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life expectancy of O2 sensors question

3K views 6 replies 0 participants last post by  pyotr filipivich 
G
#1 ·
I've got a 1990 ford ranger, with 2.9 liter EFI package.

About three years ago, I had to replace the O2 sensor after, well, it
'died'. Symptoms had been loss of power, bucking at highway speeds (on a
flat stretch, having to down shift to maintain speed), and loss of gas
mileage.

Now I've got a sixty mile commute, and there seems to be one stretch on
the way up in the after noon (I work nights) where I seem to have to shift
down (fifth to fourth) to 'clear' the bucking, and then I can shift back up
to 5th.
So I'm suspecting the O2 sensor (again) but does anyone have any idea
how long those are suppose to last. Its been about 3 years and 50,00 miles
if that is any help.

thanks in advance for any help.

peter

--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although more often, Age travels alone."
 
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G
#2 ·
I think 30,000 miles is a good number. They can go bad sooner if
contaminated with too much raw fuel, coolant, or even excessive oil
consumption. I would expect a code to be set when it's not working.
 
G
#3 ·
I have a car with 140,000 miles on it and only changed the O2 sensor
once at about 100,000 after I didn't make it through the emission test.
Car didn't seem to run any different when it was good or bad.

Ron



pyotr filipivich wrote:
> I've got a 1990 ford ranger, with 2.9 liter EFI package.
>
> About three years ago, I had to replace the O2 sensor after, well, it
> 'died'. Symptoms had been loss of power, bucking at highway speeds (on a
> flat stretch, having to down shift to maintain speed), and loss of gas
> mileage.
>
> Now I've got a sixty mile commute, and there seems to be one stretch on
> the way up in the after noon (I work nights) where I seem to have to shift
> down (fifth to fourth) to 'clear' the bucking, and then I can shift back up
> to 5th.
> So I'm suspecting the O2 sensor (again) but does anyone have any idea
> how long those are suppose to last. Its been about 3 years and 50,00 miles
> if that is any help.
>
> thanks in advance for any help.
>
> peter
>
 
G
#4 ·
60k


"pyotr filipivich" <phamp@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:70a2f15d9m3k458gccri8blsl1vah4vg0p@4ax.com...
> I've got a 1990 ford ranger, with 2.9 liter EFI package.
>
> About three years ago, I had to replace the O2 sensor after, well, it
> 'died'. Symptoms had been loss of power, bucking at highway speeds (on a
> flat stretch, having to down shift to maintain speed), and loss of gas
> mileage.
>
> Now I've got a sixty mile commute, and there seems to be one stretch on
> the way up in the after noon (I work nights) where I seem to have to shift
> down (fifth to fourth) to 'clear' the bucking, and then I can shift back

up
> to 5th.
> So I'm suspecting the O2 sensor (again) but does anyone have any idea
> how long those are suppose to last. Its been about 3 years and 50,00

miles
> if that is any help.
>
> thanks in advance for any help.
>
> peter
>
> --
> pyotr filipivich
> "With Age comes Wisdom. Although more often, Age travels alone."
 
G
#5 ·
pyotr filipivich wrote:
> I've got a 1990 ford ranger, with 2.9 liter EFI package.
>
> About three years ago, I had to replace the O2 sensor after, well, it
> 'died'. Symptoms had been loss of power, bucking at highway speeds (on a
> flat stretch, having to down shift to maintain speed), and loss of gas
> mileage.
>
> Now I've got a sixty mile commute, and there seems to be one stretch on
> the way up in the after noon (I work nights) where I seem to have to shift
> down (fifth to fourth) to 'clear' the bucking, and then I can shift back up
> to 5th.
> So I'm suspecting the O2 sensor (again) but does anyone have any idea
> how long those are suppose to last. Its been about 3 years and 50,00 miles
> if that is any help.
>
> thanks in advance for any help.
>
> peter
>


I just changed the original ones on my BMW at 191K. I think it varies
widely.
 
G
#6 ·
Re: Re: life expectancy of O2 sensors question

"" wrote:
> I have a car with 140,000 miles on it and only changed the O2
> sensor
> once at about 100,000 after I didn't make it through the
> emission test.
> Car didn't seem to run any different when it was good or
> bad.
>
> Ron
>
>
>
> pyotr filipivich wrote:
> > I've got a 1990 ford ranger, with 2.9 liter EFI package.
> >
> > About three years ago, I had to replace the O2 sensor after,

> well, it
> > 'died'. Symptoms had been loss of power, bucking at highway

> speeds (on a
> > flat stretch, having to down shift to maintain speed), and

> loss of gas
> > mileage.
> >
> > Now I've got a sixty mile commute, and there seems to be

> one stretch on
> > the way up in the after noon (I work nights) where I seem to

> have to shift
> > down (fifth to fourth) to 'clear' the bucking, and then I

> can shift back up
> > to 5th.
> > So I'm suspecting the O2 sensor (again) but does anyone

> have any idea
> > how long those are suppose to last. Its been about 3 years

> and 50,00 miles
> > if that is any help.
> >
> > thanks in advance for any help.
> >
> > peter
> >


I had one good 220k on original one and it passed Echeck everytime.
Another one with 173K still original and it pass echeck and get great
MPG for its type. I would think about 100k miles is more the expected
norm here. How you drive has a effect on it to. If it is pedal to the
metal all the time they may live a shorter life. ALso if you chop your
exhaust system up you can shorten their life too.

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G
#7 ·
Let the record show that "Al Bundy" <MSfortune@mcpmail.com> wrote back on 3
Aug 2005 14:51:58 -0700 in alt.trucks.ford :
>I think 30,000 miles is a good number. They can go bad sooner if
>contaminated with too much raw fuel, coolant, or even excessive oil
>consumption.


That last might be the issue. I don't have to change the oil every
3000 miles, just topping it up regularly does that....

>I would expect a code to be set when it's not working.


Bar Code - I was afraid of that.

--
pyotr filipivich
TV NEWS: Yesterday's newspaper read to the illiterate.
 
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