I'm taking my car into Grahme Goode Racing tomorrow to diagnose a failed MOT on the emmisions test. Posible cause is the LAMBDA oxygen sensor.

If this is so, a replacement is over £300 plus fitting. But I have been doing research on this forum and Halfords do a replacement for £49.99 (halfords code 180398) which my local store has in stock.

My car is MY95 sti, scoobysport exhaust from CAT back.

My subjective question is:
If I need new sensor, should I buy genuine part for £300+ or Halfords for £50
Graham Goode Racing a telling me that I must use genuine replacements as they have never seen a successful non-genuine replacement. Is this sales talk?

 

This is also my experience;

many of the so-called compatible lambda probes do not work correctly, and last time i asked at Halfords the young man didn't know what a lambda probe was!

I recently bought one from graham goode- its due to arrive tomorrow- and i'll let you know if that sorts it out.

i really do agree with you, though. how the hell do they justify nearly £300 for what looks like the same probe as a £50 probe?

simon

 

Use Halfords for car cleaning equipment, fuses etc, not anything remotely technical, especially anything on a scoob.

 

If the lambda sensor fails will the car run rich or lean?
Keith.

 

can run rich and lean, depending on what the engines doing, as the ECU can't tell what the fuelling requirements are.

simon

 

My halfords lamda has been in for 6 months now, running 1.8 bar, 850C EGT and still working fine. I've been told I'm lucky Suits me

 

ive used Lucas before,it was a universal one supplied with all the right bits for about £35(wasnt for a scoobi though),never had any probs with that,i also understand that many sensors such as lambda,thermistors ect are quite commonly made by the same manufactures, they just have different plugs on them.

 

The universal lambda will invariably fail and is also not suited to the ecu particularly,its not designed for the higher temps it sees in a turbo car, the reason the OEM is so expensive is because its in the headers and has an extension lead crimped onto it, apart from that its the same as UK so buy the uk one, remove old one, disassemble harness and graft onto new sensor, crimp the leads only as they won't solder, job done !!