Definitely worth reading! I know this is an old post, but my problems are even older so I'll give it a kick. I have the dreaded 1133 and 1153 codes that so many others are having problems with. I bought my car in May 04, set the codes a week following, $1000 and countless hours later they're still on. However, I do seem to be unique from everyone else having this problem. When I bought the car it had the rich rotten egg smell so I hollowed the cats for a quick fix, that set the codes. I replaced all 4 02 sensors with new Bosch ones, but the codes remained. So I swaped out the plugs with +4 Bosch platinum's, while doing so I discovered that the misfit who owned it before me had already recently put Bosch's in the drivers side only, the factory plugs were all still on the pass side with 50k on 'em. I thought for sure that this *** wrangle job was the code culprit, but the codes remained. So I cleaned the injectors, put 9mm MSD wires on, cleaned the K&N, switched gas stations, rebuilt the exhaust 3 times looking for leaks, cleaned the MAF, changed the air box, built a Ram Air hood with heat extractors, built a K&N pcv bypass filter (super awesome!), called Actron, GM, Summit Racing Tech Dept, and all their mothers as well, none had a clue and the codes remained. I spent so much time in the driveway erasing those codes that my neighbors eight year old daughter did her book report on insufficient switching! Finally, I bought a Stainless Works stainless steel offroad Y- Pipe (no cats) and installed it, I was pretty sure the exhaust was the culprit. It was a new part and after months of research seemed the best. When I finished installing it I was like a 2 year old at Christmas waiting to hear that un corked LS1 roar. Much to my dismay, I unknowingly stumbled upon yet another F Body LS1 flaw, exhaust rattle! My car already had a Random Tech 3 inch cat back system from the previous owner, and let me tell you how bad this whole set up sounds alone, not to mention with the new Y-Pipe! I've had 37 GM vehicles and every one sounded like the hammers of Hell, my Trans Am has the coolest motor of all but 2 and it sounds like a *** airplane! My next mistake was to put a Flow Master with 2.5 tails on it, now it sounds like a *** Airplane with open headers. Finally that night I found this forum and I found out about the Vette 02 sensors. Not only was I in line at 7 am to buy 'em, but my wife even gave me the rarely witnessed nod of approval to spend more money on her arch rival (my car). One thing to note is that the sensors were $84 at Advanced Auto. That was from their web site and at 5 local stores. I have no idea where the other posters have been shopping, but they must have a rockin economy. Not so lucky in Jersey I guess, and yes, ordering was too long to wait at this point. I went 140 miles with no codes and was so happy that I didnt even mind sounding like an empty Folgers can going down the road. Howfreakin ever, yesterdey the codes came back! What's so baffling about this is that everyone else on this forum encountered the problem when they put wild high flow headers, cams, and pipes on their cars, I got it when I hollowed the factory cats! The sickest mod I've done is using synthetic carb cleaner on the MAF. In closing I'd like to say.... 1st = if you can tell me how to get the light off and it stays off I'll mail you 50 bucks. 2nd = The K&N pcv filter is rockin so if you want to know how I did it let me know. 3rd = I believe that GM is the only one who can get this light off. They should recall the F bodies and replace the SES light with an LCD screen. If I have to watch this damn thing for the rest of my life I demand a much higher degree of entertainment!

 

You could just turn the codes off using HPTuners or LS1Edit and they will never come back.

Bill

 

I will say your post are entertaining lol. I have never seen anyone so determined to get rid of the codes permanently but like was said above you can buy any laptop tuning setup like HP Tuners or Edit and delete the codes permanently as well as adjust all of the parameters in your VCM that you wish. It seems that you would benefit some from it already with just your full exhaust and ram-air intake. Your LTFT's are probably off a tad and you could probably add a bit of timing to gain you some extra hp.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I know I could turn the codes off because I have been following this thread/ topic for a while. I was just a little pissed that so many others with much heavier mods were able to get the light off just by swapping in vette sensors. My car is basically stock and nothing has worked. I have been searching for months for an interface that will allow me to interact with the ECM using my lap top. It didnt make sense to buy a $500 tuner when I own a $2000 lap top. What programs and interfaces are the best, and what about the cost factor?

 

HPT .... like atap+ edit in one

 

you pulled out your cats, that is why you are getting those codes. no matter what you do, the computer is telling you that the cats are gone, you can change parts, waste lots of money doing it and there is no tricking the computer otherwise, besides spending 80 or more dollars for 02 sims for the rear two o2 sensors or do a custom tune on your computer to delete those codes and it would be cheaper than the 80 bucks for the sims.. email me for more information.. jes

 

I'll admit I stopped reading after I got to that sentence...if you haven't installed new cats, and the PCM is still monitoring the rear O2 sensors, there's your problem. Get new cats.

If you're anywhere near Trenton, NJ, a trip to Mufflex will make it all better. They stock Magnaflow (Carsound) cats and can hook you up.

 

You have to have o2 sims if you dont have cats...plain and simple!

 

Sorry guys, my fault. In the laundry list of fixes I included in my post, I failed to leave out one of the more important ones. I installed sims months ago. But thanks for the advice anyway. It is interesting that the 1153 code has gone away (a while ago) and the 1133 is all that remains. As you all know the 1133 is the drivers bank and that sensor is in the manifold (as oposed to the pass side which is in the Y-pipe). If the insufficieant switching code occurs because the senors dont stay hot enough (hence the higher wattage Vette sensor fix), then I would think that the drivers side would have a higher heat being closer to the engine. I'm also curious, some posters have reported that the Air pump only comes on when the car first starts to heat the cats up quicker. Wouldnt pumping raw November oxygen into the engine on start up cool things down? Disconnecting the air setup was listed as a mod to fix these codes in a few other posts. If it's cooling things down that makes sense. My sincerest thanks for all the replies. Although my light still may be on it's super cool that I can come here everyday and be amongst friends who share my interests and woe's. If anyone needs welding design and fabrication help, let me know.

 

I'd scrounge a scantool and see what voltages that sensor is returning while the engine is running. Could be a cut/damaged wire, could be a weak sensor, could be the heater ckt isn't getting voltage.

$80 or so gets you in the game if you have a laptop or Palm...www.scantool.net