Before I got deployed to Africa, I went through about 1 every 2 weeks, same side (passenger). I could not figure it out and am not looking foreward to dealing with it when I get home. Thank goodness for Autozones waranty on Bosch 02's, or I would be in the poor house. It seems like if I babied it, it would last a little longer, and if I romped on it, it just crapped out. I think that bank is just rich as heck, why would it be so rich? What other sensor could be going bad? Any ideas? Anything would help!

Thanks, Charlie

Long tubes
MSD 6AL (I have tried disconnecting)
Newer Opti
Newer plugs and wires
cold air
usual crap

 

From what I hear, the Bosch O2 sensors are crap, and probably the cause of all your problems. Your best bet would be to try an OEM Sensor, which will cost a little more, but save you headaches in the future.

 

Wow.

It is very unlikely that you are killing sensors, or the sensors are bad. You probably have a different problem like a vacuum leak which is causing your car to throw codes that make you think it's an O2 sensor.

 

Im not sure, the problem was always fixed for a couple of weeks when I replaced the sensor, then the same sensor would foul out again, when I pulled the sensor out, it was all carboned up and black.

thanks again guys

Charlie

 

They will get nasty looking after a very short time... it's not the sensors going bad

 

Could be an electric short in the system's circuitry. Funny thing, picked up an O2 sensor from the parts store the other day. AC Delco box, Bosch symbol on the sensor...........?

 

Weird, do they remanufacture them? Or maybe the parts store messed up.

Charlie

 

Did you get a code for the sensor when it "crapped out"? How did you determine it was not working?

 

Im having the same problem with my car with those bosch sensors advanced auto wont give me anymore they gave me my money back and told me to go somewhere else

 

Hello, I just recognized the symptoms from a few years ago when my friends car needed one replaced. I take them out, spray them down with carb cleaner to get the carbon off and brush then down with a soft wire brush. When I re-install them, they work for a little while and then...just like clockwork, go bad again. After that, I need to bring them back to autozone and get a replacement because they are not responsive to the treatment. I think they are gettng sick of me coming in all the time to replace the 02s, and I know I am sick of replacing them. Funny thing is, it is only the passenger side that does it. I mean, after the car goes into open loop, and is running rich as could be, the other one eventually take a crap too. I have no idea what is going on, but am not looking foreward to dealing with this when I get home.

 

What do you mean by ".... after the car goes into open loop"? It starts cold in open loop, and then will go into closed loop when the O2 sensors heat up, coolant reaches 120-140*F and the 205-second timer expires.

I wouldn't be spraying carb cleaner on a delicate sensor like an O2 sensor. I'm suprised they will even take them back after you've done that.

 

When the O2 goes out, the car will start stumbleing, backfireing and bucking like crazy and after a little while, the car will go into open loop and just run rich as can be. Almost decently, I suppose this is the point in which the ECU is no longer taking input from the sensors. Anyways, after I pull the O2's out following this situation, they are black and carboned up...way worse than normal driving conditions. After that is when I am forced to do my little jerry-rig (because it was my daily driver at the time). When I bring them up to autozone they are BLACK, becuause I only clean them once and when they fail the second time I just bring them back.

Any ideas?

 

Have you checked for intermittent readings from the coolant temp sensor in the water pump housing? If the coolant temp indicates low enough, it will drop out of closed loop, and the PCM will start to richen the A/F mixture because it thinks the engine isn't warmed up.

 

do you think ac delco sensors will fix this all up I just ordered some maybe you should to. I cant wait to install them and see if the bocsh ones were the problem the whole time.

 

Double check and see if the Delco's have the Bosch logo stamped on it.