Will i do any damage running a 93 Type RA without the a downpipe sensor in? its broken and stuck in the downpipe, been told it would damage the pipe drilling it out so best to just leave it and run without one

 

In MY93-96 cars that sensor is the EGT (exhaust gas temp) 'cat on fire' sensor. It throws an 'cat on fire' red light in the instrument binnacle (next to the CEL) if it senses that the cat has got too hot. This could lead to a fire, so you really want to make sure the sensor is fitted/connected/working properly...

Either that, or get a mapped decat

 

Mine has run fine for over a year without

 

If its only for the exhaust gas temp i think i will run it without for a while and get the cam belt changed first instead, cheers

 

Yeah, as said its a 'cat on fire' but you've got no cat to melt so not needed, just unplug at the socket around the BCS area

 

on later cars is this the 02 sensor then?

 

I think so.

On New Ages you have a lambda sensor in the up-pipe (there's a cat in the OEM up-pipe). And a lambda in the downpipe cat, too... although the sensor could be further back in the centre-section, where the third cat is.