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hi guys, new here, have yet to post on/in the new member section, but im a long time lurker..

I dont want to get too much into the issues, because i will make a proper thread tmrw. i just wanted a quick second opinion on the condition of the O2 sensor in the video and what could of caused it.

background info:

recently bought my 2001 Black civic lx
CEL came on shortly (obviously -___- )
trip to pep boys tells me cylinder 2 and 3 misfire and catalyst inefficiency (3 codes total, the guy read em to me, didnt give me the exact numbers)

my assumptions/knowledge of issue

ok so what ive found out is that if my o2 sensors are not working, then it could be causing bad fuel mixtures and causing misfire... eventually leading to my catalyst getting destroyed. evidence of this would be black carbon depositing on the sensor.

or

cracked cylinder or something similarly worse is allowing antifreeze to leak, get burned, and ALSO kill my cat and o2 sensor. in this situation WHITE residue on the sensor from combusted antifreeze. god i hope not.

or

im missing something obvious

where i need help:

i need someone experienced to look at this sensor and tell me what the wear on it suggests. that would be a step towards solving my cylinder mystery. once again i just got this car and im going to be so mad if the engine is shot.

But wait theres more to come...

when i have time tmrw i will sit down and write a thread with all the symptoms and what led me to get these engine codes checked to begin with...(hint: i initially suspected tranny is hurt, guess not)

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: THE VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVak-0uu6oA

 
Rep Power: 518

Video is irrelevant. You cannot evaluate an O2 sensor that way.
Half or more of your assumptions should not be used.
The theory may be right, but they do not apply to this situation yet.



First and foremost:
Figure out and fix the misfire problem.
This needs taken care of first.
Plain and simple, even if the fix is not simple.



Then worry about fixing (replacing) the cat.

 
Rep Power: 253

By the looks of it your probably burning coolant.

Test for combustion gas in your coolant and then go from there.

At the very least its probably going to be a headgasket.

Car overheat? Coolant coming out of overflow tank?

 
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Mr. Belvedere, I am a product specialist with Walker Products, a manufacturer and worldwide distributor of oxygen sensors. Please follow the link below to see pictures of common failed O2 sensor conditions. To me, the one in the video looks to show characteristics of antifreeze contamination, just as the gentlemen below said. http://www.walkerproducts.com/wp-con...html#/8/zoomed

 
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Head gasket time!

But first, pull the radiator cap (cold engine!), start it up and look for air bubbles in the antifreeze.

Then buy the test kit that checks for combustion gasses in the antifreeze.

Pull all 4 plugs take a pic and post on here. After the plugs are pulled, look down each tube and look for oil that could have got past the valve cover gasket and onto the plugs causing misfires. Inspect each coil pack carefully and look for hairline cracks.