1998 Ford Contour O2 Sensor vs Converter

FORD CONTOUR
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SPORTZFREAK212
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1998 Ford Contour v6 A/T 90,000
how do i check the O2 sensor on my car and see if that is what needs fixing before i spend a couple hundred dollars fixing the converter that might also be the problem. Or how do i replace the sensor, where is this sensor? i need the basics of what to do. HELP.
Apr 13, 2006 at 7:58 AM
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LOSONE
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It is located in the exhaust system, the only thing with wires.. If you have a check engine light that says it is bad then replace it. If not don't bother. Again get a muffler shop to check the converter. they have a machine that will tell you if it is bad.
Apr 13, 2006 at 11:04 AM
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SPORTZFREAK212
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what if i have had problems before were they thought that the 02 sensors were wrong but they never checked it. would it be wise to replace and see if it is the wiring and not the actual converter before attempting to replace the converter. or does the OBD test give 100 percent accuracy that the problem is the converter and not the 02 sensor
Apr 13, 2006 at 3:31 PM
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LOSONE
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Nothing in the automotive industry is 100%. OBD 11 scanners are as accurate as the computer reads out. The best test for a ctalytic converter is a device that is put in the tail pipe and it measures back pressure and emissions at the end of the exhaust system. The OBD 11 scanner only says that the catalytic converter is not efficient.

The efficiecy is directly linked to engine effiiency including all the computer controls that make the engine run in specs. Changing the O2 sensor is shooting in the dark. An OBD 11 scanner can monitor the voltage swing of the O2 and a mechanic can tell if it is working properly.

Good Luck
Apr 14, 2006 at 12:16 AM
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Suggested Repair

Do not replace the O2 sensor blindly. If a check-engine code specifically indicates a bad sensor, replace it; otherwise have a mechanic monitor O2 voltage swing with an OBD-II scanner and have a muffler shop test the converter with a tailpipe back-pressure and emissions check before replacing parts.

Conversation Summary

The owner of a 1998 Ford Contour wants to know how to check or replace the O2 sensor before spending money on a catalytic converter. The expert says the sensor is the wired component in the exhaust and should be replaced only if a code says it is bad. OBD-II is not 100 percent accurate and only reports converter inefficiency, which can also reflect engine and control problems. The recommended checks are monitoring O2 voltage swing and a shop tailpipe back-pressure and emissions test.

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