I'm a bit cash strapped and I need to replace the O2 Sensor. I replaced it about 5 years ago and this one was physically damaged (bushing in the upper radiator mount wore out and caused it to rock back and forth slamming the cooling fan's heatshield into the back of the sensor eventually causing the sensor to fail/throw a code, I've since replaced the bushings on the top mounts of the radiator). This one was bought at Autozone for about $60 and was a Bosch, ironically this was the exact same O2 Sensor that came out of the exhaust manifold (pre-cat) which came stock when I bought the car new in 97, even the printed part number on the sensor's matched the stock sensor and even had Bosch stamped on it (both even had the Nissan emblem stamped next to the Bosch name).

Here's the dilema, the stealerships want roughly $140-150 for the replacement whereas the parts stores want $58-65. Since I originally bought the replacement from Autozone and it was identical to the stock O2 sensor that I removed 5 years ago I decided to get another from Autozone, why pay twice as much for the same part? What they gave me had the correct part number on the box but it looked like someone put the downstream (post-cat) sensor in the wrong box (longer and thinner with a perforated tip instead of vented, even the threads didn't seem right). This one was way too long and wouldn't even clear the radiator fan to install and was clearly going to butt up against the fan's heatshield (it should have at least 1/2-3/4 inch clearance installed) if I had managed to get it installed. I went to return it feeling pretty sure that it was the wrong o2 sensor in the box but they insisted that it was boxed right and was just a poorly redesigned model.

I'm going to hit up some other parts stores this afternoon and hope they have one in stock that I can look at before I buy it and order it but does anyone know if they have changed the design of the stock sensor or know of a better place to pick the right one up other than the stealership? I can't stomach paying double or more for a part like this because some engineer was too hung over to read the car specifications the "redesign" was meant to replace.

Sorry for the wordy explanation and question, just wanted it to be clear :D

Most of the sensors used by any car company are made from a third party. For instance, Nissan uses Bosch for O2 sensors, NGK for spark plugs, I believe there are even a few hitatchi sensors for air flow. Anyway, yeah the stock o2 sensors are made by bosch stamped with the nissan logo.

I recently bought a walker o2 sensor from http://www.automedicsupply.com/index.php?&stopredirect=yes&width=1152&height=864 (Aka, oxygensensors.com). They sell Denso and Walker. I replaced the rear o2 sensor with a walker and it seems to be slightly longer then the stock plug as well. The reason the dealership o2 sensor is so expensive is they charge a ton for the actual plug where if you go to autozone or buy any universal type plug and splice on the plug you can save over 50% of the cost. Probably the best route.

By the way, the walkers are cheaper and i had origionally intended to buy the denso, since i know denso makes decent sensors but when i called to order it the sales person advised me to buy the walker since walker sensors ARE denso just walker does their own wiring. So just a little FYI.

Don't listen to the Autozone guys:squint: . Go to Checker Auto, or Advance Autoparts (Same company). The Sensor that they give you will be identical to the one you pulled out. Bosch has NOT redesigned their plugs. Even in doing so, they wouldn't have designed it to be LONGER, causing more problems (fan shield, etc.)

I've only had bad experiences from AutoZone, and don't plan on going there anymore. (Besides, if you get to know everyone there (3~4 trips a week) really good, then you'll start getting discounts on everything :biggthump

Cool, it sounds like my initial gut feeling was right. My autoparts store choices here (in Houston atm) seems a bit limited, I'm going to stop by O'Reilly later and see if they have one in stock so I can get them to pull it out of the box first. It sounds like the Autozone I went to did get one with the wrong sensor in the box from what you said and yeah, I totally agree it wouldn't make sense to redisgn something like this to be larger. Worse comes to worse I'll use one of those suggestions and see about ordering it.

Also to turco, when I bought the first replacement some 5 years ago from Autozone (in Atlanta) I didn't have to splice anything, it was a straight up part swap (thank god heh). Is the plug thing something new?

Thanks a lot guys, sounds like I shouldn't have any problems :D

If your strapped for cash, try ebay. Evalero1 on ebay sells a lot of Bosch O2's for $30 shipped but they dont have the plug. You just have to splice in your factory plug and bam your done.

If your strapped for cash, try ebay. Evalero1 on ebay sells a lot of Bosch O2's for $30 shipped but they dont have the plug. You just have to splice in your factory plug and bam your done.

I found him on ebay but it seems the only thing he sells that is bosch is fuel pumps. He sells o2 sensors in either NGK or BECKARNLEY. Can you post a link, I might need a new front one so I am interested.

Wow your right, a month ago he had Bosch O2 for all Nissans at $32 shipped. I guess not anymore.

