o2 sensor question

[j1o]

I am ordering a new oxygen sensor for my 95 5 spd M3. Bimmerparts.com lists 2 different sensors, one made by bosch at $99 and one by NGK at $112. Is there any difference between the two, besides the price? Thanks.

[John V]

Order from Bimmerworld. It's cheaper, and I've had bad experiences with bimmerparts.com shipping me the incorrect parts.

John

[///MZG]

I just bought the bosche one from bimmerparts. No problems with part # or shipping.

[Mini-Bubba]

bimmerparts shipped me an incorrect auxiliary fan :-/

[j1o]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I ended up ordering from bimmerparts and the order arrived today.

[CiaoBoy]

Originally posted by j1o
I am ordering a new oxygen sensor for my 95 5 spd M3. Bimmerparts.com lists 2 different sensors, one made by bosch at $99 and one by NGK at $112. Is there any difference between the two, besides the price? Thanks.

Bimmerparts shipped me a Bosch oxygen sensor for an automatic M3. On their site, their database claims that the same part is used in both automatic and manual M3's. This is NOT correct. My independent mechanic noticed the difference in the length of the wires. The one for the automatic is too short for the one for the manual. I asked a BMW dealership if there were any differences between the oxygen sensors for the automatic vs. the manual, and they confirmed that the two parts are indeed different, not just different part numbers.

Bimmerparts has agreed to accept the return of the incorrect part and pay for return shipping. You just gotta be careful if you can.

-CiaoBoy

[99bmw740il]

believe it or not- autozone has the best price. for my 7er they are $65 a piece. cant beat that!

[TooTall424]

why are you replacing your o2 sensor? Did it go bad? What were the symptoms? I have a hunting idle problem that some people have told me that replacing the 02 sensor fixes. Have you heard this?



Originally posted by j1o
I am ordering a new oxygen sensor for my 95 5 spd M3. Bimmerparts.com lists 2 different sensors, one made by bosch at $99 and one by NGK at $112. Is there any difference between the two, besides the price? Thanks.

[CiaoBoy]

Originally posted by TooTall424
why are you replacing your o2 sensor? Did it go bad? What were the symptoms? I have a hunting idle problem that some people have told me that replacing the 02 sensor fixes. Have you heard this?

Mine went bad, and was due for replacement anyway (nearing 100k miles on the odometer at the time). The symptom I was experiencing was that when the engine was cold, during a supposed-to-be-smooth acceleration move from a stoplight, the car would bog and lose power intermittently even though my foot position was at a steady depth on the accelerator pedal. The engine wasn't choking due to lack of air or anything, but it felt like someone was cutting the fuel amount when the fuel delivery was supposed to be constant. After I replaced the oxygen sensor, the problem immediately disappeared.

-CiaoBoy

[DravisAR]

Uhm....what part # O2 sensor did you get? Mine just came in, part # 13231, and I was wondering about the sensor cable too...it looks pretty short to me (say about a foot and a half long)


95 M3, manual

Sorry to bring this one back, but I dont want to go out, buy the tool to do this thing, come home, jack it up, and find out its not going to work...and I paid for overnight shipping!


Alex

[CiaoBoy]

Originally posted by DravisAR
Uhm....what part # O2 sensor did you get? Mine just came in, part # 13231, and I was wondering about the sensor cable too...it looks pretty short to me (say about a foot and a half long)


95 M3, manual

Sorry to bring this one back, but I dont want to go out, buy the tool to do this thing, come home, jack it up, and find out its not going to work...and I paid for overnight shipping!


Alex

Is that a Bosch part number? The part number that I have is part #C5010-33518.

My cable is about 4 inches in length. The whole part is maybe 9 inches long total, including the oxygen sensor and the plug interface.

I, too, have a 95 M3, and my mechanic said this was the wrong part due to the cable being too short.

-CiaoBoy

[DravisAR]

Hmmm yeah, mines a little longer than that, around a foot at least (the cord)

[Balthazarr]

I bought one from Jon Sibal about 6 or 7 months ago.
I believe it was $65 incl shipping.
Might be more expensive now.

I noticed my mpg has dropped the last few weeks.
Smell strong fumes in driveway when idling.
Going to have to put that sensor in tomorrow.
Maybe clean ICV as well.

