soo ... somehow the o2 sensor wires ripped inhalf off my highflow cat so i took off the hole thing and put the bolt back in the cat , should i get a sensor ASAP? is it bad to be running around with the check engine light ? i have a 00 integra LS with full boltons

 

its to my understanding that when you drive your car with the CEL on, your ecu goes into limp mode. you can keep driving it . if im not mistaken, your timing will be retarded and the fuel will be bumped up.

mistake me if im wrong, but i thought that is what happens when you're driving your car with the CEL on.


if i was you, i'd get a sensor. they are a grip though.

 

Yea your car will be in limp mode, less power runs rich to keep motor alive, get the sensor as soon as you can.

 

thanks guys

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AllSpedup04 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">should i get a sensor ASAP?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, basically the sensor is what controls your air/fuel ratio, with the sensor out it will put in more fuel to make sure that there will be some sort of explosion, your gas mileage will go to **** FAST. I had a bad sensor on my 03 Teg and i was getting 13 mpg... and the sensor still sort of worked, i cant imagine how bad it would be with out it at all

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by one_c18b &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">its to my understanding that when you drive your car with the CEL on, your ecu goes into limp mode. you can keep driving it . if im not mistaken, your timing will be retarded and the fuel will be bumped up.

mistake me if im wrong, but i thought that is what happens when you're driving your car with the CEL on.


if i was you, i'd get a sensor. they are a grip though.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

its not really that bad , i can smell the fuel a bit like its burning rich but i still got 300 outa the tank and i was beating on this tank but i just ordered a sensor heh

 

There's a lot of misinformation in this thread. First, let's be certain that you're referring to your secondary O2, which is located in the cat (not the header). From your post, it indeed sounds like the secondary O2 is the one that was damaged. If so, your car will <u>not</u> be in "limp mode" and there will be no effects on your air/fuel ratio, ignition timing, or anything else. The secondary O2 is only intended to tell the computer whether or not the cat is functioning properly. Of course, it would be a good idea to replace the sensor, but from a performance or economy standpoint it isn't an issue. Had it been the primary O2 that was damaged, things would be completely different.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Padawan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There's a lot of misinformation in this thread. First, let's be certain that you're referring to your secondary O2, which is located in the cat (not the header). From your post, it indeed sounds like the secondary O2 is the one that was damaged. If so, your car will <u>not</u> be in "limp mode" and there will be no effects on your air/fuel ratio, ignition timing, or anything else. The secondary O2 is only intended to tell the computer whether or not the cat is functioning properly. Of course, it would be a good idea to replace the sensor, but from a performance or economy standpoint it isn't an issue. Had it been the primary O2 that was damaged, things would be completely different. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree on the misinformation and that there is confusion by some as to which sensor we are talking about. This post is evidently about the secondary O2 sensor and again I agree that that sensor only reports 'cataylist efficiency' to the ECU, HOWEVER once the check engine light is on, regardless of the cause, the ECU will go into 'default' or 'limp mode'. That is to say that the ECU will not go into closed loop. Closed loop is when the ECU uses the PRIMARY O2 sensor to determine fuel metering during constant partial throttle operation. This is where a big part of every modern car's efficiency comes from. With the CEL light on, the ECU will never enter closed loop as a matter safe operation. In addition the ECU will run the engine on the rich side, once again for safety. All this of course will result in lower fuel economy particularly if there is a lot of freeway miles with the CEL on.

Of course if you don't change the sensor, your CEL will remain on and your ECU will rob you of your gas money.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kchungb17a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This post is evidently about the secondary O2 sensor and again I agree that that sensor only reports 'cataylist efficiency' to the ECU, HOWEVER once the check engine light is on, regardless of the cause, the ECU will go into 'default' or 'limp mode'. That is to say that the ECU will not go into closed loop. Closed loop is when the ECU uses the PRIMARY O2 sensor to determine fuel metering during constant partial throttle operation. This is where a big part of every modern car's efficiency comes from. With the CEL light on, the ECU will never enter closed loop as a matter safe operation. In addition the ECU will run the engine on the rich side, once again for safety. All this of course will result in lower fuel economy particularly if there is a lot of freeway miles with the CEL on.

Of course if you don't change the sensor, your CEL will remain on and your ECU will rob you of your gas money. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Again, this is not correct. A CEL caused by a faulty secondary O2 will not result in any of the symptoms you're describing, and there is not simply one single "mode" that the ECU enters as soon as any CEL is triggered, regardless of its source. A problem with the primary O2 can cause issues with closed-loop operation, part-throttle performance, fuel economy, etc., but there will be no such issues if the secondary O2 is the one that is damaged or missing.