Oxygen Sensors

[FORZA-MOTORSPORT]

How do you know if your oxygen sensor is stuffed? Bad fuel economy? Can you some how clean it? Is there any difference between turbo and non-turbo ones? What are some cheap places to purchase a replacement from?

Cheers

Edited May 31, 2006 by FOOLBOOST

[Sydneykid]

The following could have been found with a simple search.

Can't be cleaned

Nissan recommends 40,000 k’s between replacements

Repco ~$70

cheers

PS; if you want to know more try a search.

[GTAAAH]

hum, a bit of a question on top of a question here but saves another anoyying topic so. I read that it is possible to check if the o2 sensor is working, using a multimeter. How exactly? I also read that if you shake it and it rattles its screwed, is that true? Bit tight on money at the moment.

[Busky2k]

Probe the ECU at the O2 sensor pin and hold the engine at 2000rpmm for 20 seconds. If the voltage does not fluctuate between 0.1 and 0.8V at least once per second, or just sits half way, or just sits on 0V its pretty much dead.

Also I think 40,000ks is a bit short. Most O2 sensors are good for at least 100,000ks in my experience. Hell I have one thats 200,000km old and its still going strong! Highly depends on the make though...

[The Dan]

Probe the ECU at the O2 sensor pin and hold the engine at 2000rpmm for 20 seconds. If the voltage does not fluctuate between 0.1 and 0.8V at least once per second, or just sits half way, or just sits on 0V its pretty much dead.

Also I think 40,000ks is a bit short. Most O2 sensors are good for at least 100,000ks in my experience. Hell I have one thats 200,000km old and its still going strong! Highly depends on the make though...

I'll second all of that

[paulr33]

40,000 sounds too short and 100,000 sounds too long. a good comprimise would be somewhere in the middle. i think most stocker gtst guys notice bad economy near 70-80,000 odd k's

it also seems the r33's tend to get much worse economy when their factory 02 sensor fails. you dont often hear of many r32s with bad economy (250ks to a full tank)

[FORZA-MOTORSPORT]

Ok thanks guys mine shows in the middle so its stuffed, as professor cubes said! , look like a replacement is a must!

[R31Nismoid]

Remember more heat kill stuff.

So its highly likely it could be lower KM's than people think.

Much like cat convertors. Running bigger turbos etc, you can just stuff them in a matter of months

[GTAAAH]

ahh thx ill go try "probe" my o2 sensor from the ecu tonight. I was about to take the 02 sensor out and test the wires connecting to it or something Might just be my driving but i get about 300k's to a tank. Ill check it out, thx

[Busky2k]

Yep probing the O2 voltage on the ECU harness is a much more reliable way.

An easy way to do it is to get a small paperclip, shove it in the right wire 'hole' on the ECU harness, and then alligator clip that to your multimeter. Done!

[bombastic]

When I got my R33 I was impressed by the fuel economy... 13L/100km, suburban driving. But I seem to get the same fuel economy on a highway, I thought it would be at least a little better.

So I decided to test my O2 sensor with the above method. It seemed to oscillate between 0.3V and 0.6V when I held the revs at 2000. I think when I let it idle the range was more, like it went up to 0.9V I think, and as low as 0.1V. Maybe the reason I didn't see that kind of range at 2000rpm was my multimeter being slow?

Do O2 sensors tend to just work/fail, or gradually deteriorate? I have a new intercooler, split dump/front, and cat to install, followed by a PFC... just wondering whether it would be beneficial to put a new sensor in before I have it tuned.

[mattymagoo22]

when they tune they use a wideband O2 sensor to check AFR's they stick it in the tailpipe. O2 sensors can be cleaned (don't flame me) if they have junk on the outside of them( mud from 4wd etc) you can clean it off as all the sensor does is compare the air in the exhaust to the air on the outside. Most of the time on a skyline (R33's) they're beyond salvage in my opinion mostly due to common misfire problem.

It should sweep between .1 and around .8V less then that and it may be getting tired.

At idle its running open loop ( pre determined map from ecu) opposed to closed loop (highway driving or holding the engine at 2000rpm).

Hope this helps

Cheers Matt.