question for the people that own a 1985 euro 323i coupe.

[2002jm]

I am looking for the plug in for the o2 sensor for the above car. I can not seem to locate it on the wiring harness??? Is it under the car somewhere?
thanks for any help.
jm

[Tzantushka]

Did 1985 Euro-spec 323i cars even have an O2 sensor?

If yes, and if untouched and original the connector should be tucked-up or around the battery tray / front strut mounting on the RH side of the car - see here

[2002jm]

Hi
thanks for the reply,
The exhaust has a place for the o2 sensor; but I am beginning to wonder if you are right. Maybe there is no o2 sensor and someone put a usa exhaust on the car?
jm

[lukeADE335i]

My old 323i with L-Jet did not have an O2 sensor, so not entirely sure where it plugs in but the car shoulld run on the base map without it.

Here’s the Bosch L-Jet manual that might be helpful.

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/manuals/BO...n%20Manual.pdf

I’m going out to get some parts of an 87 320i with LE-Jet next weekend, so if you don’t have an answer by then I’ll see whether I can see where the O2 sensor plugs in on that car, which will be the same as your 323i (assuming it has one). Some of the L-Jet cars used a single wire O2 sensor rather than the 4-wire Bosch in the link above.

[roguetoaster]

It should be as simple as if it has an original catalyst it has an O2 sensor, but L jet could be had both ways AFAIK.

If you can get the VIN decoded you can probably tell a bit more about the original existence of a cat or not.

[2002jm]

ok, thanks for the good input; I do remember the bmw shop said the cat was added to make the car 'legal'. Maybe this car does not have a o2 sensor; that would explain not being able to find the plug in. I am going to check the vin tomorrow. thanks again, jm

[2002jm]

also thanks for checking for me
jm

[e30austin]

it was really common on the early, euro-spec cars, that they would have an oxygen sensor control unit spliced into the wiring harness and the controller installed in the glovebox. these were commonly made by Johnson Technologies (or something of the like, my memory could be failing me), often referred to as the "Johnson Box", and it wasn't out of the ordinary for them to fail and leave the car running quite poorly. as a result, your car may have had this unit removed previously, or perhaps not installed at all (but a catalyst installed to please the smog inspectors).

https://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=31485

[2002jm]

Hey Austin: Yes, I remember when I had the euro m535i; e28 that it had a box in the glove box but the o2 sensor was not hooked up to the exhaust. I did find a little black box in the trunk of the e30 but the connection for the o2 does not have the male connector anywhere on the wiring harness and the connections that are coming out of the ecu do not match the black box. This car was a window out painted; disassembled car; so I have been slowly putting it back together:)..
thanks for the input,
jm
This black box that I found in the trunk looks just like the one on Google under Johnson Box. There was a sticker on it at one time; but has fallen off. The wiring looks to be the same as the one on line. Only problem is; like the o2 sensor, there is no place to plug it in. jm

[e30davie]

I have an Australian delivered 1985 euro 323i, runs on L-jetronic. vacuum advance distributor and a very simple ECU that does fuel only, via air flow meter with an air temp sensor, coolant temp sensor to ecu and a single pulse from the distributor, and i believe it has 2 channels for the injector drivers and just fires them alternately in no particular order. No O2 sensor and no cat converter. the loom for the ecu is tiny, like 10 wires. very simple, I believe its an analogue ecu too. (almost all of this is now in a box as i converted it to megasquirt)

Mine did have an air injection system in the exhaust, does yours have that?

That Johnson box seems like a retrofit, maybe to pass California emissions import laws or something? I wonder how it works. given how simple the ecu is it must just intercept the coolant or air temp and adjust. edit - someone in that link above suggested similar.

[e30austin]

I have an Australian delivered 1985 euro 323i, runs on L-jetronic. vacuum advance distributor and a very simple ECU that does fuel only, via air flow meter with an air temp sensor, coolant temp sensor to ecu and a single pulse from the distributor, and i believe it has 2 channels for the injector drivers and just fires them alternately in no particular order. No O2 sensor and no cat converter. the loom for the ecu is tiny, like 10 wires. very simple, I believe its an analogue ecu too. (almost all of this is now in a box as i converted it to megasquirt)

Mine did have an air injection system in the exhaust, does yours have that?

That Johnson box seems like a retrofit, maybe to pass California emissions import laws or something? I wonder how it works. given how simple the ecu is it must just intercept the coolant or air temp and adjust. edit - someone in that link above suggested similar.

the Johnson box piggybacks off the coolant temperature sensor circuit. yes, these were primarily installed to be compliant with California emission requirements.

[e30austin]

Hey Austin: Yes, I remember when I had the euro m535i; e28 that it had a box in the glove box but the o2 sensor was not hooked up to the exhaust. I did find a little black box in the trunk of the e30 but the connection for the o2 does not have the male connector anywhere on the wiring harness and the connections that are coming out of the ecu do not match the black box. This car was a window out painted; disassembled car; so I have been slowly putting it back together:)..
thanks for the input,
jm
This black box that I found in the trunk looks just like the one on Google under Johnson Box. There was a sticker on it at one time; but has fallen off. The wiring looks to be the same as the one on line. Only problem is; like the o2 sensor, there is no place to plug it in. jm

guessing yours was just installed to pass a visual inspection, this was not unheard of back when the cars were new.

[roguetoaster]

guessing yours was just installed to pass a visual inspection, this was not unheard of back when the cars were new.

Absolutely, grey market cars were frequently federalized and then immediately de-federalized so those parts could be used on the next import in line. Clearly, things that made holes in bodywork tended to remain.

[2002jm]

Seems like mine is the same as yours L-jetronic; vacuum advance etc Very small ecu. Appeals to have 6 wires spliced in that are the same size as the ones on the johnson box, but both the box and the ecu wires are male connectors; sort of hard to plug in:) exhaust does not have air injection; but has aftermarket cat. and a place for an o2 sensor.
thanks for the reply,
jm

[2002jm]

Wonder if I should just plug up the o2 sensor hole on the exhaust and forget about the johnson box??
jm