When should I change my o2 sensor?

The O2 sensors are generally not on a schedule these days. They are normally changed when indicated by a check engine light & code readout or when increased exhaust emissions indicate that the sensor might be getting slow to respond.

That said, treating it as a maintenance item at 100k miles isn't a bad idea. You are concerned about the first sensor before the catalytic converter, not the second one after the converter.

If you do change it, stay away from the "universal" type which is spliced into the line. You really want to use one with a correct set of wiring and connector. Denso would be my choice on a Honda. rockauto.com and others generally have them.

John

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O2 sensors need to be scoped to be sure if they are 'tired'. OBD II doesn't care too much if they are lively, so long as they still cycle.

Don't forget to do the PCV as well. It often gets overlooked, and it can lead to the demise of your CAT if it allows too much oil vapor to be sucked out of the engine.

'Curly'

As the others said, there is no time/mileage spec on the O2 sensor. It is early for yours to be working poorly. I'd do basic tuneup items first and then see how your car performs for a month.

Heed to the letter the gas mileage tips for Hondas given at the site below, and your mileage could improve significantly:

"Rob" wrote

It is a shame you are spouting bad information about OBDII. OBDII systems monitor rise and fall time of the O2 sensor as well as voltage levels and current levels. If any aspect of the O2 sensor goes bad the computer will tell you. The original poster here apparently has no idea of how to determine gas mileage. He needs to measure the mileage as well as consider his driving habits and the type of fuel he is using. Fuel formulas change this time of year which will cause lower mileage as alcohol is added. You can start throwing parts at a perceived problem but you are wasting your money...

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Just repeating all I learned (off the Internet) when my CAT went bad. Many sites said that OBD II looks to be sure the sensor is cycling, but isn't too picky if it cycles FAST ENOUGH all the time. As sensors age they slow down, but OBD II is said to be way too tolerant (and it has to be due to several circumstances), and, if you want to know _for sure_, you have to scope them.

I don't think this is 'bad information'. If a person wants peak fuel economy, you can't depend on OBD II to be the total answer.

'Curly'

OBDII does not always catch bad O2 sensors. I just went through this on my '96 OBDII equipped Volvo. The car's computer thought everything was fine. NOX readings said otherwise. A new OE oxygen sensor fixed the problem and immediately brought NOX readings back to what they had been four years earlier at one of that car's prior emissions tests.

John

This has been kicked around here at length before. I am still not convinced one way or the other, but I tend to agree with you. There have been a lot of OBDII cars that clearly benefitted from O2 (#1) sensor replacement even though OBDII didn't complain. Of course, the picture is muddied by the uncertainty as to whether a particular sensor is degraded in the first place. If a perfectly good sensor is replaced, no improvement will be seen. If a marginal one that is still working "well enough" is replaced, improvements in fuel efficiency and drivability may be seen... but that conflicts with the results from replacing the good one.

If I'm not mistaken, OBDII only requires emissions related monitoring. As long as the front sensor doesn't drive the mixture so wild that the cat can't clean it up, OBDII really doesn't care.

Mike