Trainmaster
Old School Member
Taking out anything ahead of the downstream oxygen sensors should give you a code. Those last sensors are there to monitor the efficiency of the converters. They may retard the timing if they sense a malfunctioning converter; not sure what action they take, if any, if the exhaust starts smogging, but it would be logical that they try to reduce emissions in some way that could restrict your performance.
Replacing the sensors with a resistor shouldn't do anything. You may fool the computer into thinking the sensor's heater is working, but the sensor's element would have improper output because they produce a variable voltage when exposed to different mixtures. A steady output would throw a code. That's why they are there.
I never did this, so this is all based on my understand of how these things work and I can be all wrong.
I'd do some real good Ford emissions research before I make the switch, and be real wary of some stuff on Internet forums.
Replacing the sensors with a resistor shouldn't do anything. You may fool the computer into thinking the sensor's heater is working, but the sensor's element would have improper output because they produce a variable voltage when exposed to different mixtures. A steady output would throw a code. That's why they are there.
I never did this, so this is all based on my understand of how these things work and I can be all wrong.
I'd do some real good Ford emissions research before I make the switch, and be real wary of some stuff on Internet forums.
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