[DravisAR]

What size are the nuts (har har, nuts!) on these o2 sensors? 19mm, 20mm, 22mm? I cant tell....Im gonna use a standard wrench on mine tommorow...

[Balthazarr]

Standard? You mean sae or an adjustable crescent?
These things stand on top perpendicular to the ground and they look like a pain to access.
I'll probably cut the wire to make an easier removal with a deep socket.
Then with the new one I hope I can use an open ender.
Might as well forget a torquer for this job.

[DravisAR]

Damn me and my contradictory vocabulary ;)


let me rephrase that...."Im gonna use a plain ol' wrench on mine tommorow"


heheh...metric...what size is it in MM

I could see the actual nut on the sensor and it seems like it would be hard to get more than maybe 1/4 a turn out of it until I hit the cats (they are in a Y shape coming off the one exhaust collector) but I could get it out once I broke it free without too much trouble. This is with about 10" of clearance to the floor.

Thanks bud,

Alex

[DravisAR]

if you measure one of your deep sockets, I can measure the o2 I have sitting here and let you know if it will make it to the nut on the end. I dont have a deep socket over 18mm on hand at the moment (im working up my tool collection again, old stuff was stolen)

Alex

[Balthazarr]

2 1/8 " deep impact socket.
I have mine right here and it looks like it will need 23 mm socket or wrench.

[DravisAR]

Ill bring the o2 into Sears and double check the size...but im pretty sure your about right on the money, 22 or 23mm

I dont think theres any reason to buy the "special tool, seems like the right depth socket will do just fine. Ill know tommorow.

Alex

[Balthazarr]

For removal yes, but for installing new one...uh-uh.
Cable in the way.
That thing has to be torqued to 40 ft-lbs too.

[DravisAR]

Good call on reinstallation....I went to a local autoparts store today, and they didnt have the crowfoot "wrench" ratchet extension...the biggest they had was 18mm....

does Sears carry it? Didnt see it.

[Balthazarr]

Check online @ Craftsman or Sears.
I'm going to see if I can find one. Awfully large though.

[Balthazarr]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=272&Group_Name=Open+End%2C+mm%2C+chrome&Sub_Cat_ID=2226526&Sub_Cat_Name=Crowfoot+%2F+3%2F8%22+Drive&Cat_ID=2225863&Cat_NAME=Wrenches&store=snapon-store

[DravisAR]

15-25 bucks for one open end....holy crap....

I dont think Sears sells that size crowfoot, nor snapon tools :)


Ill have to dig around at the store and hope for the best...

[Balthazarr]

Snapon sells it. There is a drop down list of sizes on that page.

[arkie6]

AutoZone loans tools including slotted O2 sensor sockets. You just have to put a deposit down and they give it back to you when you return the tool. I've used their spring compressors several times - no questions asked. I didn't even buy the shocks from them for which I needed the spring compressors, but I do buy lots of oil, filters, and other misc stuff there.

If you don't have an AutoZone nearby, I'm sure other auto parts stores have similar policies - just call around or read their ads in the yellow pages.

[Balthazarr]

Thanks. I was all set to buy a crowfoot wrench.

Are the sensor nuts all standard size. Like ones size socket fits all?
I'll look into it as there are 2 Azones within blocks of my house.

[Balthazarr]

OK, just got back from Azone and rented a set.
2 are offset 1 with torx and1 with 1/4" square drive and the other is a regular socket with a slot.
Sensor takes 7/8" or 22mm socket.

Just for fun I asked them to look up the part# of the Bosch
sensor for a 95M3 and they came up with a different part # than the one I have.
I assume that was their in house # and like a dork I forgot to ask to see it.
List price on their comp was $198. :eek:
Someone here said they were $65.

Oops, that was $65 for someone's 7er. :laugh

[DravisAR]

Yeah im off to rent my set in the next hour or so. I got my o2 sensor from bimmerparts.com for 72 bucks. Not bad at all.

any way you could get some pics of the tool just in case I need to explain it to the degenerates behind the counter at napa? heh

the regular sockets 3/8 drive right?

[Balthazarr]

I'm sure they'll know what it is. Most cars have O2 sensors these days.
I doubt you can get a regualr socket in there on your 95.
It is 3/8" drive though.
The one I'm going to use is the 1/4" offset 22mm (7/8") with a 3/8 to 1/4 adapter.

