bad 02 sensor?

[waldo786]

I was looking at this site http://www.jaysgn.com/bolton.html#elecper and happened to come across the heated 02 sensor that is supposedly installed on my car. It says that a bad 02 sensor has "Some of the symptoms are unsteady idle, poor fuel economy, engine error codes 13,44, 45 and a stumbling engine during acceleration. A heated O2 sensor forces the engine into "closed loop" operation much sooner, eliminating that annoying up and down idle and reducing exhause emissions." I have been having many of these problems. My idle jumps up and down at times, and according to my fuel ratio guage it goes up and down between rich and lean as it idles that way. I don't have a scan tool, but my car is sucking a lot of gas, and after a cold start up it stumbles the first few times under acceleration. I think the 02 sensor was not too long ago installed, but is there any way to tell if it is bad. Does that sound like it could be the 02 sensor is bad? Where can I get another of these heated ones to fit in the thing or can I just use a regular one? Thanks!

 

[441120]

For years my car idled up and down while warming up, once warm idled OK. I would start the car and the idle would go to 1700 rpm for a minute then drop down and almost stall, up to 1700 down to 400, up and down. I swapped the MAF to LT1 with the translator now car idles like a rock! Old MAF tested fine but 20 year old technology. Just a thought

 

[waldo786]

For years my car idled up and down while warming up, once warm idled OK. I would start the car and the idle would go to 1700 rpm for a minute then drop down and almost stall, up to 1700 down to 400, up and down. I swapped the MAF to LT1 with the translator now car idles like a rock! Old MAF tested fine but 20 year old technology. Just a thought

Do I have to change other things if I switch to an LT1 MAF, like with the computer? How much are these and where is a good place to get them. This is for an 85. Thanks! Forgot, would it also be making my mileage pretty poor also? Could my poor mileage have something to do with my computer chip? I'm not sure what is is. Will I need a stock one to pass emissions or can they burn one that would be usable all the time but also pass emissions?

 

[441120]

I'm not sure about the LT1 conversion fitting 1985. The translator is a box that lets the LT1 MAF communicate with the factory ECM. I think I got mine from Ramchargers.
A good chip should pass emissions.

 

[2QUIK6]

What type of heated O2 do you have? I use Heated NGK's that can be purchased from Caspers Electronics. If in doubt, go back to the original stock AC Delco single wire...for single wore O2s only use AC Delco or Denso...if Bosch, that may be your problem. As far as a bad O2, only a scan tool will tell you for sure if your not throwing the codes mentioned.
The O2 Cross-cnts should cycle on the scan tool from 0-255 in less than 90-secs with a warmed up motor in closed loop...otherwise its weak and needs replacing.