I know it's been a while, but I've been lurking here and there. I'd now like to ask for a little help.

Turns out I passed the actual emmissions part of the test, but I have a check engine light on - so I'm getting failed. The light has been coming on during long trips and when I get home, I just diconnect the battery for a bit, reconnect it (reset the radio station presets) and, bingo, no more light until the next Vegas, Palmdale, Calexico or Blythe or whatever trip over 150 or so straight miles.

So, before the test I unhooked the battery and made sure the light was off. Turns out, the computer stores the code even though the dash light went off (I hate that I can't outsmart my vehicle).

I took it to the only AAA smog test station I could find because I figure they have no reason to shtick it to me (I have an accute distrust for autoshops - I used to represent them, and I don't like falling victim to their antics - please, no offense to anyone, I guess the fact that I deal with the worst in people almost every day makes me an eternal skeptic, and I love my truck!). Well, the AAA smog tech guy actually pulled the code for me. Turns out, the code is for an O2 sensor on "bank one" near the motor (which narrows it down from the four O2 sensors on there to one) . . . .

Great! Quick fix! Wrong . . . That litte sucker is $250 (thank goodness I don't have replace all four!), and now I need to clear the code from the computer somehow after I put it in.

My questions are these:

Which side is "bank one" - the side with cylinder one, right?

Also, I've found O2 sensors with the right plug on Ebay for only $50, any other ideas, or will the Ebay ones even work?

Are all four sensors the same?

Finally, is there a way to simply clear the codes from the computer - and, can I just clear it and retest it?

Your thoughts are much appreciated.

I'll see some of you at MOD, yeah? No hard core wheeling for me, unfortunately. If I went, I be pussing out the whole time and wishing I had made the sliders and skid plates I always dreamed about (not to mention the bumpers and winch), and if I broke something, I fear the "I told you so" from my wife, not to mention the $$$$$. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" />

So, with 170k on its ticker, the Mony only sees 4wd in the sand, the launch ramp and those rare finds in between reality where I can almost get into trouble (I love going wheeling in my suit after getting out of court - especially up in Ventura and Riverside/San Bernardino).

Yea, so we're bideing our time with no car payments and enjoying the twilight years of the Monty - waiting for the inevitable, suitable replacement that has yet to be made. Man, I love this truck, and it will surely be missed when the time comes <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> Anyone heard anything more about the new Tundra with a diesel? Sorry, my wife's 4Runner is really a neat vehicle (and tows our 20' boat like its nothing!), and I'm getting sold on Toyotas and the parts and aftermarket support. Now I'm rambling. Thanks again for the input.

Take care,

Jim

Wow! I would have had something to say, but I have this acute distrust for lawyers. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

With any luck, some of the other smog techs and mechanics that frequent this site will join me.

Ha ha! Touche'! I figured that comment would get someone's attention. Please, I mean no offense.

I've just had some of the shadiest characters as clients (through their CGL carriers), and my wife will tell you about the car dealers and tire/wheel guys she's had as clients (see, nobody wants to deal with us lawyers so we're forced to marry each other now!) - I guess when we've read about so many deaths seen such serious injuries resulting from a mechanic's negligence, we tend to be very picky about who we take our personal 4000 lb insturments of destruction to.

That's why I have a Mitsu and she has a Toyota - we don't like seeing the inside of a garage unless its our own and I'm doing the work. I certainly can respect the profession, and I love to watch a good mechnic in action methodically tracking down a problem. I see all things mechanical as a great big puzzle, and although I may be an amature mechanic by some standards, I love wrenching on my own stuff and I know what I don't know and I'm not afraid to ask and learn. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

And, hey, I always try to make myself available to help out someone with their legal problems, so please feel free to e-mail me or call if you ever need anything and I'll try to steer you in the right direction if I can. I do reserve the right to berate anyone if they call me from jail after getting a DUI - I don't practice criminal law (or family law for that matter) for a reason.

With that said, any thoughts on this darn O2 sensor? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Thank you!

Jim

You've gotten my attention Jim. The trouble is when you accidentally punch somebody in the face, saying you're sorry doesn't stop the blood. At least once a week I get someone shamelessly asking me to look at/fix their car because they "don't trust mechanics", and they really have no idea how insulting they are. It's worse when they've made some ham-fisted attempt to fix it themselves and expect me to clean up the mess. Most of the questions you are asking can be answered by reading a service manual. You may want to consider, though, that it is quite a risk to ride in a vehicle that has been "repaired" by an admitted amateur, particularly one without the training to do a basic O2 diagnosis. If you don't want to take your truck to a shop, you need to head down to your local technical college and enroll in some auto-tech classes - the perfect opportunity to ask and learn.

