O2 sensor code on Daughters 96 Taurus

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oilboy123

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My daughter is having car problems for the second time in the last month.
I get frustrated with trying to coordinate her getting to a shop in a timely manner.
I used to do the repairs myself on her car. But I am in California and she is in Oregon going to college.

The first time her 96 Taurus just started running bad with no engine light coming on.
The shop cleaned the MAF, IAC and installed a fuel filter and did a fuel injection cleaning/decarbon.
She said it was running well until today. She said the engine light came on but the engine was running OK except for a hiccup.

The first shop said some of the stations in town are selling bad gas. The Autozone guy mentioned the same thing.

She took it to Autozone and they said an O2 sensor was showing bad. They are recommending she reset the computer by disconnecting it. Then running a dose of fuel cleaner. I am trying to decide on the new Amsoil PI or more concentrated Techron “Pro Guard”? Their advice seems to make sense.


I don’t know if this will help clean the O2 sensor or not. But I think it is worth a shot. I am not thrilled about running a fuel system cleaner in addition to the on car fuel clean she had in the shop.
frown.gif
 
Well, its can't really do any harm to run a tank of cleaner can it?

If going the Techron route, go for the Concentrate, NOT the Pro-Guard line. Pro guard is not as potent. Best cleaners are

Redline SI-1
Regane
Techron Concentrate

Not much to loose at this approach. If it doesn't fix it, the sensor is likely bad, but either way she will have a spotless fuel system.
 
I think the best way to fix it would be to get rid of it. Tauruses are horrible
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but in all seriousness, I hope it works out for you. Perhaps it's just something small. I remember back when I had an American car (a Cavalier with under 100k miles on it) the check engine light came on randomly and the shop said it read Oxygen Sensor, but the engine seemed the same to me, so it might not be your O2 sensor.
 
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Thanks for the happy advice to sell the car. I don't want her to sell it, that is not an option.

She will have no car, and no money to buy another. Nor will I. She will end up walking, is that what you want.
smile.gif


I guess I will try some fuel cleaner then end up replacing the O2 sensor at some point.
 
I apologize if I was out of line, my lame joke probably came across as rude. How exactly is it running badly? I know my Integra was idling a bit hard, and I ran FP60 through it and reset my ECU and it seems to be idling much smoother now, and starting much quicker (although it could be my imagination, i've only had it for 2 months). It's worth a shot before replacing an O2 sensor. Also keep in mind that O2 sensor lights can also come up even if it's not the O2 sensor, from what i've been told.
 
I had to clean up the fuel system in my '96 Modular motor when I purchased it a couple years ago. I used Lucas UCL, 2 stroke outboard oil, MMO, seafoam, and others all added to the gas in lean ratios. I also switched to synthetic and part-synthetic crankcase oils to battle the light varnish and one lifter that was starting to hang. The fuel injection system had to make major adjustments/relearn a couple of times. I thought the engine was having its death throws. Some bad tanks of gas didn't make matters any better. The engine relearned after the cleaning and has never run better. Just run the cleaners and wait it out on the Taurus.
 
Thanks for your support, even bad inappropriate jokes:) My daughter is 21 and this is her first car. We bought it with a bad engine and we installed a replacement. It was a good father daughter bonding moment.

We saved some money and she learns to appreciate what it takes to fix a car and keep it running. Of course I have done most of the maintenance since......

I will run some more fuel system cleaner thru the motor. I will wait it out longer as well. I will have her reset the computer as well at some point.

Thanks for all the opinions.
 
Contaminants in fuel can kill an oxygen sensor. It happened on my old Escort some years ago. Can't ever hurt to run the fuel system cleaner, but be prepared to replace the sensor anyway.
 
Yes I concur.
Ooopsee forgot to mention the town she is in Forest Grove apparentely has some stations that can have bad gas.

This is from two different sources.
 
Quote:

Thanks for your support, even bad inappropriate jokes:) My daughter is 21 and this is her first car. We bought it with a bad engine and we installed a replacement. It was a good father daughter bonding moment.

We saved some money and she learns to appreciate what it takes to fix a car and keep it running. Of course I have done most of the maintenance since......

I will run some more fuel system cleaner thru the motor. I will wait it out longer as well. I will have her reset the computer as well at some point.

Thanks for all the opinions.

Click to expand...


That's awesome to hear
smile.gif
I still feel bad and have felt bad about my bone-headed comment. I really need to learn to think before I speak sometimes. I just remember something about the dealership that I took one of my old cars to saying that the O2 sensor code can actually be one of a couple things. The O2 sensor(s) or EGR Valve (I think, if I remember correctly). Hopefully it won't be a very expensive fix, and the fuel cleaner will help
smile.gif
 
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- reset computer
- go to advance auto parts and buy 4 bottles of Techron concentrate. My AAP doesn't have it labeled as buy one get one free like they should, but it's in the flyer, so they honor it
- put two bottles in the tank, fill tank, run until near empty
- run a tank or two of fuel, then do another bottle
- cahnge fuel filter (to get rid of all the junk that broke loose in the tank and is now in your filter like mine)

http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/s...bgouhv3ko7hgur3
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Thirde ye, ho harm no foul.


She is running a bottle of the old formulation Amsoil PI. She already had it, so she used it.
I will see how that goes. I will probably run some new PI or some techron after that. That is when we reset the light and it comes back.

I don't know about 4 bottles of Techron though........
 
I'm with rsylvsr. Running something as a maintenance dosage for the long run with today's lubrio-free cracked gas is the best approach. Using today's gas is analogous to using engine oil with an SM basestock and an SA additive package (engine and fuel system destroyer!!).

I find that running something like the Lucas UCL or outboard oil at 1:800 to 1:1000 gives uneventful fuel system operation, and a genuinely buttery smooth feel to the engine overall (amongst other things). Addition of an effective "shop-dosage" fuel system cleaner gives no results to my engine because they are already clean and lubed.
 
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Why not have a shop there replace the offending 02 Sensor? The result would be better performance and fuel economy.

Click to expand...


i agree...some "old timers" still feel that an O2 sensor is still part of a "major tuneup"
 
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I know you did not mean 4 bottles at once. But even 4 in a row is a bit much.......

Click to expand...


as stated above...
- put two bottles in the tank, fill tank, run until near empty
- run a tank or two of fuel, then do another bottle

good luck and keep us updated.
 
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