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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I tryed searching the site and couldn't find what i was looking for. I got a 1989 Toyota Pickup 3.0L and I bought a new universal Bosch oxygen sensor. I cant figure out what colors goes on each one because they are not the same colors. I got a link of two pictures of each of the wires here. It would be helpful if I could figure out the colors soon. I found what Sindey said on Oxygen sensors , but I couldn't see anything I was looking for on the links.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=229750&id=637480536&l=1e1898301b
 

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I've read several accounts of the Bosch sensors NOT working well with the Toyota computers. You would be better off returning it and getting a direct fit Denso or NGK. sparkplugs.com sells them pretty cheap and they will ship to Canada.
 

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you can get Bosch to direct fit and Bosch has a excellent reputation as being the o2 sensors to have. More accurate fuel mixing. If it is not direct fit then return it and get one that is. I have a Bosch o2 sensor and have 0 issues.
 

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You could try to email Sidney directly - he's an electrician so he'd know how the wires should hook up.

If you don't get low emissions and good fuel economy with your Bosch sensor or Bosch spark plugs then you are not alone - German parts don't work that well in Asian vehicles. Denso is the premium brand for Toyotas (Toyota OWNS Denso).
 

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I did a fair bit of searching, and like you didn't come up with anything that matches your two sets of colors. One thing I discovered: whatever two wires are the same color - that's your heater circuit, and just match same 2 colors to same 2 colors. (To verify, check that the resistance between them is about 6 ohms.)

The issue is the other two wires, which are different from each other and different from the 2 wires of same color. Those are your signal wires, and one is pos and the other neg. To my surprise, it looks like on many (but not all) of the sensors, the black wire is positive. That seems crazy to me, but that's what this chart from 4crawler shows:
http://4crawler.com/4x4/O2SensorWireColors.html

What I would do is get a voltmeter on the two wires of unlike color, both on the old sensor and on the bosch, and try to match the polarity. You're looking for a signal between 0 and 1 volt. If you're not getting a signal, try heating the tip of the sensor with a propane torch - holding it so the sensor is an inch or so beyond the visible flame.

Bosch sensors apparently work fine; the issue on our trucks is that the bosch sensors are short and stubby, and do not protrude into the exhaust stream like the densos or ngks, and as a result they may not switch as quickly. The computer might throw a lean code (25). If you search yotatech you'll find several examples where a new bosch sensor was the problem causing codes and poor running, and replacing it with a denso fixed the problem. 4crawler, a guy who usually knows what he's talking about, is one of the ones who advises against using them. On the other hand, a couple of the members say they're using the sensors with no problems, so hopefully you'll get lucky.

Be sure you make very good electrical connections, since the voltage we're talking about is so small (less than a volt). Even with new wires, the distance of the wire itself will cause a voltage drop. With our older, more corroded wires, the voltage drop can be significant. Making a poor connection will guarantee the sensor won't work. Soldering the connections would probably be best.

The proper sensor voltage when the truck is running with perfect fuel/air mixture is .45 - .5 volt. Lean running produces less volts - down to .2 or even .1 volts. Rich mixtures generate .6 to .9 volts. Since you're dealing with such low voltages, it wouldn't take much corrosion or bad connections to reduce .6 volts at the sensor to .4 volts at the ecu. In such a case, the computer would think the engine were running lean, and would inject more gas, when in fact the engine was already running too rich, and the ecu would make matters worse.

I guess if you get things connected and the motor's running alright and you're not getting codes, keep an eye on the tailpipe and plugs to make sure they're not carboning up. If you do see signs of rich running, the wiring between the sensor and ecu may be the problem.

Good luck. When you do finally sort out what wires go to what, please post back with which colors match to which so future searchers might find something.
 
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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Hey again , thanks for the replies. My old sensor only had one wire on it when i took it off lol and when you shake it you can hear things rattle in it. I think if I heated it up I wouldn't get any good reading and I'm afraid to heat up the new one because it might break it.
 

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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
I cant take it back cause I put it in the exhaust and had the truck running because I had to take the truck out so me and dad could work on his. I should of put the old one back in lol
 

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That's true. The reason is, the heater keeps the ceramic sensor element at 600 degrees so gunk does not condense on it. When cold, the sensor will quickly become coated in gunk, some of which won't burn off when you DO hook it up. That gunk will prevent the sensor from accurately taking readings. And since without the O2 sensor, the computer will be running in open loop mode, which tends to be too rich, there will be a lot of gunk flowing out the exhaust.

BTW that gunk will also eventually clog your cat (if you still have one).
 
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Discussion Starter · #11 · (Edited)
Hey again, thanks for the replies. I only the truck running for a second, but would that be enough to do damage? Also, the wires on the truck don't have the same colors so what ones would it be on truck?:p: I dont have a cat anymore either lol
 

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Discussion Starter · #12 · (Edited)
New photo

I got a new photo that I got at the Toyota dealership and its shows the oxygen sensor wires and if I knew what those letters meant on the picture where the sensor is. I could put all the pieces together. On the truck Black, Brown, Pink (Green stripe), and White (Red stripe). On the sensor Black is the signal wire, Gray is the signal ground and the two white are the heater circuit wires.

Here is the link to the new picture.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=229750&id=637480536&l=1e1898301b
 

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Discussion Starter · #13 · (Edited)

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OX is the oxygen sensor signal, and sensor ground is E1. So match the black on the sensor to black on the truck, and gray on the sensor to brown on the truck.

The other wires are the heater circuit, and polarity doesn't matter (which is why they're the same color on the sensor). But fyi, the white with red stripe is positive, and the pink/green is neg.
 
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