02 sensor help on 95 Sport

[jwild4x4]

On my drive across country last week, I noticed that my X started loosing power, when the CEL came on. it would go on and off intermittantly and I could feel when the X would go in and out of "LIMP mode." Nevertheless, I took it into a Dealer right off the freeway in GA. It took them 2 hours to read the code that autozone's reader somehow couldn't (OBD-I maybe?) Anyhow, the dealer tells me that it's a bad 02 sensor (downstream), but that since my X was made in California with their emmisions standards that they didn't have the "California specification" 02 sensor in stock!

Anyhow, I figure wtf, and I drive the rest of the way across the country, with the CEL and power loss only happening after driving for like 2 hours at which point i'd get gas and let the car rest. When I got home, I got 2 new BOSCH sensors from autozone to replace the downstreams. It appears as there are 3 02 sensors in my sport. One proximal on bank 1 just after the exhaust manifold, and two - more distal - in each arm of the exhaust before they join as a "Y" before my two in-line cats... I don't see an 02 sensor after the cats!! which seems odd to me.

After replacing the two downstream 02 sensors I now get a CEL which comes on after the car warms up and stays on - No more loss of power or blinking CEL. Anyhow, I don't want to spend extra cash on getting my code read by the dealer since autozone's readers haven't been able to link with my computer. So, Should I just replace my BOSCH's with the FORD "California specification 02 sensors", or is this dealer talking out his ass?

Thanks for the help and sorry I don't have the actual codes - knew I should have talked to the mechanic directly.

 

[Blee1099]

Do you remember what the code that came up? Cause a CEL can be caused by numerous things like a dirty MAF sensor.

 

[spindlecone]

Dealer is taking out his ass, is no such thing as calif spec O2 sensors, all post 1990 cars leave the factory the same way.

 

[BigDakota]

Your Sport has the OBD-I system. Did you reset your Sports computor? You would disconnect the positive battery terminal for about 10 minutes. Then reconnect and start the motor again!

I am not sure the O2 sensors make a difference "California?" type or not! Reset the system ..and see what happens!

 

[jwild4x4]

Yeah, it get's even better... when I'm driving away from the dealer - with the feeling that I had just heard the biggest load of @#$!, I noticed that the engine seemed to be running poorly, and misfiring... I pull over and notice that the "mechanic" had failed to re-connect one of the spark plug wires... I get a phone call 20 minutes later telling me to come back so they could reconnect the wire!

I haven't reset the computer yet... I'll try that and hopefully the cel will stay off. Thanks!