1998-2002 Accord Coupe 3.0 V6 Lambda Sensor(s) "FAULT CODE"

[hughezee]

Okay lets talk lambdas on the 1998-2002 Accord Coupe 3.0 V6 as this is becoming an age related occurrence, I'm replacing them in a abundance lately and not just the coupes either . So I thought I would share a bit of information if you find yourself with a related OBD code or decide to tackle this job yourself as part of your maintenance as they should be replaced every 100,000 miles .

                  

Firstly in my opinion and experience the best manufacturers of these sensors are Denso & NTK, those not familiar with the name NTK its a another name of NGK and both manufacturers are in fact the original equipment suppliers for Honda with few exceptions. Also manufacturers recommend replacing O2 sensors in pairs (both Upstream or both Downstream). An older, slower sensor can cause an imbalance in the engine management system, leading to poor fuel economy and possible damage to the catalytic converter. However this is not always essential if your just looking to replace one faulty sensor, it's just good working practice.

Anyway back to NTK for a moment whom of which say they offer a front sensor for the Accord coupe 3.0 V6 on their website this however is an incorrect part and plug connection, as one member already found out  so check out the link> http://www.ngkpartfinder.co.uk/car_commercial_extra.php?id=7637 and avoid purchasing this sensor and I would suggest the NTK 24172 instead

The sensors you need are illustrated below as items 18 P/N: 36531P8CA01 & 19 P/N: 36532P8CA21 which are manufactured by Denso the original supplier for these sensors.

These sensors are also available via the club at a fraction of Honda UK's eye watering £432.45 per sensor Also if your interested in sticking with OEM sensors I've included a bit of information from Denso below

Illustration Details

• Porous PTFE Filter - Allows atmospheric oxygen to enter the sensor without permitting water or engine contaminants to seep into the casing.
• Robotic Laser Weld
• Aluminium-Oxide Trap Layer - Keeps silicone and lead outside the ceramic elient through DENSO's exclusive design, preventing damage to the platinum electrode.
• Stainless Steel Housing - Resists corrosion and contamination with a rugged, watertight body.
• Double Protection Cover - Maintains proper unit temperature for quicker response times and protects the ceramic element against silicone and lead poisoning.

Features

• Corrosion-resistant stainless steel construction
• PTFE filter blocks efficiency-robbing contaminants
• Refined zirconia element improves sensor response

Benefits

• Superior design maximizes engine performance and fuel efficiency while reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions
• First Time Fit® delivers the right part the first time
• Ensures smog test compliance

Any questions you have, don't hesitate ask us

[Mazda Man]

Great stuff Stu. 

[Laird_Scooby]

Great write up Stu!

A little bit of information for those of you with a Legend or other older C-series powered car, the earlier cars had two sensors, one in each exhaust manifold to monitor how each bank was running as opposed to the later J-series where the first (pre-cat) Lambda sensor provides feedback on mixture control and the second is what some might consider a "belt & braces" reading at the outlet of the cat (post-cat) to confirm the cat is doing what it should.

With the later type (pre and post cat) replacing just the one faulty sensor is fine although as already mentioned by Stu, it's good practice to replace them in pairs.

With the older type with a sensor per bank, it's pretty much essential to replace them in pairs as the new one will read more accurately and the older one will give a lower output so telling the ECU to enrich the mixture on that bank. Not only will this cause a serious imbalance in how the engine runs but high fuel consumption and potential fuel wash of the bores on one bank.

I'm not sure if Honda still supply the Lambdas for the older C series engines but they are surprisingly common to many other cars - Suzuki, Vauxhall, Daewoo and a host of others. They're also a single wire sensor meaning they have no internal heater and rely on the exhaust gases to heat them to a working temperature - good and bad in this scenario. The bad is they take longer to work so closed loop mixture control happens later after start up but by the same token are (slightly) more reliable in as much as there is no heater circuit to fail and render the sensor inoperative.

Whichever type you have, 100,000 miles is a generous lifetime estimate if you're changing them for routine maintenance although i know of a pair in a C27 that lasted 160000 miles. They were a bit black when they eventually came out (after a struggle, they'd nearly welded themselves in!) and performance and economy are both vastly improved now.

Bottom line is you pays your money etc - replace before they fail and enjoy improved performance and economy or wait until they die and then raplace saving something on the cost of replacement.

Aftermarket parts are also available for the more cost-conscious owner but don't go for the cheapest available as they seem to have a higher than average premature failure rate.

[kag8]

For those who would like to attempt a DIY I thought this was a very nice tutorial video.

 

I havent attempted it myself though!