What is an O2 sensor and what does it do?
Please try again later. An oxygen (O2) sensor, also known as an air fuel ratio sensor, is a device that gauges the ratio of fuel-to-air that the engine is receiving by measuring the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. It then feeds this information to an on-board computer known as the Engine Control Unit (ECU).
How to richen a narrow band O2 sensor?
A narrow band O2 sensor (NBO2) essentially only understands a 14.7:1 air fuel ratio (AFR). Here is a little trick that can be used that will richen the AFR to approximately 14.2:1. While this is still not an ideal AFR for idle and cruising, it is an improvement. These can be built for a very low cost with a few parts from Radio Shack or any ...
What will a bad O2 sensor do?
The downstream O2 sensor is directly responsible for the proper air to fuel ratio of the engine, a failing downstream O2 sensor can lead to a very poor gas mileage because the cars ECU will not be able to calculate a proper fuel burn and as a result, it will either deliver a lean or rich fuel mixture. 3. An Engine That Sounds Rough
Where to Mount wideband O2 sensor?
Where to mount wideband o2 sensor
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What is the difference between a wideband and narrowband O2 sensor?
Wideband sensors were developed to more accurately measure A/F ratios over a broader range of operating conditions (hence the name). A narrowband sensor can measure only between approximately 14.0/15.0:1 air/fuel ratios to report a rich or lean condition, but a wideband is much more robust.
What is a narrowband O2 sensor?
A narrowband O2 (Oxygen) sensor only reads either rich or lean of Stoichiometric. Stoich is the ration to completely combust the fuel. So a narrowband will only read rich or lean. It does not tell you how far away you are from Stoich. A wideband O2 is designed to read a board range of air fuel ratios.
What does a wide band oxygen sensor do?
Wideband O2 sensors monitor the amount of oxygen in the exhaust to measure the Air Fuel Ratio, or AFR. The AFR tells your tuner whether the car requires more or less fuel to achieve the best power or economy, and allows your tuner to keep the engine safe.
Do I need a wideband O2 sensor for tuning?
You need solid data to tune your engine right. A wideband o2 sensor gives you the data you and your ECU need to be able to tune that properly. While a narrowband can only tell you when it's 14.7:1, and is therefore nearly useless for tuning for anything other than a steady cruise condition.
Is narrowband or wideband better?
A common definition (ETSI) of narrowband is when 25 kHz or less is used for the radio channel. The benefit of using a narrow channel is the lower noise bandwidth and hence better sensitivity and range. The advantage of wideband is the capability to transfer higher data rates.
How do I know if I have wideband or narrowband?
FInd the first one on the list and click on it to go to detail page. Scroll down past the "Features and Benefits" section, and look for "OXYGEN SENSOR TYPE" It will tell you if it is Narrow-Band or Wide Band (heated or un heated doesn't matter to us).
Do I need a wideband?
If you plan to head to the rollers to get it setup, and want a more hands-off install, then no need for a wideband at all. The dyno operator will use their own wideband during mapping, will optimise the fuelling and ignition, and, everything being equal, it should never change once tuned.
Where do you put the wideband O2 sensor?
6:418:17Proper O2 Sensor Placement - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRight here you want a place that wide 90 degrees or 45 degrees in exhaust just like your narrowband.MoreRight here you want a place that wide 90 degrees or 45 degrees in exhaust just like your narrowband. So you don't get the moisture from the condensation.
How long do wideband O2 sensors last?
- Wideband O2 sensors only last 10-50 hours on leaded racegas. - If your controller has the capabilty you should remove your sensor from the exhaust and calibrate your setup to free air every 250-500 hours.
Can I replace my o2 sensor with a wideband?
0:001:40Replacing Narrowband O2 Sensor With A Wideband. Straight Swap ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can't change a factory narrowband sensor for a wideband.MoreYou can't change a factory narrowband sensor for a wideband.
What is wideband and narrowband?
Narrowband systems typically have lower data rate transmissions, whereas wideband systems support relatively higher data rate transmissions. To put simply, wideband systems allow for faster communication.
How do you test an O2 sensor narrow band?
How to test an Oxygen Sensor with a Clamp-meterMake sure the engine exhaust system is cold.Switch the clamp-meter on, to 'DC current/DC amperage' mode.Put the clamp around either of the oxygen sensor heater power wires (but not both). ... Turn the engine on.Observe the reading, which should be between 0.25A and 1.5A.
How many wires does a narrow band O2 sensor have?
Narrowband O2 Sensors typically have up to 4 wires coming out of them and as the name suggests only measure a very narrow window of Air to fuel mixtures – around 0.99 to 1.01 Lambda or 14.6 to 14.8:1 in the petrol scale.
