Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

Does anybody know where the O2 sensor on a 1986 325es is?
I tried looking under the area where the spark plugs are and could not
find it.
Anyone has seen a picture online anywhere?

I saw a picture of 1988 models (I beleive) which was on a really easy
place to see but not my damn car.

Thanks for all your help in advance.

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:50:41 -0700, bmwguy2 > wrote:

>Does anybody know where the O2 sensor on a 1986 325es is?
>I tried looking under the area where the spark plugs are and could not
>find it.
>Anyone has seen a picture online anywhere?
>
>I saw a picture of 1988 models (I beleive) which was on a really easy
>place to see but not my damn car.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do
--
Dan.

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

bmwguy2 wrote:
> Does anybody know where the O2 sensor on a 1986 325es is?
> I tried looking under the area where the spark plugs are and could not
> find it.
> Anyone has seen a picture online anywhere?
>
> I saw a picture of 1988 models (I beleive) which was on a really easy
> place to see but not my damn car.
>
> Thanks for all your help in advance.
>

Look in the exhaust pipe. They are never anywhere near the spark plugs.

--
-Fred W

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

On Jun 13, 8:30 pm, Fred W > wrote:
> bmwguy2 wrote:
> > Does anybody know where the O2 sensor on a 1986 325es is?
> > I tried looking under the area where the spark plugs are and could not
> > find it.
> > Anyone has seen a picture online anywhere?
>
> > I saw a picture of 1988 models (I beleive) which was on a really easy
> > place to see but not my damn car.
>
> > Thanks for all your help in advance.
>
> Look in the exhaust pipe. They are never anywhere near the spark plugs.
>
> --
> -Fred W

According to the Haynes Manual I have here, the O2 sensor on an '86
325 is located just after the catalytic converter along the exhaust.
Just out of curiosity, why are you trying to locate it? My O2 sensor
on my '91 535 is placed right inside the catalytic converter, but the
electrical connection is in the engine compartment.

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

On Jun 14, 6:52 am, noobiedoobie > wrote:
> On Jun 13, 8:30 pm, Fred W > wrote:
>
> > bmwguy2 wrote:
> > > Does anybody know where the O2 sensor on a 1986 325es is?
> > > I tried looking under the area where the spark plugs are and could not
> > > find it.
> > > Anyone has seen a picture online anywhere?
>
> > > I saw a picture of 1988 models (I beleive) which was on a really easy
> > > place to see but not my damn car.
>
> > > Thanks for all your help in advance.
>
> > Look in the exhaust pipe. They are never anywhere near the spark plugs.
>
> > --
> > -Fred W
>
> According to the Haynes Manual I have here, the O2 sensor on an '86
> 325 is located just after the catalytic converter along the exhaust.
> Just out of curiosity, why are you trying to locate it? My O2 sensor
> on my '91 535 is placed right inside the catalytic converter, but the
> electrical connection is in the engine compartment.

My car's idle is not stable (it fluctuates b/w 800-1800 RPM) and I was
told to replace the O2 sensor and it might fix the problem

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

bmwguy2 wrote:
> On Jun 14, 6:52 am, noobiedoobie > wrote:
>
>>On Jun 13, 8:30 pm, Fred W > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>bmwguy2 wrote:
>>>
>>>>Does anybody know where the O2 sensor on a 1986 325es is?
>>>>I tried looking under the area where the spark plugs are and could not
>>>>find it.
>>>>Anyone has seen a picture online anywhere?
>>
>>>>I saw a picture of 1988 models (I beleive) which was on a really easy
>>>>place to see but not my damn car.
>>
>>>>Thanks for all your help in advance.
>>
>>>Look in the exhaust pipe. They are never anywhere near the spark plugs.
>>
>>>--
>>>-Fred W
>>
>>According to the Haynes Manual I have here, the O2 sensor on an '86
>>325 is located just after the catalytic converter along the exhaust.
>>Just out of curiosity, why are you trying to locate it? My O2 sensor
>>on my '91 535 is placed right inside the catalytic converter, but the
>>electrical connection is in the engine compartment.
>
>
> My car's idle is not stable (it fluctuates b/w 800-1800 RPM) and I was
> told to replace the O2 sensor and it might fix the problem
>

It might, but there's a whole better chance that it won't. When O2
sensors go bad they throw check-engine codes and the car idles very
poorly, but genrally not where the idle races up and down. Your symptom
sounds a lot more like a severe vacuum leak. Look around in the ngine
compartment for a hose that has blow off or cracked or a cracked rubber
intake manifold boot.

