universal O2 sensor which one?

[benny_benny]

I've been searching countless threads, and am wondering what is the correct universal 02 sensor. I have a 3 wire.
I've heard of these working:

13913
15725
15726

I'm not sure which one to buy. However the one I'm running now is a single wire just spliced into the green wire. WTF.

[Mark944na86]

15735

[smokin_944]

What year is the car?

[bazar01]

I bought the 15725 with connectors supplied at Auto-zone $54 back then for the 1990 S2.

[John_AZ]

Follow the Bosch connection instructions. DO NOT SOLDER

http://www.boschautoparts.com/Technical%20Resources/Oxygen%20Sensors/OxygenSensorInstall.pdf

[rdhayward]

I purchased a Bosch #13942 (for a 1987-88 Ford Mustang V8) sensor from NAPA for $43.99 + tax, and spliced the wires into my 968's connector, using solder and heat-shrink tubing. I kept the wires exactly the same length as the OEM so as to avoid significant changes to the overall electrical resistance.

That was 42k miles ago, and it's still working flawlessly.

[benny_benny]

That's a good link john. Thanks

[rdhayward]

Do not solder? BS...old wives tale. Solder works fine, and my car is a living testament to it.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by rdhayward

Do not solder? BS...old wives tale. Solder works fine, and my car is a living testament to it.

What you choose to do with your car is fine.

Unless you can prove solder is superior to crimping with PDF files and manufacturing technical instructions, I am not convinced and the forums purpose is to provide owners with accurate help and assistance.

Additional resources-NGK Oxygen Sensor installation:
Tech info - Oxygen Sensors Overview

If English is not your first language:
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/images/pdfs/Universal_Instruction_Sheet_11-16-04.pdf

Reworded on eBay and updated 3/10/2010:
eBay Guides - UNIVERSAL OXYGEN SENSOR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

AND another from FR Wilk:
Oxygen Sensor

[Rasta Monsta]

pwned.

[rdhayward]

I can tell you've got your hands full trying to drum up all those links.

Old saying: Chrome won't get you home.

[Mark944na86]

Originally Posted by rdhayward

I can tell you've got your hands full trying to drum up all those links.

Old saying: Google is your friend.

[nynor]

second the 13942. ~$35

[wild man]

Originally Posted by Mark944na86

Old saying: Google is your friend.

Is that really an old saying? Although I do use the service regularly (it's my home page), I can't say I've ever heard the "saying". And, relatively speaking, I'm pretty old!

All BS aside, I'm going to have to go +1 (or whatever the actual count is at this point) on the no-solder-on-the-O2-sensor-wires gig.

[rdhayward]

Shoot, now I'm going to have to bow to popular opinion and go out and yank my O2 sensor, cut out that unpopular soldered section, and replace it with a popular crimped wire, lest I have a big breakdown with next time I start the engine.

Thanks for the poll numbers, fellas!

[Rasta Monsta]

No poll needed. Listen to the engineers at Bosch.

[rdhayward]

Same Bosch engineers who brought us these cutesy-pie proprietary connectors which magically make a $40 sensor into a $140 sensor?

[Lawrence Coppari]

I soldered mine on my 944T six years or so ago and it works fine. I think the no solder business is an old wives tale. The supplied connectors are good. If you go with solder, I suspect some installers will use electrical tape to finish off the connection. If you do that and the splices are adjacent, sooner or later the tape will deteriorate and the wires have a good chance of shorting out. I cut my wires so the splices are not next to one another, used heat shrink tubing, then included the whole package in split tubing.

The reasoning I have read regarding not soldering is so that the sensor can receive air. I don't see how that is possible given that the pressure inside the exhaust lie is higher than atmospheric. There is no pressure differential to drive air in that direction. The only other mechanism that could deliver air would be diffusion. That is far too slow to do anything.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by Lawrence Coppari

I soldered mine on my 944T six years or so ago and it works fine. I think the no solder business is an old wives tale. The supplied connectors are good. If you go with solder, I suspect some installers will use electrical tape to finish off the connection. If you do that and the splices are adjacent, sooner or later the tape will deteriorate and the wires have a good chance of shorting out. I cut my wires so the splices are not next to one another, used heat shrink tubing, then included the whole package in split tubing.

The reasoning I have read regarding not soldering is so that the sensor can receive air. I don't see how that is possible given that the pressure inside the exhaust lie is higher than atmospheric. There is no pressure differential to drive air in that direction. The only other mechanism that could deliver air would be diffusion. That is far too slow to do anything.

this sounds reasonable to me.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by rdhayward

Same Bosch engineers who brought us these cutesy-pie proprietary connectors which magically make a $40 sensor into a $140 sensor?

I will overlook the previous solder posts but comment on the $140 O2 sensor.

PLATINUM

Todays spot price for PM platinum is $1680 an ounce.

Platinum is layered on the O2 sensor for supreme conductivity and longevity.
Oxygen Sensors & Emissions - Facts & Repair Advice

The $19 to $50 sensors will not have this.

Also the design may be different:
Oxygen Sensor Design

YMMV

John_AZ