Changing Out Oxygen Sensors/109k kms (68k miles)

[Maximus Gladius]

Haven’t blown any codes or is there any noticeable change that makes me think they need changing but maybe for 2 or 3 reasons.

- First reason is “they say” oxygen sensors have a life of about 60k to 100+k miles. (I’m doing the math from kms) That’s at least 100k kms on the bottom end.

- Second, a few of us have seen our gas mileage drop from when our trucks (not “cars”) have dropped suspiciously for no apparent reason (notwithstanding bad gas, winter gas, wrong gas, bigger tires, heavier loads, carrying bigger family members and of course more dogs and cats, idling longer, driving faster, and have forgot about changing out the spark plugs, cleaning sensors and running dirty air filters etc, etc, etc)

- Third, the biggest reason I’m changing my oxygen sensors over Christmas time off is not because I’ve blown any codes that would suggest this but for the very small and mostly overlooked reason, we burn oil. Not the kind that seeps by loose and flappy piston rings but by blowby from the PCV valve back to the intake to burn up which does, over time, some more than others, foul up our spark plugs and the forgotten oxygen sensors.

From what I’ve read, the oxygen sensors are “sniffing” the burnt exhaust fumes passing by and readjusting the air/fuel mixture to make your engine run as best and efficient as possible, all the while protecting our catalytic converters, (which by the way are $2100 cad each for those of us that don’t know).

So, before I installed my oil catch can approximately 10k kms ago because it was evident I was burning from looking at my spark plugs at 60k kms (37k miles) and cleaned my upper intake manifold which was an absolute mess of oil, I’m capturing about 150-200ml of oil in an oil change period (7000kms).

The contamination from the steady burn of oil has to coat…well, everything it floats by which doesn’t stop at the spark plugs. So, that is why I’m changing my oxygen sensors and see if my gas mileage improves, to boot. It’s an experiment of sorts and looks like an easy job. I did order through the dealership and have waited 2 weeks for them to come in, just in time for the flow of happy sauce and the slaps and hugs from friends.

Oh, I should mention that I’m getting 14.7L/100kms (16mpg) mixed highway/city on almost 35’s 315/70/17 KO3’s.

Sponsored

 

[Lost1wing]

I have several older vehicles. One burns a little oil due to 350k miles. I have not replaced an O2 sensor on the one burning oil. Actually the only vehicle that I have owned that I replaced an O2 sensor was on a Toyota that I bought used. It came with the check engine light on and was sold for that reason. I ended up removing new Bosch sensors and installing new NGK sensors. It could have been the other way around.

I would not change O2 sensors for preventive maintenance. If you are not burning enough oil to smoke out of the tail pipe, or foul out sparkplug the O2 sensors will be fine. I would maybe look at your fuel trims just to get an idea where it is now and verify the O2 sensors are doing their job .

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I have several older vehicles. One burns a little oil due to 350k miles. I have not replaced an O2 sensor on the one burning oil. Actually the only vehicle that I have owned that I replaced an O2 sensor was on a Toyota that I bought used. It came with the check engine light on and was sold for that reason. I ended up removing new Bosch sensors and installing new NGK sensors. It could have been the other way around.

I would not change O2 sensors for preventive maintenance. If you are not burning enough oil to smoke out of the tail pipe, or foul out sparkplug the O2 sensors will be fine. I would maybe look at your fuel trims just to get an idea where it is now and verify the O2 sensors are doing their job .

Good points. I had experienced a misfire back at 60k kms, P0305. It ended up being a bad spark plug but when I pulled it, I didn’t like the burnt oil look it had and I assumed they all looked like that so I pulled and changed them all. My next thought was how could my oxygen sensors not look the same and if they are coated as my plugs are, how can they be “snifffing” the exhaust accurately as they should if our engines weren’t burning oil like they do? Now that I’m catching my PCV (it’s a new valve changed with the plugs) oil in a can, the sensor readings should be better but can’t (I’m speculating). I’ve resolved that these sensors are (for me) a maintenance item and I’d rather not wait for a code and just swap them out. It is coming up to 4 years so why not. I (we) will learn something from the data I collect such as what changes will I see from the L/100 (mpg) and responsiveness etc. (maybe nothing will change) I also have some degree of OCD and if something could run better than it does and all I’m waiting for is a component failure or codes, I’ll not wait for that and feel good it lived long enough anyways and change it out.
I’ve never in my life EVER thought about these sensors nor have I put much thought into the cats either. So it’s a bit of a learning curve.

