SwampThing

Went muddin the other day, and somehow my o2 sensor was sheared right off. I dunno if it was the 6' pile of brush and trees I decided to plow over (poor skid plate has be hammered and reshaped more times than recycled aluminum), or a rock that flew up while crawling, but that doggone precat o2 sensor is now missing in action. Now my check engine light comes on all of the time also. However, the plug that crosses over the block is still intact (sheared the sensor and a good 1.5' of wire, but all else is still sound).

So my questions are these: 1.) Is running without that precat o2 sensor a huge no no (actually seemed to get a little more "oomph" in low rpm range), and 2.) How much are those sensors? I caint even find the dang hole where the sensor was plugged into cause my exhast train is so covered in baked on mud....

Sorry if I aint makin much sense, dead tired and wanted to ask before I fell asleep, so I'd have something to wake up to in the morning...

trythis

sparkplug.com cheaper than the dealer +
http://www.densoproducts.com/product.asp
maybe even cheaper.
Dont use a bosch, they dont work right.
YOur going to get all sorts of problems with the emmissions system, resulting in bad gas, or a ruined catalytic converter over time due to unburned fuel. Not having the O2 might cause rich or lean mixture.
either way, worse problems should follow no O2 sensor.

SwampThing

Well, I have no cat to ruin, so I guess I'm safe there lol... Probably pick one up this weekend, seeing as how I'm broke from buying a new top and line-x'ing it. So what kind of "worse problems" do you mean? Sounds omnious...

bodo

I don't run a cat either, but not having a sensor is worse than running a completly bad sensor, with that being said your ecu should go into a safe mode and drop your timing and richen your mixture to save the motor. Go to the car wash (I also run mud, good old Alabama clay) and blow that crap off and you'll find where it goes. Replace the sensor, I've got a bosch on mine and it's fine but don't use their spark plugs. Everything Bosch makes is not bad.

SwampThing

Yeah I just replaced my spark plugs. They looked pretty fugly, but what worried me most was that they were white. Doesn't that mean I've been running lean? And I dont really recall what kind I got, some $1.99 a piece ones. 100% sure they arn't bosch though (though i've been wondering why everyone keeps saying not to use bosch spark plugs...).

Ouch, $52.94? And that is just the "regular"? Uhg... My budget for plexiglass for my new top is starting to look a little slim lol.