Why is a narrow band sensor no longer accurate?
Once you get out of this band just either side of a lambda of 1, the sensor is no longer accurate enough to use because a massive change in the mixture only gives a very small change in the voltage.
What is a 2 wire sensor?
2 wire sensors have a signal wire and also a signal earth wire. the earth wire helps to reduce the risk of bad earths through the exhaust.
How hot does an oxygen sensor get?
Oxygen sensors don't work very well until they a very hot. Over 350 degrees. So manufactures have added the heater circuit to the sensors so that they heat up more rapidly and the ECU can also have some control over keeping the sensor at the desired temperature. Un-heated sensors, 1 and 2 wires sensors, only get the heat transfer from the exhaust so take longer to heat up and also require a fair amount of exhaust gases to be flowing over the sensor to keep it hot enough to operate.
What is the difference between a titanium and zirconia sensor?
This refers to the material that the sensing element is made from. Zirconia sensors work like a battery in that they generate a voltage that changes in relation to the oxygen content whereas a Titanium type sensor does not generate a voltage but instead changes resistance in relation to the oxygen content in the exhaust. Zirconia sensors will have a 18mm thread whereas Titanium sensors will normally have a 12mm thread. Now unfortunately there are a few cases of Titanium sensors that also use a 18mm thread, just to make things difficult. I will cover the operation of the two types of sensors a little later.
How does a Zirconia sensor work?
Earlier I said that Zirconia sensors work like a battery in that they generate a small voltage in relation to the amount of oxygen present.Titanium sensors don't generate a voltage but instead change resistance in relation to the amount of oxygen present.
How does a 1 wire sensor work?
1 wire sensors have a single wire that sends the signal back to the ECU.Now for any electrical circuit to work you need to have a complete circuit. i.e a POSITIVE and a NEGATIVE, so the sensor earth is made through the body of the sensor and then into the exhaust piping and onto the engine.
What does oxygen sensor fault code mean?
Unfortunately they are also right up there as one of the most mis-diagnosed parts in the engine management system because an oxygen sensor fault code does not always mean that the sensor itself is faulty, but may indicate other mechanical or electrical issues that the sensor is merely reporting, like air leaks, fuel pressure problems or catalytic convertors that are not working efficiently.
How to know if your oxygen sensor is wide or narrow?
Scroll down past the "Features and Benefits" section, and look for "OXYGEN SENSOR TYPE" It will tell you if it is Narrow-Band or Wide Band (heated or un heated doesn't matter to us).
How many wires does a car sensor have?
wire by testing. The sensor can have 2, 3 or 4 wires (some can have 5 or 6- these are rare), and you have to know which one is the signal wire. The most common configuration for modern cars is 4 wires.
Is a wideband sensor compatible with a narrowband sensor?
The Wideband and Narrow Band Sensors are not compatible and you must choose the proper TUNER for your car.
Do 02 sensors produce a signal?
NOTE: The engine must be at operating temperature to perform this check. Many 02 sensors do not. produce a signal until the sensor is warmed to 600 F. If you can not find a signal wire with fluctuations. between 0-1 volt, there is a possibility that you have Wideband 02 sensors.
What is a narrow band O2 sensor?
A narrow band o2 sensoris an oxygen sensor that is only calibrated to know three things. Rich, stoic, and lean. What I mean by this is that it only has a narrow window that it see’s the air fuel mixture through. The sensor can tell the computerwhen it’s stoic. If it’s not stoic, it can tell the ECU that it’s either Rich, or Lean, but that’s it. It doesn’t really output any particular value other than that. How rich the car is the sensor has NO IDEA about. Same with how lean the car is. All it does know is that it’s not stoic. The ecu with a narrowband o2 sensor, when in closed loop mode, will then lean on the fuel map if it is receiving a rich signal from the o2 sensor till its stoic. The opposite would be true if the sensor was telling the ECU that it was currently running lean, it would richen the fuel map till the o2 sensor was reading stoic.
What does a wideband sensor tell you?
Wideband sensors not only are a lot faster acting in the reading, but can tell you the exact a/f ratio that the motor is currently at. So instead of just telling the ECU that the motor is running rich, it will read a voltage that correlates to an actual value, like 11.2.
Is Lambda 1.0 a good fuel ratio?
Lambda 1.0 is always the perfect ratio for the fuel in use. Some tuners argue that it is better to read air to fuel ratio’s in lambda since it will be accurate with any fuel. To be fair though, most aftermarket gauges will read lambda and convert that number to an a/f ratio for gasoline.
