FAQ: O2 (Oxygen) Sensor Information

Jack the R wrote:

Is that the connector on the car?  The Denso sensor has different wire colors (going clockwise from top left, white, blue, black, black).  

That is the connector on the car itself, yes. All O2 sensor wires are different colors for some reason.
So you would be looking at the connector harness-side, not O2 side.

I was going to check it, then a big thunderstorm blew up. I'll try again tomorrow.

ZZP forwarded my email to the manufacturer of the Sim. Both in Wyoming, Mi oddly....anywho, this is their response
______________________________________________________
When we created the vehicle application chart for the O2 Simulators, we used a GM Service database that included 1997 – 2005 GM vehicles. Therefore, we could only be certain of the vehicle compatibility in this date range. Vehicles outside of this date range may or may not be compatible. We do not have any reasonable way to verify the compatibility. For our standard of qualification, simply being electrically compatible is NOT enough. We investigate the array of Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) by the vehicle’s year, make and model to assure functional compatibility.



If you have any further questions, please let us know.

Thank you,

Jim Wierzbicki
Easy Performance Products, LLC
3514 Roger B. Chaffee SE
Wyoming, MI  49548
USA
________________________________________________________

I'm not convinced. It's obviously electrically compatible. I'm going to look up all the rear O2 DTCs to see if any of them are "different". I don't see this being a problem, as the post CAT O2 sensor is the EXACT same P/N (19107217) for '97 and '98. I'm not sure exactly how to convince them that it will in fact work on '96 and '97 Rivs.

EDIT: I just sent them a lengthy reply back. All '96-'99 Rivs have the same O2, the same wiring, the same DTC failure codes, the same DTC failure tests/diagnostics, and therefore the same PCM logic.
P0420
P0137
PO138
PO140
P0141
These are the only codes that the rear O2 can/will set.
We shall see what they say!
That's it. I also included the DTC description.

Well, you've certainly gone to great lengths to resolve this. I'll give it a try!

I installed Abaddon's emulator. Two trips and two hours of driving, no SES light so far.

Jack the R wrote:

I installed Abaddon's emulator.  Two trips and two hours of driving, no SES light so far.

See, you worry for nothing............This time anyway. No Murphy's Law in effect when Abbadon is on the job.
Great work Scott.

Rickw wrote:

Jack the R wrote:

I installed Abaddon's emulator.  Two trips and two hours of driving, no SES light so far.

See, you worry for nothing............This time anyway. No Murphy's Law in effect when Abbadon is on the job.
Great work Scott.

"Better safe than sorry."

So I had my engine throw a code a month ago. It said fail code P0140 for bank 1 sensor 2. The post cat O2 sensor. I replaced it with a Bosch sensor before I saw on here and realized a lot of people say not to use them. I had already put it in and everything was fine for a few days. Then the code came back and now it says pending code instead of fail code P0140 for bank 1 sensor 2. My fuse is fine and as far as I can tell so is the wiring and the plug looked fine when I changed it out. Is this because the Bosch sensor is not so good and I should be getting a Denso or AC Delco? Or is there possibly something else going on here?

Should be an easy problem to resolve,

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0140

The code means the sensor value isn't changing and remaining static. Could be damaged wiring, you would have to check it all the way to at least the fire wall. Hard to believe the sensor would just fail, but some do these days with everything being made somewhere else.

Get a scan tool on it and monitor the sensor voltage.

Thanks for the suggestion and the link.  I have the Bluetooth Plex PLX in my car.  That scans codes and gives engine information.  I will have to see if that shows what voltage is for the O2 sensor.  I will check that out and note what I find out.

Mine is showing .45v and stays there. I will have to test the connector, but when I had it apart to put this sensor in everything looked fine.

J. Chris Davis wrote:

Mine is showing .45v and stays there.  I will have to test the connector, but when I had it apart to put this sensor in everything looked fine.

That is why the code is setting. Could very well be the sensor is bad. The value has to change or the PCM sets the code. The PCM is getting that .45v signal, so wiring should be OK, it just isn't changing.

Well that's too bad.  I'm glad it doesn't look to be the wiring.  That was a new Bosch 13444.  At least I only paid $20 for it, but now I have to get another one.  I did find an AC Delco AFS123 for $25.  Both of these online by the way.  Locally would have been $54 just for the Bosch sensor.  I was monitoring my front O2 sensor while I was at it and that one seems good.

J. Chris Davis wrote:

Well that's too bad.  I'm glad it doesn't look to be the wiring.  That was a new Bosch 13444.  At least I only paid $20 for it, but now I have to get another one.  I did find an AC Delco AFS123 for $25.  Both of these online by the way.  Locally would have been $54 just for the Bosch sensor.  I was monitoring my front O2 sensor while I was at it and that one seems good.

IMHO Delco, Delphi or Denso.

I like Bosch stuff in general but I never figured out what the deal was with the oxy sensor.

I'm not familiar with Denso. I have a Delphi fuel pump I put in my Third Gen Camaro I've been pretty happy with. I went ahead and ordered a Delco sensor ASF123 part number. Which seems to cross reference a bunch of other numbers to the same sensor. Only thing I wasn't sure about and probably doesn't matter was if there is a specific O2 sensor for 3.8 series II with supercharger. I wasn't able to find enough information to prove either way. So I would assume for this sensor it doesn't matter.

J. Chris Davis wrote:

 Only thing I wasn't sure about and probably doesn't matter was if there is a specific O2 sensor for 3.8 series II with supercharger.  I wasn't able to find enough information to prove either way.  So I would assume for this sensor it doesn't matter.

A quick look up of a 97 Riviera N/A 3800, and the 98 Riviera which is S/C standard reveals identical part numbers for both O2 sensors.

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,1997,riviera,3.8l+v6,1022061,exhaust+&+emission,oxygen+(o2)+sensor,5132

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,1998,riviera,3.8l+v6+supercharged,1303322,exhaust+&+emission,oxygen+(o2)+sensor,5132

Good way to cross check right there!

A/C Delco O2 sensor installed last night and tests good. Voltage is reading as it should. Brand new Bosch sensor was junk.

O2 sensor locations on series II.

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In case you can't tell by the alternator, this is from the passenger side looking at the back of the engine.  

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