O2 sensors SUCK
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Junior User
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From: Carl Junction, MO
O2 sensors SUCK
ok so i have a 99 f150 with the 5.4L and i have 160000 miles and since iv had it i have replaced 5 O2 sensors and im getting ready to make it 6.. is anyone else having this problem with these $50 p.o.s's
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
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From: Frequently frozen MN
Sounds like something else is going on.
If they stop responding, maybe something is contaminating them.
There's a thread around somewhere about cleaning O2 sensors -- not sure where I saw it. But, some of the posts mentioned various types of contamination.
Anyway, maybe you could describe the failure in a little more detail. There are guys around here ( not me!), who could probably shed some light.
O2 sensors normally last quite a while.
ford2go
If they stop responding, maybe something is contaminating them.
There's a thread around somewhere about cleaning O2 sensors -- not sure where I saw it. But, some of the posts mentioned various types of contamination.
Anyway, maybe you could describe the failure in a little more detail. There are guys around here ( not me!), who could probably shed some light.
O2 sensors normally last quite a while.
ford2go
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From: Carl Junction, MO
well like maybe every 5-6 months one will go out and it makes my truck shake and misfire a lot but it only does it between 1300 and 2000rpm at around 55mph and my gas milage goes to hell (which i only get like 10mpg anyways) and i take it to autozone and there little computer thing always tells me bank 1 or 2 is running lean
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: North Pole, Alaska
Chances are the O2 sensors are not going bad. Bank 1 and 2 lean codes are normally caused by a vacuum leak or something other than the O2 sensors. O2 sensors are commonly ( and incorrectly) diagnosed as the reason for the ECM throwing codes because they are the last monitored component in the engine control system and as a result any problems in the engine management system will cause the O2 sensors to behave different. Normally if an O2 sensor goes bad it is due to the heater burning out, or the wires get damaged.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,762
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From: St Louis
Indeed. O2 sensors don't suck.
What probably does is the troubleshooting technique (or lack thereof). Blindly replacing parts based solely on fault codes is a certain recipe for wasted time, wasted money, and frustration.
You likely have a vacuum leak, most likely. Check the PCV hose elbows, especially the one at the firewall, for cracks, splits, or collapsing as they commonly fail.
Steve
What probably does is the troubleshooting technique (or lack thereof). Blindly replacing parts based solely on fault codes is a certain recipe for wasted time, wasted money, and frustration.
You likely have a vacuum leak, most likely. Check the PCV hose elbows, especially the one at the firewall, for cracks, splits, or collapsing as they commonly fail.
Steve
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I found that the sensors are actually very robust. I replaced the original ones at 150k miles only because they were "sluggish" (2x cycles/sec versus 3 cycles/sec) but they were still working fine. Lean condition seems to be too much air caused by something like vacuum leak etc. Try the throttle body cleaner trick: Spray around all potential leak points on the intake and listen for variations in the idle. This will help pinpoint leaks. Look for loose hoses, disconnected hoses and cracked plastic on the intake...
Best way to diagnose O2 sensor is to monitor their output voltage thru the OBD connector. You want a nice sinusoidal waveform - 3 per second - upstream from the cats. The downstream O2s behind the cats should be dead flat.... You can by PC software that will output the waveform while the truck is running. Dont use a trouble code as diagnosis...
Best way to diagnose O2 sensor is to monitor their output voltage thru the OBD connector. You want a nice sinusoidal waveform - 3 per second - upstream from the cats. The downstream O2s behind the cats should be dead flat.... You can by PC software that will output the waveform while the truck is running. Dont use a trouble code as diagnosis...
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This may sound dumb. I kept throwing o2 codes and would just unhook the battery. It would come on every 10000 or so miles. After about 6 times it went away and never came back.
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I have a 2000 f150 and this happened to my truck, it wasn't the O2 sensors even though the code said so, it was my coils they had water in them which caused the symptoms you were describing, try changing them and see what happens
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From: Carl Junction, MO
i think i found the vacuum leak and it still misfires but its not as bad. i think im just gunna wait till the check engine light comes back on and take it back to autozone and see what it says
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From: Carl Junction, MO
Originally Posted by tj90
If its still misfiring, check plug wires (if you have them), plugs, coils like it indicated above.