--
-Fred W

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

"Fred W" > wrote
> bmwguy2 wrote:

>> My car's idle is not stable (it fluctuates b/w 800-1800 RPM) and I was
>> told to replace the O2 sensor and it might fix the problem
>>
>
> It might, but there's a whole better chance that it won't. When O2
> sensors go bad they throw check-engine codes and the car idles very
> poorly, but genrally not where the idle races up and down. Your symptom
> sounds a lot more like a severe vacuum leak. Look around in the ngine
> compartment for a hose that has blow off or cracked or a cracked rubber
> intake manifold boot.

Well, Fred, it's not likely to "throw codes" on a pre-OBD car. ;->
However, I agree about the vacuum leak. Ensure that the oil
filler cap and oil dipstick are firmly seated, too.

FloydR

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

"bmwguy2" > wrote:
> My car's idle is not stable (it fluctuates b/w 800-1800 RPM) and I was
> told to replace the O2 sensor and it might fix the problem

The E36 has a tendency to foul idle control valves. One that
is not working correctly will cause an idle fluctuation. First you
can try cleaning it by removing it and spraying well with throttle
body/carburetor cleaner. If it is especially dirty and stuck you
may have to replace it.

I had a really fickle E36 which required both an idle control valve
and an airflow meter to stabilize the idle. Just be sure you have
checked all the vacuum areas first.

Bob

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

Floyd Rogers wrote:
> "Fred W" > wrote
>
>>bmwguy2 wrote:
>
>
>>>My car's idle is not stable (it fluctuates b/w 800-1800 RPM) and I was
>>>told to replace the O2 sensor and it might fix the problem
>>>
>>
>>It might, but there's a whole better chance that it won't. When O2
>>sensors go bad they throw check-engine codes and the car idles very
>>poorly, but genrally not where the idle races up and down. Your symptom
>>sounds a lot more like a severe vacuum leak. Look around in the ngine
>>compartment for a hose that has blow off or cracked or a cracked rubber
>>intake manifold boot.
>
>
> Well, Fred, it's not likely to "throw codes" on a pre-OBD car. ;->
> However, I agree about the vacuum leak. Ensure that the oil
> filler cap and oil dipstick are firmly seated, too.
>
> FloydR
>
>

Are you saying the ECU will not generate a check engine light on a 1986
325es if the O2 sensor has gone tits up?

Even the earliest Motronic ECU will show an O2 fault via the check
engine light.

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/repair_faqs/motronic.html

--
-Fred W

Location of OXYGEN (O2) Sensor on 1986 325es
 

Bob Smitter wrote:
> "bmwguy2" > wrote:
>
>>My car's idle is not stable (it fluctuates b/w 800-1800 RPM) and I was
>>told to replace the O2 sensor and it might fix the problem
>
>
> The E36 has a tendency to foul idle control valves. One that
> is not working correctly will cause an idle fluctuation. First you
> can try cleaning it by removing it and spraying well with throttle
> body/carburetor cleaner. If it is especially dirty and stuck you
> may have to replace it.
>
> I had a really fickle E36 which required both an idle control valve
> and an airflow meter to stabilize the idle. Just be sure you have
> checked all the vacuum areas first.
>

That's nice, but we are talking about a 1986 (see subject line) and
those are E30's (not E36's).

However, E30's do also have ICVs, which is why the idle goes up and down
when they have a vacuum leak.


--
-Fred W