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Ve 2007 V6 p0138 issues

J35ter

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Hi all :)
I have only lived in Australia for just over a year (this time round) and am slowly working out Holden GM is very different to Vauxhall GM
Any how, I've been having issues with my commodore, I'll try to keep it short, and hopefully someone can give a a few pointers
My mil light came on for the O2 sensors both sides post cat, I changed them for cheap eBay ones which lasted a couple of weeks before the error codes came up again, I've now bought the better Bosch ones and fitted both side & cleared the codes.
However it's now coming up with p0138 code after driving the car for approximately 10 minutes everytime I drive it, I can clear the codes but it keeps coming back after 10 minutes of driving, I've taken the sensor out and I appear to have water in the exhaust for some reason ( car does blow a bit of white smoke after mil lights comes on) the cars not loosing any coolant as I've checked & the level is staying steady. It's only happening on the driver's side
I'm guessing the water in the exhaust is causing the problem, just don't know how it's getting there!

Anyone have any ideas?
Many thanks :)
 

J35ter

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Hi thanks for the reply
No contaminated fuel that I know of
Temperature seams to be ok on the dial gauge it's never gone past half way, on the engineering mode coolant temp display it's just taken 13.5 minutes to go from 40 degrees to 90, wether that's good or bad I'm unsure, it doesn't seem to be losing any coolant and the white exhaust smoke doesn't smell/taste like any coolant
Just can't figure out what's causing the p0138 to come up, the other side bank 2 sensor 2 seams fine after fitting the Bosch O2 sensor
 

Trevor loves holden.

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P0138 code definition
O2 Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 1, Sensor 2)

What the P0138 code means
P0138 is the OBD-II generic code indicating the O2 sensor for bank 1 sensor 2 fails to have a lower voltage output below 1.2 volts for more than 10 seconds indicating a lack of oxygen in the exhaust stream.

What causes the P0138 code?
  • The engine control module (ECM) sees the voltage of the O2 sensor for bank 1 sensor 2 above 1.2 volts when the ECM has commanded the fuel to a targeted lean condition on that bank of the engine.

  • The ECM detects the voltage high problem and turns on the Check Engine Light.

  • The ECM uses other O2 sensors to try and control the fuel injection with their values.
What are the symptoms of the P0138 code?
  • The engine may run lean during the testing of the sensor to correct the problem and may hesitate or misfire.

  • The Check Engine Light will be illuminated.

  • You may have engine running problems depending on failure cause of the rich condition.
How does a mechanic diagnose the P0138 code?
  • Scans codes and documents freeze frame data and then clears codes to verify failure.

  • Monitors O2 sensor data to see if the voltage is switching back and forth between low and high at a fast rate compared to other sensors.

  • Checks the O2 sensor wiring and the harness connections for any corrosion in the connections.

  • Checks the O2 sensor for any physical damage or fluid contamination.

  • Checks for exhaust leaks before the sensor.

  • Follows the manufacturer's specific pinpoint tests for further diagnosis.
Common mistakes when diagnosing the P0138 code
Follow these simple guidelines to prevent misdiagnosis:

  • O2 sensor 1 for bank 1 can be used to diagnose O2 sensor 2 for bank 1 by looking at both sensors operation for comparison. The operation should be nearly the same, except sensor 2 should have a lower O2 reading since the catalyst should burn off the excess fuel and oxygen.

  • Check the O2 sensor for oil or coolant contaminants from any engine leaks.

  • Check the catalyst for damage or it being clogged that can cause erratic sensor readings.
How serious is the P0138 code?
  • The voltage output from the O2 sensor may be due to the exhaust catalyst being broken apart, which can cause the O2 sensors to give high output voltages.

  • The ECM may not control the fuel-to-air ratio of the engine properly, leading to a clogged catalyst and excessive carbon buildup in the engine with fouled spark plugs.
What repairs can fix the P0138 code?
Additional comments for consideration regarding the P0138 code
The high voltage condition from the O2 sensor is indicating a lack of oxygen in the exhaust or other related problems, such as a leaking fuel injector or a broken up catalyst inside.
 

Trevor loves holden.

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White smoke
Smoke
that's white can point to an engine that's running hot, so it may indicate a problem with the cooling system like the intake manifold or head gasket causing a problem with the coolant.
 

J35ter

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Thank you for the info.
The white smoke I'm getting seams to happen randomly, doesn't happen all the time which has lead me to believe it's not the head gasket, it happens when cold & hot but not all the time when with cold or hot, I may look at the catalyst to see if it's causing a problem
 

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Thank you for the info.
The white smoke I'm getting seams to happen randomly, doesn't happen all the time which has lead me to believe it's not the head gasket, it happens when cold & hot but not all the time when with cold or hot, I may look at the catalyst to see if it's causing a problem
Sounds like just condensation, if your just driving sort trips then condensation can build up hence the reason for water out the tail pipe at first. Get a leak down test done to see if your leaking coolant.
 

J35ter

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Hi
Yes I usually only do short trips, most of my trips are under 2km half of them at 2am aswell
What bothers me is that it's only the driver's side O2 sensor thats showing a fault after 10 minutes of driving (when I actually go that far!)
Plus the fact when I removed the new. Bosch sensor, water came out the hole, not a lot but enought to be a slow constant drip, just seams strange to be only on this side of the exhaust!?
Might just have to take it to a garage to have a pressure/ leak test done
 

greenacc

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Are you saying the exhaust could be full of water? That's bizarre, but if you mainly do 2km trips maybe it needs a decent long drive of an hour or so to warm it all up properly. Too many short trips can do terrible things to an engine.
 

J35ter

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Hi,
Yes it appears to somehow have water getting in the exhaust, but only on the driver's side!? After fitting both new post cat O2 sensors the driver's side faulted out again I removed both and water was dripping out of the driver's side only. So it's gotta be coming from somewhere, I've not loosing any coolant that I know of , just seams really weird to Only be on that side. The car has a decent drive every couple of weeks but after 10 minutes of driving the p0138 code flags up everytime
 
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