I have seen multiple vehicles with over 100k come in with a lazy o2, I too check the other one for proper operation and replace it, if needed. It is also rare, from my experience that the cat monitor sensors, downstream o2's, fail in the same way, mainly because if your cat's are working properly there is less carbon buildup and heat behind the catalists therefore that is my theory why there is less failure and henceforth no need to replace them just because an upstream o2 sensor went bad. But if it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside go ahead, all I was trying to do is lend a little knowledge to possibly save someone some money.


-Ryan

 

ryans428

Nothing wrong with your advice... I gave the same advice to the original poster....

The current argument is my added thoughts about the failure mode of a older O2 sensors any my thoughts for simply replacing all 4 on MY truck if and when the time comes... they are cheap and they are easy so why not...

BTW I assign the same rational for replacing BOTH front hubs when only one failed.... and they are certainly NOT cheap or easy....same attitude from me about shock absorbers and brakes or any other components that are part of sets and act in balance with one another

I did qualify my attitude on O2 sensors based on age......My experience, if you bother to read the long experience based rant, is with older high mileage vehicles... Catalytic converters of just a few years ago were not very good and did not last much beyond 80,000 miles... the same with mass produced O2 sensors... many times they fail from corrosion caused by electrolysis caused by the caustic environment AND dissimilar metal contact... I also find that the American made sensors had a tendency for the electrical contacts in the connectors to crap out OR the wires to have the insulation become hardened and brittle causing stress on the conductors sometimes breaking the wires, easy to determine, but sometimes causing too high a resistance and much harder to find... I noted that Bosh O2 sensors seem to last out to 100K and this implies that I do not think the American product is as good.

You and I just have a different philosophy when it comes to repair and preventative maintenance... I am the kind of guy that goes ahead and resurfaces the fly wheel and drops in a new clutch disk when the reason to open the bell housing was a noisy throw out bearing at 25,000 miles.

 

You know fellows, I have long since moved on, replaced the sensor in question, test driven the motorhome, and taken a nap. You may want to do the same. Have a nice day.
Lee Roy Bates
'99 Bounder Motorhome, V10 Ford
(fixed and running fine)

 

Lee Roy Bates

your note sounds like you think this is some big fight... I don't see it that way

You had a question...

You got about the same advice from a couple of us... you did not start a fight ...we are having an adult discussion... two members here have a differing opinion with my maintenance philosophy...

Did you notice the "views" next to the "posts" number.... lots of folks learn from these forums....many folks just lurk and learn

Some will come away with the idea that getting a good diagnostic and fixing the one part is a good idea... and in many cases it is.... they might also learn that there is a good argument for replacing as a set... in this case the upstream ones are more weighted to A/F mix and the guys have made great argument why the post cat ones are pretty much not a problem... In fact the arguments against my opinion are compelling enough that if and when mine fail... I will re-evaluate the wisdome of 2 vs all 4 but for a fact I will always repace either set as a set

Every one is learning and we are all offering our opinions and defending our positions... quite frankly sir...this is one of the better back and forth threads in recent history

Glad you rig is running smooth

 

Yep i thought it was a good discussion that had a lot of useful information in it. That is the point of the forum, someone brings up a problem and we all discuss the best5 way to fix it, even after the original poster may or may not have his vehicle fixed. Someone may be looking at this right now and have the same problem, and by the posts decide if he wants to put 1 o2 sensor or 4 of them, just for the sake of maintenance. Oh and by the way fredvon4, the bearings and brakes and clutch part is also totally me, while I'am in there I replace it all. The only reason I don't do it with o2 sensors is because most are easily replaced.

-Ryan

 

Ryan

Pont taken

Totell the truth with the 05 and up exhaust system, now that I think on it, they are so easy to get to that your advice seems better.

Part of my thought was experiance with the systems that usually required dropping part of the exhaust to get access to the damned O2 sensor. Fortunatly both rear ones on an 05, with the twin cats, are so easy to get too that my method probably would be over kill if they were still working correctly...

 

I wish i had read this before buying a MAF yesterday after the Advance boy said my P1131 code meant my Mass air flow sensor was bad..My 01 crown vic is still jerky and also missing at idle after replacing my MAF...I'll try the O2 sensor tomorrow.
Thanks to all the great guys in here that share their knowledge..it sure helps us guys that are green.
Thanks a lot, Farris