors are NOT $75 each. More like $35.

 

[SHOtimer]

Bosch and Motorcraft o2 sensors are the only two that work well in the SHO. People have had other brands (Borq-Warner, and some no-namers) fail very quickly as yours did, I would investigate which brand of o2 sensor was installed..

Doug

 

[ChefJ]

ok then what actually causes o2 sensors to fail?

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

How do you know that they are bad?

Just because the CEL is on, doesnt mean that your 02 sensors are bad.

You need to pull the actual EEC codes and figure out what is wrong with your motor. All you need is a paper clip.

 

[ViPER1313]

The O2 sensors are located before the cats - removing the cats has no effect on them. You need to check your codes, or at the very least find a better mechanic.

O2 sensors can fail due to the car running overly rich for a long period of time or adding leaded gas to the car, but if your's are really dead my guess is just old age.

 

[SHeepsclOthing]

Burning coolant and oil can also assist in their death.

 

[shoteen95]

for checking codes:
http://www.shophoenixproject.com/eec/eec.htm

I just changed my original O2's out this past summer with Bosch units. I've never heard of or had experience with the old worn out ones causing my car to stall. What I did notice was a healthy jump in my fuel mileage.

I'm betting it's probably ignition related (that old trusty CPS).

If the fuel pumps ancient too, well, no fuel = no go.

Plus you were in dearborn, that alone is death for a SHO

 

[Snake2715]

Out of curiousty the "right" O2 is what one? The one near the front of the car or the rear?

 

[SHOtimer]

The bank near the fire wall, IIRC. However, you want to replace them in pairs, if one is bad replace both.

Doug

 

[SASHO91]

yes the right side of the motor is the rear bank... your correct doug.

yes.. replace both... period.

First off... pull your codes... if you dont know how, there are alot of threads around here that have the info you need... alll you need is a paper clip.... or jumper wire...

there is something else wrong here... but more than likley its a CPS problem...

but without the codes, we cannot be 100% sure....

 

[Snake2715]

I wont be replacing both as I did that last year... The problem was I had the car ripped apart and my local store only had 1 Bosch so I bought a "standard" I believe that was the brand for the rear bank...

lo and behold the rear bank has failed (my codes show it reading both lean and rich while my left doesnt throw codes and no other codes are present). I had reset the codes twice and get the same thing. My mileage has dropped so i am 99% sure that crap brand just failed.

Thanks for the info