I just acquired a 4th gen car with a 5th gen VTEC motor. The O2 sensor is bad and needs replacing. The local parts house has two...a universal one and one that is the original style. Does anyone know of any issues with using a "universal" O2 sensor ($55) rather than the original style that comes with the plug and all ($200+)? I'm thinking I can splice 4 wires for $150 if there's no other reason not to go with the universal one.

 

I'm very happy with my universal. About a year and 20k miles on it now.

 

Someone mentioned that you need to wrap them up really well (waterproof them). Any suggestions on the best way to do that? Daemione, did you wrap yours??

 

Nothing major, you just solder & shrink wrap the new connections when you wire it up, and there's a protective sleeve that slides around it like the stock wiring. The universal that I got (from http://www.oxygensensors.com) came with everything I needed.

 

Ok...I've replaced the O2 sensor (went with the universal one) and I'm still getting codes for the O2 sensor (code 1)and the EGR Valve (code 12). A friend said there were a lot of other things that could cause it to code for the sensor (bad plug for one) and also said the cat could be clogged. The car has a "high flow cat", DC header (both between 2 and 3 yrs old and probably 25k miles). They symptoms are intermittent rough idle, but mostly the car misses when under a light load when accelerating. If I go ahead and mash down on it, it smooths out (usually after about 3200 RPM). When it's cold it seems to run fine most of the time and the problems start after the engine warms up to normal operating temp.

Any thoughts?



Modified by kb7709 at 9:17 PM 8/10/2004

 

What kind of "free flow cat"?

Just read your first post a little more closely - if you've got an OBDII engine/ecu, make sure you've got both a primary & secondary O2 sensor (before & after the cat). OBDII needs the second one, or it throws a code. If you've got both sensors, which one did you replace?

There could be a similiar issue with the EGR - the OBDII is a lot more fussy as to whether it's in place & operating, it can't be unplugged or even blocked off.

 

As I understand the setup, the car is basically a conversion to OBDI through use of the old computer, all the old sensors and an distributor out of a '95 VTEC motor. I'm not a mechanic and some of this is beyond my level of knowledge, but I'm learning. I have a feeling I'll need to be one because of the odd setup on this car. I've emailed the guy I got the car from to try and get some more answers, but haven't heard back yet. Anyway, there's only one O2 sensor (upstream). He assured me there were no hidden problem with the car that he knew of and he had the motor installed 3 yrs ago.

 

if you're running an OBDI computer you only need the one sensor..

why don't you fix your egr code first, it may be why you are getting the O2 code

 

Satan srv,
What about the symptoms (above)? I understand there are thing outside the actual sensors that can cause the codes even if the sensors are fine. The way the car is acting, does it sound like anything in particular to you? A friend of mine sd he thought the cat might be clogged. The previous owner (despite the claim originally that the car had a "high flow cat", now says the cat is original to the car. That means it's been around 225k. The ecu is out of a 93 VTEC, and there is nothing in the car that is OBDII. Spark plugs just have about 500 miles on them and the CEL has been on since around March (the same time it started running crappy). He had been told it was the O2 sensor and just hadn't changed it (wasn't a daily driver for him). Think the cat could have anything to do with the EGR code? Seems disconnected to me, but I'm pretty lost at this point. I ran out of knowledge with I replaced the sensor. I didn't even know fully what an EGR valve did until this code poped up and I started reading the repair manual. Anyway, any thoughts, comments, suggestions would be welcomed.

 

on OBDI cars the cat has absolutely nothing to do with the O2 sensor code. I agree w/ SatanSRV, you need to isolate your EGR problem first. Chances are, That would take care of the O2 code. If you need further assistance, I can have one of my techs take a look @ it.

 

You need to clean your EGR valve.

 

OK. O2 sensor replaced, EGR valve cleaned, fuel filter replaced (now that I'm also getting a fuel supply system code), I removed the cat for a test drive just to see if it still threw the codes (it did). A mechanic has checked it out and says he tested everthing under the sun and thinks he has it isolated to the TPS. Says the voltage is all over the place from this sensor when he put the voltmeter on it. Now I'm looking for a throttle body/tps and hoping it fixes the problem. Thoughts anyone?

 

I have heard of the TPS doing all kinds of weird stuff when it goes out................

Do you know how exactly he checked it and "isolated" it?

 

As far as I know you ck it with a voltmeter. Turn the throttle and the voltage should steadily increase across the range of movement of the throttle. I assume that's what he did. He said the voltage was "all over the place" as he moved the throttle (jumping up and down rather than a steady increase).