check engine codes

[RickwithaTbird]

my check engine light has been on for over 2 years now, and I have never had the codes pulled, all I pulled was the check engine light bulb because it was annoying. I probably will have about 15 codes by now, so my question is, if I get my codes pulled can anybody tell me what they mean? thanks (i hope) in advance..... Rick

[flewthecoupe]

Fire away...

[RickwithaTbird]

I went to autozone and they read it for me, there were 2 codes, both saying my O2 sensor was bad.. the one behind the 3rd cat, and they charge 68$ for it.. is that a regular price, or has anybody gotten it cheaper? dont know if this makes a difference, 96 3.8 lx

[RickwithaTbird]

oh yeah, I also wanted to ask if the O2 sensor can cause any problems. Im thinking no, because that was the only thing the code reader said was wrong, and my check engine light has been on for 2 years so it must have been that the whole time. My car is wayyyyy slower than when I first got it in 2002, could it be getting progressively slower because of my O2 sensor? could it have affected other parts of my engine as well which would cause me to lose power? those are my main concerns.

[justatech]

what codes were they...codes can be set from many diffrent causes

[MN121995bird]

Well depending on what the O2 sensors says is the way that the engine is mixing air and fuel. Right now it is probably running very lean, probably not an imediate problem or a completly necessary concern. It would be best that you have the ones that are bad replaced. $68 for O2 sensors is not bad at all. I went to Ford and and they said it was $100 for a new O2. So i think that's pretty good.

[RickwithaTbird]

i dont remember, I just looked for the paper but couldnt find it.. all I can remember is that it was 2 codes for the 02 sensor and they both said something about B2S2... I dont know if that is useful, so I'll keep looking for the paper he wrote it on. he did tell me that it was the one behind the 3rd cat .

[MN121995bird]

I didn't know that there was an 02 behind the 3rd cat. They might have changed it for 96. If so that would definitly need to be replaced to restore power. I'm not sure about the exact codes or whatever. But was the engien running lean, or did it specifically say that the 02 sensor was bad?

[RickwithaTbird]

it specifically said O2 sensor. He may have said behind the "last cat" and then I automatically assumed he knew it has 3. But I do think he said the words "third cat".... and I am very hopeful that you are right about it restoring power because now days my car is slower than a hyundai. Id be scared to race a civic and I used to smoke them all the time....

[MN121995bird]

I had a MAF problem which had the same effects as a bad 02 and it was scary slow. It SHOULD cure the problem. No garuntees. But it sounds like a simple replacement of the 02's is necessary. If that doesn't do it, take it to a professional because something it seriously wrong.

[RickwithaTbird]

what kind of problem is possible with the MAF? I did buy a tornado thingy, and a K&N filter at the same time and installed them together but that was over 2 years ago as well.. I dont remember if it was before or after the check engine light came on, but im leaning towards after. Is it possible that that screwed up the MAF as a result of me doing it wrong?

[RickwithaTbird]

and oh yeah, it wasnt an overnight thing... the car got progressively slower over the last 1 year. It was still fast for about a year after the light came on.

[MN121995bird]

Mine progressivly got slower and slower, but the light came on very recently and i had it checked right away, cause i like my car running right. I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was my trans. But the light came on had the codes read and the guys at autozone was an avid thunderbird guy that had had the same problem.

[RickwithaTbird]

hmmm... I have always kinda thought my trans was the problem. Maybe Im lucky and the O2 sensor is the only problem. But with my luck its the O2 sensor AND the trans, lol. No, I actually have pretty good luck, so maybe this O2 sensor which has been bad for 2 years is the root of all my slowness. lol. lets just hope so. Im crossing my fingers. OH YEAH... how much does it cost to have the O2 sensor swapped? Do they have to cut and weld my pipes? I cringed when he said it was behind my cat. it seems expensive.

[MN121995bird]

no it should be expensive at all. The 02 sensor merely screws into the pipe. All they have to do is cut the wire and reconnect the new one. Pretty easy actually, and could possibly be done in your driveway with some simple hand tools. But i have never dealt with the 02 sensors on Fords. But i am almost certain it wouldn't take more than an hour for a professional.

Yeah I thought that i was gonn ahve to drop a ton of money to fix my trans. But i figured i would wait until i replaced the MAF. And the lean conditions must have been causing trans shuttering and such. So i was very relieved.