Also to turco, when I bought the first replacement some 5 years ago from Autozone (in Atlanta) I didn't have to splice anything, it was a straight up part swap (thank god heh). Is the plug thing something new?


Normally from my experience the cheap autoparts store ones are universal, meaning they dont come with a propietary plug at the end. That was just an assumption of mine. Usually the plug to the harness is what costs so much. I just buy the universal o2 sensors and splice them into the stock plug like someone mentioned.

get the part number from the dealer.. an part number as in company that makes the sensor part number either bosch or w/e an get it threw napa or one of those places..

Personally, I would buy the lil' bit more expensive one (OEM type) from an autoparts store, so that I don't have to cut and splice anything ;) It COULD cause more trouble down the line from a spliced sensor connection. Not saying that it would, but it just might. Better safe than sorry. :)

Just stopped by an O'Relly on the way home and they pulled one out, an OE type Bosch and it was identical to the one Autozone gave me yesterday. It looks like the OE sensor is now no longer compatible unless you move the radiator forward (stock exhaust manifold on a 97 200sx SE-R anyway). If that's the case I'm a bit worried about ordering something online since I can't see what they're shipping and most are showing the pic of the older, compatible one but I don't think I can be assured that's the same part since they don't update those images very often.

In regards to the types you can buy from autoparts stores they sell either OE type (what came with the vehicle which is what I replaced it with 5 years ago and was identical) or the universal. Currently the universal type is about half an inch longer than the stock one but otherwise looks like the OE one. I'm not sure that even that one will work, any engine movement under throttle would smack it into the back of the radiator fan's heatshield and the current "redesigned" OE type is almost half an inch longer than that and you can't even install it without removing the radiator fan and it'd be resting against the heatshield after installation.

Looks like O2 sensors for the 96+ SE-R's are going to become a rarity unless Bosch figures out their mistakes, kudos for the stealerships doing a double price markup to slam it in from behind :biggthump

I hope they at least offer me some KY before I pick that thing up....

Wow! That's really strange. here's the link to the one that I bought for my 200sx. According to what I read, there's NO difference from 1.6l to 2.0l motors. Part number is 13420.

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=BOS&mfrpartnumber=13420&parttype=291&ptset=A

Ghettozone gave me one from a 1.6L on accident. There different. I got one from mossy with my special discount for about $80

Ghettozone gave me one from a 1.6L on accident. There different. I got one from mossy with my special discount for about $80

Hokie. I was told that they were the same, my bad.

EDIT: Sure enough, I did another search and hit this :

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=BOS&mfrpartnumber=13039&parttype=291&ptset=A

Different in price too. :(

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=BOS&mfrpartnumber=13039&parttype=291&ptset=A

That's what the old/OEM one looks like as well as the one I bought 5 years ago. The new "redesigned" one is a slimmer body (same diameter as the tip that inserts into the manifold) but is a little more than 1/2 an inch longer. Thing is that pic may or may not be the same one they send you since they have a habit of using generic pics to save web space, if I could be sure it was the same as that pic I'd order it immediately.

I like the design, it's much sturdier, but it just doesn't fit without modifiying the fan's heatshield. It doesn't come with the wire harness that snaps in either which means you have to zip tie it up (not that bad, they at least give you the ties). When my motor cools down I'll pull the old one and take a pic of it and get the part number. I should've snapped a pic of the new "redesigned" one to show the comparison but I took it back last night :(

This is what the one they gave me looked like

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=BOS&mfrpartnumber=13783&parttype=291&ptset=A

The one I showed you that you need, and the one you posted are two entirely different part numbers.

PN 13039 = good
PN 13783 = wrong, at least it doesn't look anything like what you actually need.

Are you sure they're not giving you the replacement part for the RWD SR20DE? I'm not sure, as I haven't played with them, but it could be a possibility? (NVM I looked)

EDIT: Judging from the connector, looks like it's the post cat sensor. I don't know for sure, because I haven't replaced mine yet, but the connector is not right.

The last link I posted was just for the sake of the image (I didn't take a pic of the one I picked up), and your assumption was the same as mine because it does look like a post cat but that seems a bit of a coincidence that two different stores would give me the same part by mistake. I'm half tempted to call Bosch and ask them directly but since 95+ SR20's are fairly rare I can't imagine they would've gotten many people asking about it.

I stopped by a dealership today to see which O2 sensor they're getting and it looks like the dealerships are getting this new redesigned one too. Looks like B14 SR20's are going to get screwed unless you have an aftermarket header (that could be even worse depending on the design I guess) or a slimmer radiator fan. I hope someone fixes this soon, gas prices are bad enough without getting poor gas mileage due to a faulty O2 sensor heh.

Anyone have any alternative brand suggestions?