i can't now but I'll try tomorrah.

Is it possible the o2 sensor is not compatible with my car? Frickin' mechanic snipped the wires to my old o2 sensor! Can't believe it. Better be able to get this one working.

Colin, I'm also having a CEL light! No more stutter, car is running buttery smooth now, but high idle (idle was high before as, well tho, and mechanic thinks high idle may be due to a faulty ECU) and the CEL is now on.

Anyway, should I not drive it with the CEL on? My old o2 sensor had the wires cut to remove it (damn mechanic cut the wires without warning) so I can't exactly reinstall the old one.

that's because you know more than him!
Well, the O2 sensor is working if it solved your hesitation, power surge, whatever, but I'm not sure what to make of the CEL.

I'm thinking the calibration resistor is slightly different. Can you measure
the resistance of the two?

Gary

I can't believe he cut the wires to your O2. What an idiot! Probably thought you didn't want it.. should of told him otherwise before he touched it.

You can continue driving with the CEL light in my opinion.
Gary

High idle... check for vacuum leak.:D Have you checked the idle screw on your throttle body? Some hack had backed mine way out, so when I got everything fixed (timing belt, IACV, O2 sensor) my idle was still high at about 1100rpms. I had noticed that the screw looked messed with (paint all scratched, screw was actually loose) so I adjusted it by tightening it down and it brought my idle under control.

I also replaced my O2 unit with one of the blue wire varieties and it works fine, no codes and good idle. Before the swap it was coding for a new O2 sensor (code 40 something). Have you reset the ecu (do this after checking for codes)? Just pull the fuse to it for 10 seconds or so and replace. Good luck.

Well, the mechanic thought the ECU in my car might be bad and possibly the culprit for the high idle (idle was high before I swapped o2 sensors, but now it is a little higher, only dropping when the car is stopped.) I have a new ECU I want him to install, and will probably have him do it today. So maybe when they're swapped the check engine light will be reset and everything will be honky dorey. THe mechanic didn't find a vacuum leak when he was trying to solve the idle issue awhile ago. I don't know if he checked the idle screw. I imagine he did. I think I had mentioned it to him. Thanks for the info tho.

Don't think it's the idle screw, think you should get rid of the mechanic and start doing your own work, burning money man, burning it.

Particularly if you're just swapping out the ECU. You need a 10mm socket and a ratchet to drive it. It might cost you $20 to buy them if you don't already have a basic tool set. Heck... $40 should buy you a small set (just make sure you get metric tools) and would probably still cost you a good bit less than what the mechanic's going to want.

Agreed. He sounds like he doesn't know what he's doing at all. You should always ask a customer if it's alright to cut the damn wires before installing something that shouldn't have the wires cut to install it...duh.

I'm very skeptical that the ecu will fix your idle. Generally if the ecu is bad, the car will act very strange, not just idle high. In all of the Hondas I've owned, adjusting the idle screw and making sure too much tension isn't on the throttle cable has always fixed the idle being off. :confused:

MY predictions:

• You are throwing a code 42
• You will dump your mechanic
• The CEL being on is what is causing your non-hesitation issue (it's ignoring the O2 sensor now and running open loop all the time, decreasing your gas mileage)
• You will go out and buy a metric socket and wrench set for cheap
• You will be able to work on your own car through our help
• You will be able to save a sh*t-ton of money doing it all yourself
• The high idle is either a messed with idle screw or vacuum leak, trust me!

Once you get the CEL taken care of (either get your mechanic to re-install the old one once he SOLDERS the old wires back on the old sensor or buy you a new one from Honda), turn the idle screw clockwise until it is snug (once the car is warmed up). Then turn it counterclockwise until your tach is reading about 600RPM without the climate control fan, A/C, radio, lights or anything else on in the car.