[DravisAR]

Smartass, I was just curious to see what it looked like...im a tool-ophile :D

[Balthazarr]

Or just a tool. :D
OK. Enjoy, I'm going to dive into mine after I get back from b'fast.
Let me know what probs you run into so I can avoid them.:laugh

[DravisAR]

NAPA doesnt rent them and schucks already has theres rented out somewhere else. No autozones around these parts....that just plain sucks. Ill probably just go buy the damn set, its like 20-25 bucks.

[Balthazarr]

Dravis, did you get yours in yet?
The part # that came out on mine is 3219 not 3231 that you have an I have as a replacement.

[DravisAR]

Nope, still waiting on schucks to get the damn tool in so I can rent it. Im fighting with myself over justifying the 25 bucks to buy the tool, and never having to use it again (I give it about 3 or 4 years till this one blows up)


How was the replacement task? Did you even have to use an extension or just the ratchet/socket tool? Schucks closes at 8, so Im about ready to just go buy the damn thing.

[Balthazarr]

Well, the socket made it easier than not using it, but it can be done.
More room up top and sides than i thought.
What should have taken maybe 20 min including lifting and positioning took well over an hour.
Getting the old one out was a little frustrating because the wiring has a tendency to turn it the opposite direction.
So you have to play around with the wiring while turning the body.
Another aspect is clearance between body and car.
I first lifted the front, but my new alum jack ran out of lift for the stands to be extended.
Scooting aroound on the creeper lost me about 2 inches, but allowed a lot more maneuverability laterally.
After realizing that the sensor was almost midway between the front and rear lift points, I opted to lift from the rear.
Resulted in even less clearance for my chest, but I put up with it so I didn't have to go through the ritual AGAIN of lifting the car a 3rd time.
The new unit has a longer cable so I looped it underneath so as not to have it rest on the exhaust.
Managed to use my 3/8" Mac torque wrench to get it to spec at 40ft-lbs.
Having a lift would make things so facile.
Anyway, went for a drive and she runs fine.
Still smell a little bit of the gas fumes while idling though.
Hopefully that will abate as system get used to new sensor.
It was cold anyway. I'll check when engine is at operating temp tomorrow.

[DravisAR]

So I caved and bought the tool, and 1/2 drive 'breaker bar' about a foot long

I cant get any clearance to get the damn breaker in there. I could see how MAYBE i could get a 22mm wrench around the top of the socket, due to the maybe 3/4" less height, but I cant seem to get the damn breaker in there anywhere to twist that F'er out.

My breaker bar took a swing at my eye and succeeded on my last try, so im taking a break....

[DravisAR]

Got it out. Only had about 1" radius of turn before the bar hit the body, but it was enough to get it broken free. Used a screw driver through the side of the socket to get it the rest of the way out and then hand loosened. Put the new one in by hand, with hard crank on the bar at the end to get it in tight. CEL still glowing, how do I reset it? I'd pull my battery terminals, but I dont have the radio reset codes at the moment. Can I just drive it to clear it?

Thanks!

Alex

[Balthazarr]

Don't have "the tool" huh?
R5/FCX or eqivalent.
Just drive it, I think it will eventually reset after....oh, say 100 startups.:laugh

[Balthazarr]

BTW, that 40 ft-lbs is necessary to seat that crush washer so there is no leak.
Have you a torque wrench with 3/8" drive?

[DravisAR]

Nope, no TW that will fit in there. I figure ill crawl back under there tommorow after I drive it for a bit and see whats up. Cant hurt anything and its ziptied to those nifty little hangers well enough that its not going anywhere. I could always just pull the negative on the battery....now where in the hell is it? :)

[DravisAR]

Fixed it...no more CEL. Ran it around once it was warmed up for about a mile, and it shut off. Idles a tad smoother, but still a bit rough. Car still has a mild "tractor" sound around the headers, I might have a small crack (they are all white underneath the car, cant figure that one out)

Stoked! I figure it it starts leaking because I didnt torque it enough, itll throw the CEL again because the o2 will go out of range.

[rmn]

Make sure you put some anti-seize compound on the threads otherwise it is a huge pain to get the sensor out later.