I know Jim-Bo and can vouch for him as one of the good guys based on quite a few discussions and meetings. In fact the first time I ever met him was when he even went out of his way to drive a gas tank given to me by Vic Lee from S. Cal to San Jose. No catches, no unseen clauses. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

So, that being said, don't take what he says personally. If there's anyone you should blame its the lousy mechanic's and lawyers we've either heard about or had to unfortunately deal with!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

C'mon guys. He asked a couple of pretty basic questions that real technicians can answer in their sleep. Help a brother out.

I believe the dig has been returned by the comment about distrust for lawyers.

Why take a stab at the poster and not take a stab at answering the question? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Sorry Jim, a little research and I found nothing. My stuff calls it 'left bank' and 'right bank'.

I'd go for passenger side first. I would guess clearing the code is not needed once its fixed no? The light goes off, the code is cleared - that's my understanding.

Ray and Bretwalda, thank you. I can certainly voudge for you guys too. I have to give Ray some credit - I did deliver the gas tank, but he also picked up Carlos' old brush gaurd that I bought and met me at his work to swap it for the tank.

And guys, really, all you need to do is a litle search to see how many postings there are about "bad" mechanics. That's why I can respect the good ones. Lucky for me this is an automotive forum, so there's probably not many about "bad" Lawyers.

As for my experience with mechanics, the wrongful death cases I've handled are probably the worst (one guy who's '65 mustang was literally run over with him in it by a semi after his tire - in the words of Ron White - "fell the f-ck off" because the tire shop mechanic was admittedly absent minded and did not tighten the bolts). But one that stands out was a well known mechanic/shop owner in East San Diego, very prominent in his community, who was crying to me about how hard it is to make a living being a mechanic - this was while I was defending the guy for putting oil in a car's brake fluid reservoir in order to cause "an eventual break down of the fluid" so he can redo the vehicle's brakes. That vehicle, belonging to a 59 year old widow, careened into a church parking lot on a Sunday morning after its brakes failed and took out seven people. Thankfully no one was killed. We settled it for the the guy's full $1 million garage policy and I believe the plaintiffs lawyers were going after him personally - I hope they took every last cent he had. Keep telling me I have no reason to be skeptical, I'll tell you some more stories.

I'll be the first to admit, the same shtick goes for lawyers - a few bad apples ruin the bunch. My wife and I don't even trust a majority of those in our profession - there's a reson for all those jokes. Facts are.

Oh, I took automotive 100 (basic) and automotive 104 A and B (engines) in junior college. I stopped there because I had trasferred to a four year and, really, with an old hot rodder for a father, I learned all I needed to know to work on my own vehicles at the time, occasionally with dad's help(Volkwagens with manual transmission - is there any better father/son bonding than cursing together at a stuck bolt?). I admit that I'm a bit clueless when it comes to electrical, diagnostics and automatic transmissions, but I've rebuilt my share of motors, from VWs to V8s (if you're ever in O-side I'll take you for a ride in our boat with the 305 I rebuilt), a few manual transmissions and replaced plenty of clutches. On my 91 Monty I did the timing belt and while I was at it, took the heads off to get the valve guide seals done - that's all that truck ever needed aside from brakes and oil changes and the occasional filters - one of the reasons I bought the 97.

Now, if I got offended at every lawyer joke, I'd need to find a new job (my engineer friend finds at least one new one every week for me). Lucky for mechanics, they don't get poked fun at.

Anyway, again, I didn't meen to offend.

If I can garner any advise, the fault code is "P0135 O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfuntion (Bank 1 Sensor 1)"

Thanks again.

Take care,

Jim

Well if you are going to be at the the MOD event with us, I'll bring my very expensive OBDII scanning/diag computer to plug your Monte into and we can read all the codes, live data from the computer/engine, etc that you want and see if anything is wrong.

Just let me know if you're gonna show up cause I don't want to have a $1400 unit sitting in my open car at the MOD event. But it'll tell you everything about what's going on with the engine and drivetrain also if its linked.

Jason.

Jason, I appreciate the offer but the registration is due August 2, so I'd be really short on time if we do it then. I also don't want to be responsible for causing your unit any harm in transport. BTW, I am planning on being at MOD so I'll see you there.

What I'm thinking is just going with the $52 O2 sensor on Ebay and replacing the one I think the code is telling me is bad. Then I will keep my fingers crossed the new one is good, that the computer acknowledges it and that the code gets cleared, as Bretwalda surmised. If the light goes off, I'll take it in for a retest.

Thanks to all who responded <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />, and to those who took offense (or whom I "punched in the face" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />), lighten up. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" />

Take care,

Jim
a.k.a. a**hole, piece of sh*t, untrustworthly, no good, worthless liar, err lawyer - there, a little self deprication, feel better? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Sheesh, tough crowd.