ok so ive got my pacesetter header in and a day later check engine goes off... the guy at autozone ran a scanner and it came up with something about the o2 sensor( i wasnt rlly listening) lol but he said something about buying a simulator for the o2 sensor to fix it and get the full gain out of my new exhaust system..... does this make sence? where do i get one

 

o also i reset the ecu numerous times by unplugging the batt. the light comes back on within a week

 

did anyone even see this post?

 

lol 33 ppl view this and noone has anythign to say? i need help! lol

 

maybe you should've listend to the guy at autozone when he was talking to you.

the only thing i could think of is that your o2 sensor isn't getting positioned properlly inside the exhaust. like it's not in there deep enough. other then that since it's before cat you shouldn't throw any codes. it's possible you damaged your 02 during the install. is your car running ok?

 

Actually this is a common problem with J-Body's with Ecotecs. You have a nice flowing exhaust now, and the cat might not be working to the standards of the computer in the car. In the J-Body world people have had issues with certain high flow cats. I myself do not runs cats and have not CEL's. You can get a simulator, they usually run about $60, but you can also do a manual O2 sim for about $5, that works as well.

 

do you think you could explain the manual o2 sim and what a simulator is and does for knowledge purposes

 

yes please explain lol..... btw the car runs fine.... and not listioning to the autozone guy was b/c he was an old fart who was being a dick to me as if i knew nothing about my car.... i do my own work i just dont have a scanner,... this whole 02 sensor thing is just new to me, ive never herd if this happening

 

once again could you please explain the manual method or something id appreciate it

 

Ok the deal with the Os sim is this. Your rear O2 sensor is not reading a big enough difference from the reading of the first O2 sensor, so it thinks your cat is not working. They make for J-Bodies a electronic plug and play O2 sim that will make the rear O2 sensor read in the range it should. Therefore no check engine light. We have had problems with the electronic ones not working correctly. I could go a month with no problems then it would start throwing a code. The manual O2 sim I was referring to something I got from the STI's. When they upgrade there dopwnpipes they use a screw in pipe that moves the second O2 sensor out of the direct exhaust stream. This allows it to not read all the exhaust gases. I 'm currently at work so I do not have the part number on me, but we are using a spark plug anti-fouler to do this. Also the part number might not be the same if the Cobalt's O2 sensor is a different size. The anti-fouler can be bought at Autozone, Discount, PepBoys for about $3 for a pack of 2. We had to drill it out with a half inch drill bit (only one of the anti foulers). You screw the one you drilled into the other anti-fouler (that is non drilled). You then screw your rear O2 sensor info the outer anti-fouler (the one you drilled). The reason for drilling it out is so the O2 sensor will screw into it. You now screw this whole unit into the exhaust (just like your O2 sensor would normally be. This has been done on many J-Body's and works great, boost and non boosted, Ecotec and non Ecotec. I do not know anyone who has tried this on a Cobalt, but I see no reason why it would not work. Works on a STI, as well civics. It really is not more than a few dollars to try, so if it does not work you are not out much (unlike the electronic ones). I am interested to know if it does work on the Cobalt's as I feel it will.

 

ill just keep resetting the ECU.... when my check engine light turns on its not hurting my car though right? its just saying hey this isnt right

 

We we have always said the rear O2 sensor was just for telling the computer if the cat is working or not. I went about a year with a CEL on because of no cat. Once I got that resolved the car just seemed to drive better. Not really more powerful, just smoother. A couple other peopl ehave said the same thing. For me the biggest things not having the CEL on. I can not stand that. I have a laptop and can re-set it everyday if needed, but the light bugs me.