 

[Lost1wing]

I have had luck soaking the tips of my NOx sensors in seafood and reusing them. I clean them as soon as I swap them out and by the time I reuse them, the residue has evaporated off. I have not tried this on an O2 sensor. Just a thought.

 

[Stan H]

Has anyone used the oxygen sensors that Extreme terrain sells to replace the Passenger side Bank 1 Upstream Oxygen sensor ? One cost 80.00 the other 83.50 ? I could get the chat people to talk to me . May Go with Mopar Parts Giant. Called my local parts house they said they don't even list an oxygen sensor listed for the 3.6L Gladiator

 

[Volt0]

I have had luck soaking the tips of my NOx sensors in seafood and reusing them. I clean them as soon as I swap them out and by the time I reuse them, the residue has evaporated off. I have not tried this on an O2 sensor. Just a thought.

Seafood eh? Took me a minute to figure out that you probably meant seafoam, before Alexa messed it up. ;-)

 

[Lost1wing]

Samsung keyboard help. AI will only make it better! Hahaha.

 

[Splenda]

All four of my O2 sensors were replaced by the dealer under warranty at 470 miles. They could never tell me why all four of them failed.

 

[Hootbro]

All four of my O2 sensors were replaced by the dealer under warranty at 470 miles. They could never tell me why all four of them failed.

Probably because all 4 did not fail and they were just shotgunning parts until something stuck.

 

[Stan H]

Exactly th

Probably because all 4 did not fail and they were just shotgunning parts until something stuck.

the probability of all 4 failing at 470miles is one in a billion at least. Should have played tbd lottery ..lol typically it is bank1 upstream oxygen sensor that fails as it is the "master" sensor for fuel mix ratios . 2 upstream 2 down stream although 2 upstream the drivers side upstream is the same as the 2 downstream ones. The bank1 passenger side is the master and is a different part # . These can be defective from the factory (rarely) but it does happen.

 

[Splenda]

On December 11, they replaced two of them, then a week later on December 18, they replaced the other two. Here are the two receipts. No problems since then.

 

[DylanM]

Exactly th
the probability of all 4 failing at 470miles is one in a billion at least. Should have played tbd lottery ..lol typically it is bank1 upstream oxygen sensor that fails as it is the "master" sensor for fuel mix ratios . 2 upstream 2 down stream although 2 upstream the drivers side upstream is the same as the 2 downstream ones. The bank1 passenger side is the master and is a different part # . These can be defective from the factory (rarely) but it does happen.

The likely scenario in my mind is the person who did the assembly at the factory inadvertently fouled the sensors during install. They probably had a little antiseize or oil on their hands and transferred it to the sensor tips... or maybe they had something to do with this: https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/3-6l-poop6.90397/

 

[Lost1wing]

I would never swap out sensors as a preventative maintenance item. I think you have more of a chance on installing a bad one.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I would never swap out sensors as a preventative maintenance item. I think you have more of a chance on installing a bad one.

I had a bad tire when i installed a new set of 5. I guess that’s a chance with anything that’s swapped out. In my case, nothing said I had to change out mine, it was for 3 reasons I did.
1. was because I was within the life or rather death expectancy (60-100k miles) of them having gone 109k km and last thing I needed was to develop a code when I’m in the middle of nowhere. (That’s usually my luck) and;
2. My semi newly installed oil catch can indicated my engine burned this PCV fed oil (210mls/5000 km) and figured why wouldn’t my oxygen sensors have this contaminant on them) and;
3. It was a fun exercise.

 

[DylanM]

I would never swap out sensors as a preventative maintenance item. I think you have more of a chance on installing a bad one.

I would generally agree. Oxygen sensors aren't like they used to be back in the 80s where a 60k mile lifespan was to be expected, they tend to be much longer lived these days and don't need to be replaced unless there is evidence they're failing or have failed. As for chances of installing a bad one, IMO that is primarily a problem due to people insisting on buying the cheapest replacement they can which (not so surprisingly) turns out to be a POS. Stick with OEM parts from a reputable source (stop buying cheap Amazon knockoffs or counterfeits) and you'll be fine.

Sponsored