The yellow SES light just came on yesterday and has stayed on steady. I am gonna go to AutoZone tonight and get it scanned...but I wanted to get some advice from you guys first...
The van is running good...no visible problems. All fluid levels are fine. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
gas28man
05-09-2006, 11:00 AM
Going to AutoZone for a scan is the right move. You may not notice any difference in performance, but if you notice a drop in your fuel mileage of about 20 percent, I'd suspect an O2 sensor.
Good luck.
Rick
RocketFoot
05-10-2006, 08:39 AM
OK, AZ scanned it and found P0133 code...O2 Sensor - slow response, #1 bank 1...
So, can I pull this thing out and clean it or just R&R it? Also, where do I find it to pulll it??
CBP ENGINEER
05-10-2006, 10:33 AM
I could be wrong since I have the 3.3L, but I think it is the same. The oxygen sensor is located in the exhaust pipe at the rear of the engine. I replaced mine by going in from the bottom. First, you will need to get a special socket to remove the oxygen sensor. You might be able to rent it from AutoZone. The socket has a slot at the top where you run the wires for the sensor. If you have 132K on your van and never replaced the sensor, I would go ahead and purchase a new one. They do wear out and if the code says it is slow, this is a typical sympton of an oxygen sensor that is worn out.
Put the van on car ramps and let the engine cool. Disconnect the negative ground from the battery. Lay on your back under the van and look up the "tunnel" where the exhaust pipes come down. You should see a silver colored tube sticking out of the exhaust pipe with wires coming out of it. There is another oxygen sensor located after the catalytic converter, this is not the one you want to replace. Look for the one closer to the engine. Unplug the electrical connector and remove the sensor with the special socket and a ratchet. Hopefully it isn't rusted in place, but I never had trouble with any that I replaced. Simply put the new sensor in, start it by hand so you don't cross-thread it, then tighten it down and plug the connector back together.
You may want to reset the computer by turning on the ignition switch for a few minutes with the battery disconnected, Someone else may have an opinion on this.
gas28man
05-10-2006, 02:00 PM
I would put some antiseize on the threads when you reinstall the new one. That will keep it from getting rusted in place, and the next time you have to change it, it will be much easier.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, there are two O2 sensors on your van. The other one is in the exhaust pipe behind the catalytic converter, and the wire goes into a removeable grommet in the floor. Just pull the grommet to access the connector end.
Sorry, I can't help you on figuring out which one went bad on your van. Perhaps one of our other experts here has a procedure?