Is it bad to have a wideband A/F sensor?
While this is great for gas mileage, often the vehicle will be down on power and become dangerous to the motors internals. None of this matters though if you don't have a wideband A/F sensor.
What is the difference between a wideband and a narrowband O2 sensor?
A narrowband sensor can measure only between approximately 14.0/15.0:1 air/fuel ratios to report a rich or lean condition, but a wideband is much more robust. Honda was the first to use a wideband O2 sensor in its 1992 Civic models.
When did O2 sensors start?
Conventional O2 sensors have been a mainstay in the automotive industry for several decades, going back to 1976 when Bosch first introduced them on Volvo 240/260 models. A narrowband sensor works on a rich/lean principle.
What is a LAF sensor?
The LAF sensor confused many technicians at first because it looked similar to a traditional O2 sensor, except that it had five wires. These sensors are referred to by several names such as lambda sensors, AFR, LAF and wideband O2 sensor. A wideband sensor can detect oxygen content in the exhaust that’s way below or way above ...
How hot does a wideband sensor need to be?
However, wideband sensors also need to be heated to higher operating temperatures to function effectively. While a narrowband sensor operates in the 600° F range, a wideband sensor needs to be heated to 1,200-1,400° F.
What are the two types of oxygen sensors?
There are two types of wideband oxygen sensor designs: dual-cell and single-cell.
What are the advantages of a planar sensor?
The planar design has several advantages over a single-cell AFR sensor due to its quicker warmup times, faster switching times and better resistance to contamination. 1. Sensor Element (combination of Nernst concentration cell and oxygen-pump cell); 2.
Is a wideband oxygen sensor the same as a narrowband oxygen sensor?
Wideband air/fuel oxygen sensors may appear similar to conventional narrowband oxygen sensors, but there are quite a few differences that you need to be aware of to service vehicles with this new style sensor. Wideband air/fuel oxygen sensors may appear similar to conventional narrowband oxygen sensors, but there are quite a few differences ...
What is the difference between a wideband and a narrowband O2 sensor?
A narrowband sensor can measure only between approximately 14.0/15.0:1 air/fuel ratios to report a rich or lean condition, but a wideband is much more robust. Honda was the first to use a wideband O2 sensor in its 1992 Civic models.
What are the two types of oxygen sensors?
There are two types of wideband oxygen sensor designs: dual-cell and single-cell.
Why are wideband AFR sensors used?
One of the main reason’s manufacturers are going to wideband AFR sensors is because the heater channel comes up to operating temperature quicker — as fast as 10 seconds, in some cases. However, wideband sensors also need to be heated to higher operating temperatures to function effectively.
When did O2 sensors first come out?
Advertisement. Conventional O2 sensors have been a mainstay in the automotive industry for several decades, going back to 1976 when Bosch first introduced them on Volvo 240/260 models. A narrowband sensor works on a rich/lean principle.
Is a wideband oxygen sensor the same as a narrowband oxygen sensor?
Wideband air/fuel oxygen sensors may appear similar to conventional narrowband oxygen sensors, but there are quite a few differences that you need to be aware of to service vehicles with this new style sensor.
What is the difference between a wideband O2 sensor and a narrowband O2 sensor?
A wideband o2 sensor system will give you far greater tuning ability than a narrowband o2 sensor . The challenge with a narrowband sensor is that it is only truly accurate at 14.7:1 AFR (the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for gasoline). The factory will most likely have tuned your engine to run around at 14.7:1 air/fuel ratio (AFR) at cruise and light load conditions. This is the ‘chemically correct’ or ‘stoichiometric’ (stoich for short) AFR which basically means this is the air/fuel mixture at which the most complete burn of the fuel will occur. It happens to also be the proper mixture for the catalytic converter to best do it’s job. In other words, your car comes tuned from the factory for reduced emissions and that’s why that narrowband sensor is there.
What is the AFR of a wideband oxygen sensor?
In short, a wideband oxygen sensor will give you a measurement of your Air/Fuel Ratio from about 10:1 up to about 20:1 AFR allowing you to target exactly the AFR you’re after at all times. If you’re running a naturally aspirated car on a road racing course, you might target 12.5:1 – 13:1 range under heavy load/throttle. If you’re running a turbocharged land speed car down the Bonneville Salt Flats, you might target 11:1, or possibly richer. A wideband o2 sensor gives you the data you and your ECU need to be able to tune that properly. While a narrowband can only tell you when it’s 14.7:1, and is therefore nearly useless for tuning for anything other than a steady cruise condition.
