I destroyed my O2 sensor.

[NuruiGumi]

I bought my car not running at all. I did a lot of maintenance, cleaning, new battery. plugs, thermo, belts, filters, fluids, etc. and got it running, but it would buck and misfire and the CEL would come on, so i took it to a local guy who told me it was probably a clogged cat.

My initial plan was just to take out the pre cat o2 sensor purely to see if having that hole open in the pipe and relieving that pressure would cause the issues to stop. What ended up happening is in trying to get it out i ended up destroying the o2 sensor but also the bottom part is still stuck in the pipe. there is no way i can get it out. So instead i just did what i wish i did in the first place and drilled a hole in the pipe, and yea that relieves the pressure and i don't have those issues anymore. So that confirms for me the cat is clogged. Luckily, the car is exempt from inspection where I live so I don't have to replace it.

However, I do notice sometimes the car struggles with acceleration under 4000 rpms. once it reaches 4000, it sounds great, the power is there, it's smooth. but getting it to there it's a little slow and sounds like a jalopy. kind of tinny.
I don't know if this is caused by the lack of a precat o2 sensor, or if this is a separate issue.


This week I'm planning to replace the valve cover gasket, and the fuel filter anyway so it could be one of those. It could be a coil or something like that.

I'm just curious if someone can tell me what exactly happens to an E36 with the M50 engine if you don't have the precat o2 sensor? what kinds of symptoms would you expect?

No fault codes btw. and sometimes this problem doesn't even happen. It's very hard to find a pattern for why it happens sometimes but not others.

[Greenday694]

The pre cat O2 sensor could be a problem. It's a narrow band sensor. The DME looks for a switch back and forth between rich and lean. If it doesn't get that, it resorts to a default rich condition.
The other possibility is Vanos seals. The intake cam should advance just off idle, up to about 4500 RPMs under throttle. If it does not, the engine will be sluggish up to about 4000 RPMs.

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[spyderg0d]

Its Deffinatly the 02 sensor..
Its paramount to properly running engine for power and mileage.

Also.. If your in america. Converters are not exempt.. If the car came from factory with a Converter, its supposed to have a functioning one on it regardless of model year. All emissions systems are expected to be working.. That includes converters and no exhaust leaks. Many people illegally pass vehicles without converters or modified exhausts, but it doesn't change the law. However if your not in america. Sure, cool.

[Greenday694]

Except in New Jersey. I live in New Jersey, 95 and older vehicles do not go through inspection of any kind. My 93 325is does not have an inspection sticker nor does it need one.

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[spyderg0d]

Except in New Jersey. I live in New Jersey, 95 and older vehicles do not go through inspection of any kind. My 93 325is does not have an inspection sticker nor does it need one.

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Then new jersey seems like a well mannered and politically non retarded place. Cheers.

[samy01]

If the car came from factory with a Converter, its supposed to have a functioning one on it regardless of model year

But nobody really checks it? If you'd remove it, who would get you in trouble if you're in a state that doesn't check it? Is the only possibility for authorities to find out about it if a police officer would decide to check your car? Just curious about how they handle it in your country.

[NuruiGumi]

well mannered and politically non retarded place

No dude. You couldn't be more wrong, lol. But yes 25 year old vehicles are emissions exempt.

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Nobody would ever know. The only time it matters is if you fail inspection. If the car is exempt then there is no inspection. That's why I just drilled a hole instead of bothering to change the cat. Probably would have cost me more than I paid for the car.

[spyderg0d]

But nobody really checks it? If you'd remove it, who would get you in trouble if you're in a state that doesn't check it? Is the only possibility for authorities to find out about it if a police officer would decide to check your car? Just curious about how they handle it in your country.

They are supposed to check every vehicle for emissions systems and that they work appropriatly. Just like they are supposed to take the tire off and make sure the brakes have the minimum of life left and safe operation..

Does every inspector, no.. Would they get fined and possibly lose their inspection liscence if caught, absolutely.

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But nobody really checks it? If you'd remove it, who would get you in trouble if you're in a state that doesn't check it? Is the only possibility for authorities to find out about it if a police officer would decide to check your car? Just curious about how they handle it in your country.

well mannered and politically non retarded place

No dude. You couldn't be more wrong, lol. But yes 25 year old vehicles are emissions exempt.

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Nobody would ever know. The only time it matters is if you fail inspection. If the car is exempt then there is no inspection. That's why I just drilled a hole instead of bothering to change the cat. Probably would have cost me more than I paid for the car.

