OEM or Universal? (Please answer only if you replaced it with one or the other or know firsthand someone who did it.)

I have to replace my catalytic (got a magnaflow for $63 shipped free) and I'm thinking of doing the catalytic-in O2 sensor at the same time. I see that Bosch Universal o2 sensors are less than half the price of Bosch OEMs.

I read every single oxygen sensor thread on the boards and can't find anyone who says for sure that their universal sensor failed or threw a CEL. Help and guidance.

 

I have a original honda o2 sensor off my cl. I no longer use it because of the H22 piping had the o2 sensor already in place. Let me know if ur interested.

 

Bosch: over a year ago in bank 2 (cat) -- good instructions, no solder/easy install, no probs whatsoever. save your dough, go with the uni or get it from ^above^

 

i got mine replaced for free by acura cuz of the emission warrenty for my car

 

the secondary o2 sensor will not affect the emissions at all.. the primairy one (up stream near the header) does all the emmissions work.. the secondary o2 sensor detects the ammount of o2 comming out of the cat, basically telling you that the cat is working or not.. 1/2 the time the secondary sensor is bad the other half the cat is bad... a faulty secondary does not make the computer go into limp mode.. so if you are gonna get an o2 sensor, get a generic one especially if its the one for the cat.

 

that is very correct

 

"half the time the cat is bad"

The code I'm getting is that the Cat is bad. My mechanic, who is a Toyota guy, but helps me, says that if one of the two sensors was bad, I would get a code that mentioned the o2 sensor (and maybe the cat, too), but since all I'm getting is a cat code, then it's probably just the cat.

Anyway, I would think the o2 sensor that plugs right into the cat would be the more important one of the two since the one that measures the stuff coming out of the cat doesn't do anything but measure levels, right?

The information above seems to say I should only worry about replacing the one that measures the stuff that exits the cat, which doesn't make sense to me.

More confused...

 

i think the primary sensor is up near the headers somewhere (never had to change it yet) and is the important one. i think wil's right that the secondary (that plugs into the cat) is less important, cuz i know there are ppl here that replaced it with a simulator (not a sensor, just a homemade chip, cuz they have cats with no bung for it/and or/ they're sick of replacing them) and they do just fine. the only downside of a bad secondary is a decrease in mpg (at least in my case, it was.)
also, if the sensor was the prob, you'd probably throw a sensor code -- but i'm no expert. worst case scenario: new aftermarket cat for @150$, (but it'll have to be welded), new uni o2 sensor for @75$ = still cheaper than oem o2 sensor.

 

i would be interested in the 02 sensor is it still available $?$?

 

OEM is all you need to know.

 

There are oem 3.0 o2 sensors on ebay right now

 

I have a OEM on the front bank, anda rigged universal on the rear.

 

your prolly gettin a code that says "catlyst below threshold" right.. ? thats just the sensor sayin im reading too much o2.. or hey im broke.. there is rarley a code thrown for the secondary o2 sensor.. (bank 2) bank one will have a specific code because it has an actual function, but the secondary (bank 2) is less likley to throw a code. id replace the o2 sensor first and hey if im wrong.. well your out 70$ and you still have to replace your 300+$ cat.. but if im right......

 

I had the secondary o2 sensor go bad the other day, got it replaced under warranty... at freakin 120000 miles. How nice is that.

Ryan

 

i just replaced my o2 sensor today, so far everything ok
bosch uni.