Disconneted O2 Sensor?
 

Had an issue with the idle surging, and after a recommendation from this board I disconnected. It cured the problem and the car appears to run fine. Are there any other issues that may arise as a result of disconnecting the sensor? Would this necessarily indicate a bad sensor or something else?

Thanks!

You might want to see if the sensor is defective. Also, if the sensor is good....it was doing it's job....there might be a vacuum leak someplace.

Recommending disconnecting the 02 as a permenent fix for idle surge is suspect.

You could end up damaging the Cat.

I agree with mikez....find the problem and fix it correctly. There is more than enough SC experts on this board to assist.

I am running a cat bypass pipe, so not concerned about damaging the cat - anything else that may get damaged?

Your gas mileage.

Joe

Vance:
Your car may be running too rich with the O2 sensor disconnected. When my carrera's was disconnected, my car ran VERY rich, fuel mileage dropped significantly and the concern is that the extra fuel may wash the cylinder's of their oil film protection. Just my $0.02.

Pete

Set the mixture. You can do the basic test and set-up with a voltmeter. You should be able to get ir reasonably in range. Beyond that you need the gas tester. I'm game for pitching in on a community one if you are.

John

You might have better luck with an old fashioned dwell meter. Do a search.

Joe

Yeah, I think it could be harmful.

Running too rich is not good, for a variety of reasons.

There is something else wrong with the car, IMO. Setting a car to run extra rich is a bandaid that can mask a variety of problems (vacuum leaks, etc.). IMO, it's not the right way to solve your running problem.

You didn't mention if you were chipped, some of the cheaper chips often showed a idle hunting problem until warm. I solved my hunt problem by first checking for vacuum leaks (carb cleaner sprayed at intake, watch out for spraying near air intake), next I cleaned the ICV with carb cleaner, then I set the idle via jumper and idle adjusting screw, next I adjusted my CO set to factory specs via the air/fuel mixture allen screw. Low and behold, the hunt went away.

'83 - no chip or icv