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O2 Senosr Reoccuring Problem

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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 06:05 PM
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Default O2 Senosr Reoccuring Problem

I just got an SES light on my '02 Trans Am, a quick scan showed that my passenger side O2 sensor crapped out on me. Not too long ago I had to replace my drivers side O2. Is it normal for one to go out and then the other not far behind it? My car only has 37,000 miles on it so I'm skeptical about both of them going out so soon. Are there certain conditions that foul out O2 sensors? I've got longtubes, catback, cutout, and a moderate cam with a good tune.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 09:18 PM
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any ideas?
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 10:25 PM
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If your 02 sensor wires didn't get melted or damaged from the heat of the LT's....then yeah, it looks liek they just took a dump. I guess you could kill 02 sensors if you had some kind of problem with your engine, like a ton of oil going through it from a bad PCV system or maybe a ton of coolant somehow. 02 sensors are pretty tough suckers. If the engine is running great with no problems, they just ****.

Get Densos at www.rockauto.com $40 each.

They are the new 02 sensors that GM uses, so don't go getting new ones at the dealership thinking you're getting AC Delcos....you will get Densos in the box at 3-4 times the cost.

.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 11:44 PM
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im definately not burning any oil or coolant. my exhaust looks doesnt have any blue color to it and my coolant and oil both remain at their normal levels. it seems odd to me that they would both die out within a couple months of each other on a car with such low miles... thanks for the info though!
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 12:16 AM
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Originally Posted by BlackBirds
im definately not burning any oil or coolant. my exhaust looks doesnt have any blue color to it and my coolant and oil both remain at their normal levels. it seems odd to me that they would both die out within a couple months of each other on a car with such low miles... thanks for the info though!
It is rare that they would both fail near the same time, like within months. But I do have a few friends over the years that had exactly that happen, and we all thought it was wierd too.

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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 07:43 AM
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Certain types of RTV, used on your engine, can ruin them.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 10:31 AM
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oohhhh....i know exactly what ruined it then. I did use some RTV that probably is getting to the O2's. what is it about the RTV that ruins it? I remember hearing that silicone ruins O2's

so what can I do so that it doesnt foul out future O2's? Just run the car as it is with the old O2 in it for a while until the RTV is done "burning" or putting off its vapors that kill my O2's? or does the RTV have to be removed....that would suck doing.

Last edited by BlackBirds; Oct 5, 2009 at 12:45 PM.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 08:28 PM
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I believe some kind of chemical goes through the system and coats the outside of the sensor. The sensors have a heater in them that cooks off contaminants - but it can't deal with this kind of contamination.

Kosher RTV should say "sensor safe" or something to that effect on the package.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 08:33 PM
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another 02 problem... it comes back because your problem probably isnt the 02 sensor itself.... did you see a graph of your 02 sensor and see that one was not working? what was the exact code? people seem to miss when the 02 sensor is telling them it is reading a lean condition.... then they end up replacing the 02 that is telling them what is wrong with it...
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 09:25 PM
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it was throwing 3 codes all related to the O2 sensor. first was O2 circuit malfunction, 2nd was O2 heater malfunction, and another was related to the O2 circuit.

Is there any hope for this RTV to not effect my O2's in the future or am I doomed to have sensors fail till I remove the RTV. I'd rather not tear down and redo it.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 10:15 PM
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I'm not sure, but here's an article that implies that the problem is just from "fresh" RTV: http://books.google.com/books?id=NuM...age&q=&f=false

What brand/kind did you use?
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by wssix99
I'm not sure, but here's an article that implies that the problem is just from "fresh" RTV: http://books.google.com/books?id=NuM...age&q=&f=false

What brand/kind did you use?

I had a problem using high temp silicone on some exhaust flanges... seems like an 02 sensor but still not 100% sure... Bring it to a garage that can see actual graphing of what the 02 sensor is doing.
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Old Oct 6, 2009 | 09:29 AM
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it was red high temp silicone RTV that I used on exhaust flanges as well.
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