Date:         Thu, 3 Jul 97 18:44:51 UT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Tom Brunson" <TABRUN@msn.com>
Subject:      RE: Dying in the rain 2

The Bosch Digifant sensor on the '86 up actually does have two wire connectors 
- one is for the sensor itself, and the other is for a heating element in the 
sensor to get it hot enough to work under conditions that leave it cold. The 
sensor connector is the simple spade-lug, the heater connector is a 2-wire 
F.I. type connector at the same point in the harness, with white and brown 
wires.

I've never had to replace a Bosch O2 sensor with lower than 80,000 miles use, 
usually get much more. Perhaps the generic brands aren't as inexpensive as 
they appear, if you look at cost per mile and agravation of problems.

It seems the sensors are very high impedance, and usually seem to fail "too 
rich" due to current leakage, so wet wires could probably conduct enough to 
cause problems. I use a Prestone Silicone spray on the engine wiring 
periodically. (However once when travelling in the wet tried another brand - 
BIG mistake - had to clean it off to get the car to run much at all. All 
silicone sprays are not the same. Make sure it lists wiring as a use, not just 
lubricating.)

The first time I had an O2 sensor fail was in midst of a long trip. The car 
started running very rich with sooty exhaust, etc. Since everything else 
looked to be working OK I unplugged the O2 sensor and the car ran fine 'till I 
could replace it.

Tom Brunson

>Thanks for all the suggestions :-)

>Regarding my electrical problem when wet weather comes my way.

>this problem has been around for quite some time, in fact the first time I
>took the van for a tune up, they charged me $60.and didn't (couldn't)
>complete it, they said I didn't have an o2 sensor so they couldn't adjust
>it.

>I said whatttttttt, when the exhaust system was last replaced, the new pipe
>didn't have a spot for a sensor, so guess you must not need one was the
>prev. owners Idea!!!.

>I bought a sensor, drilled the hole in the right spot, ran the wire (every
>one keeps mentioning wires? is this not just a one wire thing?) to the
>waiting, freshly cleaned connector, and the stupid thing still did the cut
>n go when the weather was bad.

>I know the o2 wire isn't frayed or shorting, I will check the connections,
>although one would think that if the problem was a bad connection and water
>got on it wouldn't that make a good connection(thinking this is the reason
>why people are killed by the radio falling in the tub) and be a vise versa
>problem?

>I might just change the plug wires, and the coil wire, but the cap has no
>cracks and was just replaced, I still have the old nice and clean looking
>one.(and the problem still shows when going through the wet)

>On the last tune up(from a different place)o2 level was checked and
>adjusted, now the van gets about 550km per tank of gas, it was getting
>about 350km before.
>(bosch parts were used both times)
>(will try the mister bottle on the electrical hoping not to get a shock)

>Thanks for all the help

>Tony M.
>86 Westi