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It is the tip that covers the end of the O2 sensor. Does it do any filtering?
There was a rattle coming from my car at low RPM's.
Went under and banged the exhaust with my palm - heard something inside the Cat.
Got the Cat off today (installed a Berk TP another story )
Rolledthe cat around a few times and this came to hole where the O2 sensrer screws in...
I have all stock exhaust...its never been opened and is as is from the factory. The car has 28K & will be about 3 years old in April07.
I've never shown a CEL & I've put the stock O2 sensor back into the test pipe and no cell.
Thoughts as to how the O2 sensor tip could have gotten this way ? from during assemble? over time? but how would it have flattened if not installed incorrectly from the gitgo?
From what I understand that item in the pic is mainly like the intake body that covers and protects the Zirconia element that is inside the O2 sensor that does the sniffin. Inside is also a heating element which also helps bring the 02 sensor up to temp in order to get the car into closed loop sooner. As for how the sensor got that way?? Good question!!
You toasted your cat. Part of the honeycomb broke loose and sheared off the tip of the O2 sensor. It happens not infrequently. Especially if you're running rich or are boosted.
Don't ask me how I know....
There's a thread from a while back with pictures of the same thing and also of the cat itself.
Does the cat itself rattle? That's even more indication that the catalyst is sliding around inside the housing.
You toasted your cat. Part of the honeycomb broke loose and sheared off the tip of the O2 sensor. It happens not infrequently. Especially if you're running rich or are boosted.
Don't ask me how I know....
There's a thread from a while back with pictures of the same thing and also of the cat itself.
Does the cat itself rattle? That's even more indication that the catalyst is sliding around inside the housing.
I think not.
I had thought it was a piece of the Cat intenral causing the rattle. When I took the Cat off it was the piece in the photo from the O2 sensor that was causing the ratttle...once the piece was removed - no rattle all is good. & so far the O2 sensor is still doing its thing - no cel ....
I dunno... Is another possibility that this thing was in there all the time? Just checking. Maybe they lost it during manufacture and put another one in.
Oh, I see you mentoined that possibility.
So the only way to know is to take out the O2 sensor and see, I guess.
I dunno... Is another possibility that this thing was in there all the time? Just checking. Maybe they lost it during manufacture and put another one in.
Oh, I see you mentoined that possibility.
So the only way to know is to take out the O2 sensor and see, I guess.
Good luck, and happy new year too.
Tsk, tsk... test pipe, shame on you.
the original O2 sensor is in the & apparently working... it does not have this piece cover its tip - the remaining tip is a small cylindrical extension...
I've done 4 wire O2 sensors on other cars ... this one seems fine except it doesn't have this screen on the tip...
very strange but I can only deduct that it was defective when installed at the factory, came loose inside the Cat & rattled around until I decided to seek it out... up until this discovery I had thought it would have been a piece of cat filiment that had broken loose but it definitely wasn't.
12-31-2006, 01:38 PM
Can you identify this part?
another story ) 
