O/2 sensor questions

[tkauf]

I have a 94 XLT and a 94 B-4000 4.0 pickup. Last weekend I pulled a small trailer on about a 220 mile run loaded with an antique oak bar behind the pickup. We were running about 75/mph the whole way. Going up hills the check engine light came on under hard throttle and stayed on for quite while after getting back to flat level road. Knowing this is probably an O/2 csensor going bad I wondered if rather than replacing it you can clean them. Also, when the light is on is the O/2 sending a wierd reading to the computer? Truck seemed to bog at under 2,500/RMP with the light on and after higher Rpms seemed to clear itself and run per normal. After it sat overnite it seems to have all the power it usually does and no bog. This engine has 135,000 miles but has been well maintained. What got me thinking about cleaning the O/2 is we have a Electronic gas furnace. When it has ignition problems a furnace mechanic told me to take the flame rollout sensor and burnish it with extra fine steel wool to clean it. I have done it twice works like a champ. Since the O/2 is located in the exhaust stream does it also get dirty? I have never changed one. Any suggestions will be appreciated, thanks.

Tom Kauffman

 

[Glacier991]

Until you have pulled the code which illuminated the Check engine light, you really don't know WHAT the reason is. To "assume" it's an O2 sensor may not be correct - there are hundreds of possibilities. Get the code and start from there, realizing that a code is more a point to a system than an exact part in many cases.

In answer to your other question, O2 sensors are not, to the best of my knowledge, cleanable.