$79 5 wire O2 sensor - who has bought one?
 

On another thread, I noted a few people who bought the $79 5 wire L1H1 sensor for their Civic VX on ebay. I called Napa and Autozone today and they wanted over $400 and $390, respectively. There is no way I will pay that much for a sensor because I can buy alot of gas with $400.

From what I understand, the Bosch 13246 sensor is the Honda sensor. People who bought these sensors say it comes with the Honda Part # stamped on it - 36531-P07-003. Of course, the two places I called charged what Honda would charge for these sensors.

I did a bit of research last night and discovered NTK made these exclusively for Honda. I'm not sure if Honda took legal action on the grey marketing of these sensors, but prices have gone up on them since 2003. The Bosch 13246 was priced at $99 at some places pre 2003, but now they are in the high $300.

On ebay Global Automotive is selling the NTK sensor for $79. I want to buy today, but wanted to find out if any of you that have bought this sensor had problems with it.

1. Is it plug and play for the 49-state VX? Connectors the same?
2. Does it look like the OEM one? Is NTK or a honda part # stamped on it?
3. Does it look brand new?
4. Do you get a CEL w/sensor installed? (check engine light)

Gary

The sensor that ebay store is selling looks just like the one I bought from autozone.com in 2005. If you notice the sensor has a blue wire which to my knowledge only came on the L2H2 sensor. For my 92 VX at least, the L2H2 sensor did not function properly (code 41 - sensor heater).

If you want get one that works, the only one that does for sure is the L1H1 with red white and black wires on the top row of the connector and orange and yellow wires on the bottom row. The L2H2 sensor I bought for $89.95 did not have matching colors and the wires on the L2H2 were not in the same order on the connector as the L1H1. There is an internal resistor on the L1H1 that is built into the connector body. The L2H2 sensor (or clone or knock off) I bought had a resistor added on to the outside of the connector which strongly suggests not a factory part.

Proceed with caution and read the return policy carefully. You probably will need to return it.

This is the one you bought right?
https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...162894537&rd=1

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll hold off getting this until I find out more info.
Here's another one that looks promising, but it's $140.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=007

Gary

Gary,

The other one doesn't look right either. www.oxygensensor.net has the exact match at $195.00 but unfortunately they show the L2H2 number as well. You will need to call them and make sure they send you the L1H1 with the wire colors shown. This is your best bet.

What's wrong with the second one? It's an L1H1 right? Are the color of the wires on the harnesses not right? I think I read somewhere the AFX box takes a VX O2 sensor so I thought that would work.

I guess that leaves this one:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA...QQcmdZViewItem

What do you think of this one?
Man, these 5-wire sensors are giving me a headache.
Gary

The ebay listing says it's for a 96-00. The wire colors and location on the connector are critical. The orange and yellow wires are for the sensor heater. Beware of the blue wire - that's an L2H2 and it probably won't work for a 92-95 Fed VX.

Oh what the krike. Mine has a blue wire.

Although it does say it works with the VX.
I guess I should install it to find out if it works.

Has anyone bought this o2 sensor for their VX and had it work? If I recall right, Panamacolin had to return his because it didn't work in his VX?

If you look further down in the listing, it list the 92-95 VX non CA models as a car that will work with this L1H1 sensor.

For some reason I can't believe it's an L2H2 sensor since the explicityly list it as a L1H1 sensor. That will give us an ability to return it for a refund if we do find out it's not the sensor as advertise.

Jacinto : try it out and let us know if it works! That sensor worked for the VX owner in Canada - it actually made his car run much better sooooo... I'm led to believe it may work...
Gary

I ordered mine from Global-Automotive...purchased off of ebay...the o2 sensor did not work. When I installed it the CEL came on and it would not turn off. I reset the ECU and nada check engine light...high idle..and eratic. Just got refunded for the part....not a fun procedure. I def. dont think it was the right part.
I would not order the part off ebay...especially from Global-Automotive. They were rude in the repsonse letter and I almost did not get a refund. I had to call my visa credit card to get them to contact global auto for me...otherwise I would have been stuck with a bogus part...

best of luck to everyone...if you find another cheap part that is legit I would be interested to know.

Here is a link to the one I just installed.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...173410075&rd=1
It seems to work just fine. My car had the O2 sensor code prior to installing and has since not thrown any codes. If it is important, I can check the color of the wires for you after the sun comes up.

It would be very helpful in light of what several people have said about the blue wire.

my wires are blue, yellow, gray, white and black.

Thanks!

I also have blue, yellow, white, gray and black wires. I don't have a CEL on and no codes. I did have a O2 code prior to swapping it out, none now. Car just came back from mechanic and it seems to all check out OK. I've put over 1000 miles on the new sensor with no ill effects so far and the best mileage to date, 46mpg last tank with timing belt off 1 tooth.

I just found this online, don't know if its true:
NTK L1H1/L2H2:
Original post is HERE

BTW, the post says that the Bosch sensors work too... D'oh!

I also found this which seems to confirm the above:
This info comes from HERE

Cool, man, thanks. Maybe I put it in this weekend!

I have a question for you. If you were to accelerate slowly from low RPM, particularly in gear 1, 2 or 3, would your car stutter, lurch, stumble, hesitate or anything like that? My car is still doing that. Did it ever do this with you? Did you notice any difference in how the car drives since you put in the new o2 sensor?

