P0141 - HO2S Heater Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 2

[Borla]

A buddy of mine has a'96 Chevy pick-up with the 5.7L in it. He was tripping a code, had it checked at Autozone, and they told him it was Code 141, which I found out was HO2S Heater Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 2. The guy at Autozone said that was on oxygen sensor gone bad (without consulting the book, said he knew it off the top of his head). Is that correct? Seems to me that a "heater circuit" would be something else. :confused:

Somewhere in the back of my brain, behind the malted hops and vodka residue I want to say there is a part of the oxygen sensor that "warms itself up" when you start the car, so the heat from the exhaust going buy doesn't burn it up? Is that right? Could THAT be the trouble?

If so, bank 1 = driver's side, correct?

[BigKID]

Yes, our O2 sensors are heated so that they read correctly when you first start the vehicle. It does sound like a bad O2. On our trucks, 99+ we can switch the o2s from each side to make sure it is actually the sensor and not a circuit problem but I believe his 96 there is only a single cat and precat o2.

[Borla]

Originally posted by BigKID
Yes, our O2 sensors are heated so that they read correctly when you first start the vehicle. It does sound like a bad O2. On our trucks, 99+ we can switch the o2s from each side to make sure it is actually the sensor and not a circuit problem but I believe his 96 there is only a single cat and precat o2. He said that talking to a few people he has heard there are trucks set up several different ways emissions-wise depending on various engine options. :dunno:

He was pretty sure he had one cat on each side (because I did ask that question). I recommended him (before I found out which bank it was) buying either one sensor or one sim, putting it in one side and seeing if it cleared the code, and if not, flip-flopping it. I think I got a handle on what to tell him now. :cool:

[BigKID]

Well if he does have two, I would switch them and see if the problem follows. If it does then you know it is the sensor. If he only has one then he will just have to take his chance.

And yes bank one is the drivers side. B1S2 = driver side post cat.

btw.. were are you located? I have two post cat o2s I took off my truck when I !cats. Not sure the 96 and current o2 are the same or not but I can check.

[Borla]

Originally posted by BigKID
Well if he does have two, I would switch them and see if the problem follows. If it does then you know it is the sensor. If he only has one then he will just have to take his chance.

And yes bank one is the drivers side. B1S2 = driver side post cat.

btw.. were are you located? I have two post cat o2s I took off my truck when I !cats. Not sure the 96 and current o2 are the same or not but I can check. I am southwest of suburban Chicago. :) What year is your truck?

[567234ta]

they dont cost much for the o2 sensors, just get a new one. i think its like 30.00

[BigKID]

Yea, the rears arent as pricey as the fronts.
Bravo, for some reason I though you were in Florida. :dunno:

[Borla]

Originally posted by BigKID
Yea, the rears arent as pricey as the fronts.
Bravo, for some reason I though you were in Florida. :dunno: I vacation down near PCB every spring, and have posted about meeting up with the crew down there, maybe that is where the confusion came in. ;)