o2 sensor troubleshooting

[beretta]

My 96 Z has some issue with the rear o2 sensor...
I have put an aftermarket 2 way cat converter on it, not a 3 way.

Its been months since i done that. i had to heat the sensor with torches to get it out and put it back into the new pipe i put on the car. ever since my SES light comes on and off from time to time. it hasnt came on for months and the last week its been on a couple times.

I borrowed my friends scanner and checked for stored codes.

P0141 o2 heater CKT bank 1 sensor 2
P0140 Low o2S activity bank 1 sensor 2

I just googled the codes. its saying the rear o2 does not effect fuel delivery, it simple monitors the emissions to determine if the converter is doing its job, now that i have a 2 way instead of 3 way maybe thats giving it false readings causing it to show a code.

Troubleshooting it says to check for 12 volt and ground at the wires and if no 12 volt is present to check the fuse for the heater....

So first question.. Is there a fuse for the rear o2 sensor on our cars.. I might have popped it with excessive heat to the o2 when i was removing it....
2nd.. would the rear o2 sensor cause cold start issues and miss fires with cold start..

Cars been sitting over night its very chilly out here this morning. i fired it up with scanner connected, i have miss fires on #4 #5 and the odd time on another cylinder. soon as the car warms up a little the miss fire counts clear and just go away.

[DTMAce]

Actually, why did you replace the cat with the wrong style that didn't match the car?

And your O2 sensor(s) may just need replacing.

[beretta]

because i wanted more flow then the stock converter with 1 7/8's pipe.. i have 2 1/4 pipe on it now. aftermarket cat was 45 bucks. he had 3 way ones but they were 85.

I dont need pollution test for until next February anyways.

My girlfriend wanted me to make the car louder cuz she likes the sound of the 88. but its just too loud now i dont really care much for it, i want to get a factory converter off a 3.8 L car those are the same style. Loaf or something they call them.. but the 3.8 L ones are 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inch inlet and outlet. so that will make it a little quieter but give me the flow and size i want for my exhaust.

My 88 has aftermarket down pipe so its just single layer 2 1/4 inch, aftermarket cat and aftermarket muffler i had given to me with a 4-6 inch tip on it, it has a nicer deeper and snappy sound compared to the 96. might be something to do with the 5 speed too in the 88, its very snappish.. pops and cracks all the time downshifting and letting off on the throttle.

The 96 sounds ok inside the car.. but outside its loud. people can hear me sitting in their house for like 4 blocks away coming up the road, if i start it in my driveway and let it warm up it rumbles my house, my neighbors dont complain but im sure it bugs them too lol.
The 88 also has the exact same converter on it as the 96, i guess the 3100 just sounds different then the old 3.1. even the cold start up sound is different, i love how that old 3.1 sounds when it kicks over. actually i might go uncover it today and crank it over just so i can hear that sound LOL.

Maybe 2 1/4 pipe is over kill for a stock 3100. maybe even 2 inch would be a upgrade from 1 7/8 and be a little snappier with smaller pipe, i dont know lol.

I just want to figure out why my o2 is acting up, if its bad, or if there is a fuse for it like it said online. the SES light never stays on, it goes out next time i start up or sometimes comes on while driving then goes out on its own. still has stored codes for the o2.

[DTMAce]

Yeah, I have two with 3100 engines, one has completely stock exhaust and the other has had a flowmaster 40 on it. Actually I need to quiet that one down, I got pulled over for too loud of exhaust the other day. People can hear me coming no matter where I go in that one. And there are no holes or leaks in the exhaust. lol

Still, you may have a bad sensor.

[3X00-Modified]

You probably cooked something in the sensor when having to heat it, No they do not have any fuses, so you need to either replace that sensor or have that code tuned out of your ECU by someone with a DHP. That sensor will not cause ANY ill running conditions its a Emissions check ONLY sensor. I do not run one on my 96.

[Money pit Beretta]

ACE you need that noise to keep the deer away.

Yeah "beretta" the 3.1 does sound better than the 3100. I miss my old 3.1.

[beretta]

ya i figured i cooked it. i had to heat it like crazy before i could get it to come out. the entire pipe was glowing about to start melting.

My 96 is crazy loud, standing beside it or inside it doesnt sound loud at all. my gf's sister lives on the street behind us and if my gf is over there i can hear my car start up and hear her driving around town, when im out my gf will text me i can hear you where are you and ill be at the other end of town. its a deep crappy kind of sound like the exhaust fell off, has no leaks its all welded up. i guess its just the sound of the 3100. the 3.1 is very snappy though.

[3X00-Modified]

You keep referencing how loud it is... What muffler are you running?

3100's don't pop and crack so much because the ECU controls the idle more and its fueled by the MAF so the fueling setup is more accurate, less excess fuel no pops..

[beretta]

You keep referencing how loud it is... What muffler are you running?

3100's don't pop and crack so much because the ECU controls the idle more and its fueled by the MAF so the fueling setup is more accurate, less excess fuel no pops..

Not really related in this topic....
Im not sure what the muffler is honestly, the original was rotted out and at the time i got the car same week i had my trip permit on it before i got it certifyed i was at this yearly car part flee market thing (swap meet) whatever you wanna call it lol.. and i found this dual tip aftermarket stainless muffler for $20 bucks. its a oval style and a straight through design you can look through the end of it and it looks the same as a cherry bomb in the middle, no special baffles and it comes out in 2 tips that look pretty close to the stock ones.

The muffler on the 88 is a ractive big round stainless thing with a big tip, when im going through town and down shift coming down the hill it snaps and rumbles.

I tryed to record a video of my 96 with the cold start issue and you cant even hear it doing its little miss firing fit the sound of the exhaust on the camera just sounds terrible.