2000 4RNR Oxygen Sensor issue
 

Hey all,

Need your thoughts and opinions...

Rig is a 2000 4WD 4Runner v6 with manual transmission and California emissions. Having a hard time finding the right upstream Denso Oxygen (air/fuel ratio) Sensor. According to URD (http://www.urdusa.com/More-Products-..._13/index.html) I needed part 234-9001. Cool... ordered it from Amazon and after spending some quality time wrestling the plug into a position I could unplug the old one I found that the connector plugs were different. No workie. So I put the old one back in and researched it some more. The Denso site listed part 234-9003 for my rig. Cool. Returned the 1st one and ordered 9003. Nope. Plug is different.

So I started poking through the pictures on the Denso site (http://www.densoaftermarket.com/cata....php?part=afrs) and I see that my connector plug on the current old sensor matches the picture they have for the "EXC Calif" part # 234-4161. See http://www.densoaftermarket.com/cata...4161&part=o2sn

I called the local Toyota dealership with my VIN # and they verified that it is indeed a Ca. Emissions equipped rig.

The rear Oxygen sensor that I bought (from the listing on the URD site) fits the connector plug fine. It's installed. Part # 234-4153

The rig doesn't look to have any sort of engine or emissions/exhaust modifications.

Not sure where to go now... Buy the non-California sensor that I know plugs into the vehicle side harness?

Cut the connector off the old sensor and wire it onto the new sensor 9001 or 9003? That seems wrong. Pissed. This should have been a 20 minute project.

Oh. Sensor currently installed... is the OE Denso. I pulled this part number directly off of it... Toyota 89465-35540 Denso

Any help, thoughts and/or opinions are appreciated.

Thanks!

stop bs'ing yourself

go to toyota dealer, pick up actual part

done in 1

Thanks BigBalls.

I'm typically an OEM guy but, in this case Denso is the OE manufacturer of this part and it's over $100 cheaper outside of the dealers doors.

I did search here... and it seems that most people had success ordering from URD or Amazon.

That is very bizarre. My '99 5spd Cali. V8 4x4 should be identical to yours and 234-9003 worked fine for me. Please confirm that you do indeed have two cats and that your emissions plate says California emissions (this is more definitive than a VIN check.) I don't think a Cali. truck can even run in closed loop with a standard o2 sensor and not a wideband air/fuel sensor. I assume you have not had a lit CEL all this time.

BTW, the trick on a two-cat truck is to unbolt the sensor first, pass it up over the pipe until it hangs down the other side, THEN undo the connector. Most write-ups don't explain that as they were written for one-cat trucks. In fact, they insist on the reverse order which is almost impossible.

Thanks TheDurk.

Just ran the VIN through the go-to Land Cruiser parts guy @ Larry Miller Toyota and he says the VIN shows the rig is federal emissions. Trust him more than the local dealer I first called. Hood tag shows CA. Single cat system... are all dual cat systems California emissions? All single federal? Thinking maybe I have a federal emissions rig with hood that has been replaced with a California rigs. Hmmm?! Ordered it through him. With the TLCA discount it was still about $50 more.

I've had the CEL pop on then off three times. Rig is new to me... been doing maintenance when I can and oxygen sensors were next on the list.

All single cat's are Federal--49-state in '99 and '00, and 50-state before that. All two-cats are Cali. in '99 and '00, and 50-state Federal after that. The Federal/Cali. thing only applies to 1999 and 2000.

You are probably mis-reading the tag (VERY easy to do). You have a 49-state federal rig, get the 234-4161 (assuming you are correct about one cat) if it is not too late. Post a pic of your tag and I will explain--or confirm you have the wrong hood.

Doh! I'm a f&%king idiot. Yep. I misunderstood the tag...then read that most 2000's are California emissions....then when I called the first local dealer he confirmed it with my VIN. So I was convinced something was wrong. It's full-on federal emissions.

Thanks. Sorry for the bandwidth waste.