Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

[tie_one_on]

Will you always kill an O2 sensor if you remove it and clean it with spray carb cleaner? Thanks
Oh, for what is worth these are on an '00 Explorer 4.0L OHV.

 

[rwise]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

haven't heard of anyone useing carb cleanier on them, but I know people who remove them and take a wire brush and clean them and I have read bout pulling and useing a tourch, heating them red hot (the crap flacks off)
I have not tried any of these!

 

[dolluper]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Take them out and soak them in gas{not the elect connector though}

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Try seafoam, cleaned mine up

 

[tie_one_on]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Well this vehicle was throwing a code PO171 & PO174 which was lean bank left & right. So I took out the three O2 sensors, cleaned them and will see what is does. Two were cleaned with spray carb cleaner one was heated with the Oxy-Ace torch and sprayed with carb cleaner. I'll see what happens over the next 500 miles.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

I doubt it's O2 bad on both sides. Have you checked the fuel filter?

 

[tie_one_on]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Hey reelpoor, I've replaced the fuel filter twice since the service engine light came on about 18 months ago. Still after about 500 miles after I would reset the service engine light after changing the filter it would come back on. So if it comes back on I'll replace the fuel filter again.
I hate working with those little clips Ford uses to hold the hoses to the filter. I eventually get them off but generally don't know how. I keep working with that little tool and finally it will pop off.
My gas milage really fluctuates. Sometimes I'll get 350 miles per tank and sometimes I'll get 290 miles per tank. Same driving conditions. That's why I'm hoping cleaning the O2 sensors may help.
With 130,000 miles on the vehicle if this cleaning helps, I may just change all sensors. I found a place on ebay to get all 3 sensors for about $90.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Lean code>> fuel pump weak do a pressure check before replacing O2 sensors

 

[rwise]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

My gas milage really fluctuates. Sometimes I'll get 350 miles per tank and sometimes I'll get 290 miles per tank. Same driving conditions.

I see this with my car, I get gas in or near the city my milage drops (low vapor gas) when I go out of town and get gas in small towns away from big cities my milage goes up (real gas) (always 87 oct)

I agree with dolluper, need to do a presure test, I have a car here (not mine) that a shop said "it aint worth the cost of fixing it needs (long list goes of un-needed parts goes here)" it is fuel injected so we ran a presure test and yes the fuel pump is bad!

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Ditto Dolluper on the fuel pressure test. Many lean fuel problems are found from real time data analysis using a scan tool. Some sensors can be faulty and not set a trouble code because they are working within the set parameter, although it may be at an extreme end of the parameter.

 

[rndn]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Carb cleaner will do nothing for the O2 sensors. If the vehicle has more than 50k on them just replace them.

 

[Windykid]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

A drop of one PSI can cause a host of problems. The computer scan does not read fuel preasure so there is no code for it. Check fuel preasure.

If fuel preasure is good replace o2 sensor, but it would be rare to find all 3 bad and still have good catalytic converter.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Carb cleaner to clean an O2 sensor

Carb cleaner will do nothing for the O2 sensors. If the vehicle has more than 50k on them just replace them.

I agree...you will pay for the price of the O2 sensors in fuel alone. O2 sensors deteriorate over time and will still not set a code as long as the voltage output is in a certain range.