Yeah, I had issues like that. I changed my O2 sensor and plugs at the same time, so its hard telling if it was the actual culprit tho.

https://www.gassavers.org/showpost.ph...2&postcount=16

Here is the one I order from Global Technomitive on e-bay, and it work great. My FE is incredibly better. No CEL and no problem.

It as the NTK stamp on it and 36531-P07-003 sticker on top.

right plugs helped my car a lot but did not solve the problem completely. So you don't have those issues anymore?

Here is what mine looks like:

NTK JAPAN engraved in the metal and right below that it has a blue band that has the following written on it.

HONDA 36531-P07-003

Yay :)

Is that the new $79 O2 sensor you're talking about or the one that is on your car now?
Gary

that would be the new $79 one I bought.

But good point, I will compare it to the old one.

And that is the one you bought at Global automotive right? If that # is
engraved into the O2 sensor, then I'm going to get it.

I heard the Bosch 13246 also is NTK with the Honda part # either engraved in it or
stamped somewhere..

This is really good news 1993CivicVX! Can you take a picture of it and upload it
here?
Gary

I just bought the one on ebay from "GLOBAL-AUTOMOTIVE" titled "NEW NTK OEM OXYGEN SENSOR 5 WIRE 1992-2000 HONDA CIVIC". I just installed it on yesterday. When I got it I noticed the wires looked a little short and the "honda part# sticker" looked a little out of place. Sure enough the wires were way shorter than the ones on my stock sensor. I accidently pulled some of the wires out of the harness plug when I tried to plug it in. I ended up cutting the harness off of my old sensor and joing it with the new sensor to lengthen it. I got it all together and started my car to find that it worked just fine. I drove a few errands in town and then took off for the beach for a 125 mile test run. So far no problems and my car runs way smoother. I don't know what the whole sticker thing is about (instead of stamped or ingraved!?) but the sensor seems to work fine. $79+6 shipping isn't too bad...

the number isn't engraved, only the "Honda NTK" I will post pics shortly.

:thumbup: for the thing working, that's hella cheap!

Couldn't get the nut loose with an adjustable wrench and no way of getting box wrench on it without cutting the wires so I am going to have the mechanic swap it out. Shouldn't take him more than 10 minutes, right? It was $40 for an o2 sensor socket wrench. Mechanic should be able to do it for cheaper.

I soaked and resoaked the nut in PB Blaster (over night). No dice.

You lie on the cost! You lie...

https://www.autozone.com/R,NONAPP2327...ductDetail.htm

You should be able to get just the socket for like 8.99 or sommick. Screw the mechanic and use your saved money to buy tools, :p

will i have other uses for that socket? Seems like it's designed only for the o2 sensor removal and installation.

Great find!
Or you can get one of these:
https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95045

That's my favorite store. I spend close to $100 everytime I go there :(.
Gary

It is indeed only for that...but think how nice it is to do it yourself and how helpful you'll be when I friend needs it...

https://bp0.blogger.com/_Y8WoJeZ-J4c/...2%2Bsensor.jpg

hmm.. sorry, not a very good picture. but you can see the K that is from the NTK. And the number is on that sticker.

Can't see the picture, but if I pull the link and try to link to it I see the image.
Hmm... this is probably not a real L1H1 sensor, but I think I'm going to buy one since it seems to work and the price is fair. I think I'll wait for you to install it since I value your opinion.. so, hurry up and get it installed! :).
https://bp0.blogger.com/_Y8WoJeZ-J4c/...yRlqKzxk/s1600

1993 civic vx...if you have any autoparts stores around you should be able to buy the socket 8-10bucks. I bought mine at advaced autoparts and it was 9 dollas...

Dont pay some mechanic 40 bucks to twist a bolt...

Most autozone stores have the loaner tool program and have the O2 sensor socket there. You buy it from them and you get your money back when you return it to the store. Free is even better (not including fuel for trips to the store!).

Mechanic installed the o2 sensor for me this afternoon. (He didn't show up this morning.) But, he cut the wires of the old one to unisntall it!! The whole reason I brought it to him for him to do it was so he wouldn't cut the wires!! Because I could have done it myself if I cut the wires. Very annoying. The new o2 sensor fixed the hesitation problem completely and utterly. At least from the short 9 mile test. Absolutely no hesitation or power loss or power surge or stutter or anything. Wonderful. Car still has a high idle though. Have yet to install the ECU that came today. BUT, here's the bad part. The CEL is on!! Ugh! Any ideas?

What's the CEL? Do you know how to check it?

check engine light. i don't know how to do nuttin with the check engine light.

Find the little blue plug tucked up under the dash on the passenger side and jump it with a paper clip and then watch the CEL flash. Long = 10, short = 1, tell us what the code is...

What kinda mechanic does something that causes a cel and returns the car like that, :p

he didn't even test drive it. Installed it closed the hood. I think he is tired of me and my "internet" references and parts. He's a bit of an oddball.

on the 92-95 civics it's gray. But I know the o2 sensor is causing the CEL because it came on right after he installed it. Will it go off once the car is used to the new o2 sensor or what? The o2 sensor I assume is good and okay for the car since it fixed the problem I wanted it to fix.

It might not have fixed the problem even if it seems like it...jump the gray plug and tell us the code...