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Date:         Fri, 13 May 94 16:01:11 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: oxy sensors $$$$

On Fri, 13 May 94 15:55:55 CDT Charles E. Vaughan said: >Anyway, I've always just pushed the reset button to turn off the "oxy" light >for 125k miles (It comes on every 30k). Will anything bad eventually >happen? If so what are the symptoms? I've always assumed that on >presenting this problem to a dealer he would reset the light, tell me he >fixed the car, and collect a lot of money without really changing anything, >I'm probably too cynical.

well, me personally, i don't think you are being too cynical at all ... not with the experiences i've had with vw dealers in the southeast!

what happens that is 'bad' is that the oxygen sensor finally 'dies' ... gets all gunked up with whatever kills them. when this happens, the engine starts running kinda crappy pretty much all the time. you can 'experience' it, by unplugging your oxy sensor and driving around for a while. that's what the local dealer's solution was to my 86 vanagon's problems! (i guess cause it was under warranty, he just didn't want to bother fixing it).

when you are finally satisified or paranoid enough that the oxy sensor is the culprit, then you can replace it. or have it replaced. one word of warning: you are supposed to use some never-seize paste on the oxy sensor threads, BUT you have to be extremely careful WHICH KIND of paste you use. some of the stuff will actually kill an oxy sensor almost immediately (cause the stuff has silicon in it). so be sure that you get the kind that specifies 'safe for oxygen sensors'.

or ... you could do like mercedes does, and just replace the damn thing every 60,000 miles. just to be sure. :) i replaced mine at 60,000 miles (cause i was getting a bunch of other stuff fixed, and figured what the heck ... the price will only go up.<boy, did it ever!>). i kept the old one as a 'spare' ... it doesn't look too bad: a little carbon smut on the probe.

but for you 83-85 guys, if you can get a new probe for $40, it's almost not worth putting it off.

joel


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