1981 Headders / Oxy Sensor

[gambit]

My 1981 has Headers instead of the cast iron exhaust manifolds. I read that this year came with them as standard. The Oxygen Sensor that would normally go into the Manifold just kind of swings around down there. Anybody have any comments or ideas? I wondered if there is some sort of cowl or adapter so that the Sensor can be mounted, since there is not one there it makes me suspicious if it was original. It makes the CHECK ENGINE light come on constantly, and reports the Oxygen Sensor as the problem.

Anybody have any suggestions on now to make the Headers look nice? They are rusty now : )

 

[LVMYVT76]

I didn't think they came out with headders from the factory. I think someone has changed out the original exhaust manifolds with headders and did not get them with a bung for the oxygen sensors. You could take the off and have a bung welded in for the sensors.

 

[LannyL81]

1981's did not come with headers as stock. They had steel instead of cast iron exhaust manifolds.

The O2 sensor needs to go into the driver's side header. in order to get the Check Engine Light to stay off and the car to run correctly. Are you sure there is no bung for the O2 sensor to screw into? Cannot believe that somene would go to all the trouble of putting headers on without an O2 bung. In fact, an 81 should also have the AIR tubes in each tube to be emissions legal.

 

[bossvette]

you can buy a reducer that has an oxygen bung welded into it then get it welded into your exhaust or better yet just weld a bung in the header.

either way welding is required.

 

[Tom Bryant]

'81 went to a stainless tubing manifold that looks like a shorty header. Below is a picture of a stock '81 with the heat shields removed. If yours don't look like this they aren't the original ones. If you still have a front Y pipe someone may have used the wrong year without the O2 sensor bung. The other picture is the other side that I have started cleaning up to use on my truck project.

If it has regular headers they aren't original and you will need to add the bung into the collector or reducer.

Tom

 

[Yoda]

I could be wrong here, but I thought the O2 sensor was on the drivers side down pipe that is bolted to the factory headers along side or just above the oil filter, on the exhaust pipe..

Bud

 

[gambit]

Yup I see what you mean , no mine are actually headders rusty ones haha. I guess Ill either replace them at sometime or try to clean them up and put in the bung. I wonder if there is a workaround for now with the sensor so it wont make the light turn on. I also dont have a place for the heat tube to attach from the headders to the Air Filter.

 

[Chas]

you can buy a reducer that has an oxygen bung welded into it then get it welded into your exhaust or better yet just weld a bung in the header.

either way welding is required.

This is actually called a "boss nut"...go figure eh?...we made them by the thousands here...if anyone at the CAC needs them, they are your for the cost to send them to you. All stainless and ready to weld. they are also tapped and good to go....drop me a pm if you want them.
Chas

 

[Dave L.]

I could be wrong here, but I thought the O2 sensor was on the drivers side down pipe that is bolted to the factory headers along side or just above the oil filter, on the exhaust pipe..

Bud

Bud - That is where my sensor was originally located before I went to duals. It was in the down pipe,not in the header.

 

[LannyL81]

I could be wrong here, but I thought the O2 sensor was on the drivers side down pipe that is bolted to the factory headers along side or just above the oil filter, on the exhaust pipe..

Bud

Bud,
I was saying that the O2 sensor goes into the driver's side aftermarket header, not the factory exhaust manifold. Original O2 sensor location is in the Y pipe after the exhaust manifold at just about the oil filter.

Bottom line...yes you are correct. Did you really have any doubt...:L

LannyL81

 

[Yoda]

Bud,

Bottom line...yes you are correct. Did you really have any doubt...:L

LannyL81

Lanny .. at my age and the onset of CRS

Bud