Cars over the age can be exempt from the sniffer. No car is exempt from required to have its stock emissions system present and functioning in the US. If the car is obdll, the emissions system cannot be tampered with and must be functioning. Period. If the car is obd1 the cel cannot be on,but also the emissions system must be present and unmodified with no leaks before the converter. This is basic inspection stuff.. Its not like the information is hidden. You can easily go take your coarse and this wont be such an elusive idea on what "exempt" is applied to in the inspection.

[spyderg0d]

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[spyderg0d]

Thats right off the NY DMV website. It says above those regulations are part of the federal clean air act.. So they apply to all states.

Any vehicle that came with a converter, egr, evap, cvv, ect... Are supposed to have them in proper stock working condition or better (performance dot approved) nomatter the age or obd system ..

The same rule applies for engine conversions.
You can swap to the same or better emission compliant system in any chassis than it originally had..
Meaning, If it didnt have a set standard of sniff stats (only before 96) you can swap anything into it, provided the engine has its appropriate emissions system with the engine. Meaning the engines standard is grandfathered amd has to be met for emissions.
Likewise, you can swap anything newer engine wise in it as long as you retain the emissions standard the vehicle initially had or better regardless of what converter or system is used to maintain those emissions. That means the chassis emissions standard is grandfathered and has to be met.

[Greenday694]

That is true in most States including New York. In the state of New Jersey, 95 and older needs no inspection. It's on the owner to make sure everything is working properly. 96 and newer, they do not do the sniff test they only plug into your OBD2 port. As long as your ECU checks fine that all systems are working properly your car passes state inspection. 96 and newer, in the state of New Jersey, you can drive your car to an inspection station, with no brakes, no working lights, every window broken, for mismatched bald trailer tires, and as long as the OBD2 scan shows that the car passes admissions, you will pass inspection. This does not mean the car is legal for use on public roads. You will get tickets from police officers for all of those above problems. And most likely have your car towed, or most of those problems. All New Jersey did was cut back on the number of people needed to run a state inspection station, and raise the fines for failure to make repairs. So basically we are paying outrageous registration every year for nothing. And New Jersey also has one of the highest insurance rate in the country by state. Bottom line it all about the money.

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[spyderg0d]

That is true in most States including New York. In the state of New Jersey, 95 and older needs no inspection. It's on the owner to make sure everything is working properly. 96 and newer, they do not do the sniff test they only plug into your OBD2 port. As long as your ECU checks fine that all systems are working properly your car passes state inspection. 96 and newer, in the state of New Jersey, you can drive your car to an inspection station, with no brakes, no working lights, every window broken, for mismatched bald trailer tires, and as long as the OBD2 scan shows that the car passes admissions, you will pass inspection. This does not mean the car is legal for use on public roads. You will get tickets from police officers for all of those above problems. And most likely have your car towed, or most of those problems. All New Jersey did was cut back on the number of people needed to run a state inspection station, and raise the fines for failure to make repairs. So basically we are paying outrageous registration every year for nothing. And New Jersey also has one of the highest insurance rate in the country by state. Bottom line it all about the money.

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In ny, any vehicle also has to pass the safety inspection. Every piece of safety equipment that came on the car has to work and be in "safe" condition with expected lifespan on it. For instance, abs is not considered safety equipment, but if the bias controler is in the abs unit, the abs must be working properly otherwise the brake system is considered inproperly working and unsafe. However, aftermarket dot approved bias controlers can be substituted. (Most anything dot approved can be substituted for anything on any vehicle). Windsheilds and mirrors have to be present and crack free within the wipers. Tires have to have thickness, pads and rotors within thickness, airbags have to not have light on ect ect... If balljoints are bad, or theres a fluid leak, any frame rot thats structural, its a fail.. The list goes on and on.. Basically the only thing that doesn't fail a car is cosmetics these days. And a couple lights if they are the single only light on.

[flyfishvt]

South Carolina does not require any inspections of any kind. Model year doesn't matter. It's a great place for a turbo build.

Back to the original post and the original question......I can tell you from personal experience that the pre cat o2 sensor must be operating correctly or you'll experience major performance issues.

[jmo69]

Wisconsin doesn't require emissions testing on OBDI and older vehicles, so pre 1995 are exempt and OBDII vehicles are only tested in 7 counties. From the Illinois border north for about 100 miles along the Lake Michigan shoreline and 20 miles inland.

[spyderg0d]

Wisconsin doesn't require emissions testing on OBDI and older vehicles, so pre 1995 are exempt and OBDII vehicles are only tested in 7 counties. From the Illinois border north for about 100 miles along the Lake Michigan shoreline and 20 miles inland.

Exempt from the sniffer.. Or from having a good working condition emissions system?

[jmo69]

The only testing is for OBDII vehicles and the just hook up to the 16 pin port and make sure there are no codes. The sniffers have been gone for years. Independent shops and dealerships do the testing, even some oil change places do it.

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