My dads 97 V-6 with 60,000 miles CEL has been on and would not pass inspection. I took it to Autozone and of course paid $60.00 for a new O2 sensor. Installed it, returned to Autozone to have them clear the CEL (they told me thy would clear it) and it read the same code again of bank 2 lean and this time also read that bank 1 was lean. Of course I get on the forum to do my research. (should ahve done that first) and found that it was likely a vacumn leak. I re-install the old O2 sensor and began searching for a leak. Sure enough, on the passenger side of the plenum there was a worn out elbow. I pulled this off and made yet another trip to Autozone and with some work on the attitude of the manager they refunded my $$ for the O2 sensor and I purchased a $5.00 piece of fuel line. Short version, if you have the same issue, check your vacumn lines. Secondly, thanks to all of you for spending the time to inform everyone of your trials and tribulations. My father would likley have been hit for hundreds of $$ had he made an attempt to have it fixed himself.

 

Glad to hear you got it fixed, and cheaply. Since many of the AZ counter guys are clerks, not mechanics, they've been known to spout off the first thing that might fix the problem. If they suggested the O2, and that was not the problem, then they should have refunded the money without hassle. If, though, you took the code and said "gimme an O2 sensor," it would not be their responsibility, and I can understand the manager's "attitude." Lots of people go to AZ and Advance Auto, buy stuff to throw at a problem, then return what didn't work. Same thing in posts where I've seen people on here "buy" a torque wrench at Sears, use it to torque thier spark plugs, then return it when they're done. (They prolly have girlfriends who take back the dress after the party, too.)

Whoops, got off on a tangent, there. In any case, glad you got it fixed, and thanks for sharing. Good to have info like this for posterity.

Andy

Andy

 

v6 are also bad about having crappy intake gaskets, so watch out for that if you hadnt already done it