you guys will like this puzzle

[rinverso]

ok , here are the pictures.....i want to change my oxygen sensor while putting my new cat bypass in. i ordered a three wire unit which is what the guide says i need for my 86 3.2 targa. after further inspection, i found my o2 sensor is not even hooked up. and this is what the ends look like. i presume the new sensor will plug into the female plug i'm holding in the two middle pictures. the funny thing is that she runs pretty good without it connected. so my question is. do i plug into that three prong female plug with my new sensor. and will the car run better with it? or should i just plug the bung hole and skip it. we don't have emissions in florida. the bottom picture is the end of the existing sensor which had the ceramic piece in the first picture also butt connected to it. but it was not connected at all. the two middle pictures depict the female end i believe the new sensor end will connect to i presume. thanks guys, as always.

[rinverso]

the bottom picture is the end of the sensor, just hanging, not plugged into anything. where do i plug the new sensor into in the engine compartment.?

[rinverso]

also on the bottom picture you can see the butt connector which had the ceramic connector on it, which fell off.

[rinverso]

i could use alittle input please.

[James Brown]

should be in there some where. the motec is compensating for not getting a signal from the O2 sensor, car might run better with that in place

[E Sully]

O2 connectors tend to crumble with age. They have a heater built in to bring it up to temperature quickly, so that is why it uses 3 wires. The connector is not available separately from the wire harness.
There are a few fixes available.
Oxy Sensor Connector

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by James Brown

should be in there some where. the motec is compensating for not getting a signal from the O2 sensor, car might run better with that in place

Car should run waayyyy better. Probably running hugely fat right now.

Good luck

[BE911SC]

Here's my recent thread on my '84 O2 sensor repair. I think someone said '86s are a little different but maybe the basics are the same.

3.2 oxygen sensor issue

[rinverso]

ok, i'm not an idiot. i have looked all over the left side engine compartmant where the wires come up from the cat. there is no bracket with the plug connections you are all showing in your photo's. maybe its because i have an 86, i'm not sure. here is the picture of the only three wire receptical plug near that area under the fuel filter locale. i have the ceramic plug and two wire modular plug. but they aren't connected to anything. maybe the PO installed the wrong sensor, i'm not sure. what do you think.

[BE911SC]

I think your photo above shows an unused test port, not the connection for your O2 sensor. Keep looking back there by the firewall, use a mirror if needed to see the engine harness and the O2 connection. The '86 must have a different O2 connection up top than earlier cars.

Maybe a new thread with the title "Where is the O2 sensor connection for an '86?" The "puzzle" title on this thread may not attract the answer you need?

[rinverso]

Originally Posted by BE911SC

I think your photo above shows an unused test port, not the connection for your O2 sensor. Keep looking back there by the firewall, use a mirror if needed to see the engine harness and the O2 connection. The '86 must have a different O2 connection up top than earlier cars.

Maybe a new thread with the title "Where is the O2 sensor connection for an '86?" The "puzzle" title on this thread may not attract the answer you need?

thanks, i'll give it a try. the direct connect plug from the sensor looks like this.

[DRACO A5OG]

The one coming from your cat is a O2S for a 84-85 ONLY. the sensor you needed is the superceded/updated 86-89 that like the above pic has all the connectors in one plug. PO placed a wrong O2S in your car.

Jim

[BE911SC]

There you go!

[rinverso]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

The one coming from your cat is a O2S for a 84-85 ONLY. the sensor you needed is the superceded/updated 86-89 that like the above pic has all the connectors in one plug. PO placed a wrong O2S in your car.

Jim

well thank you Jim, i thought i was losing my mind. now i just need to find the right plug to fit it in.