![]() |
|
|
|
Registered
|
O2 Sensor Behavior, Is it Toast?
A fellow Pelican and I are attempting to set the baseline AFR using the "ghetto style" O2 sensor measurement of between 0.2-0.6Vdc. This morning after the car had been driven and warmed up we were getting no reliable reading from the O2 sensor's output (the male pin, not the heater pins), like when a meter is open circuited and it's bouncing around on millivolts while it's reading the atmosphere, not a tangible electrical signal.
Fast forward, later at home he connected his meter to the O2 sensor while the car was cold and after starting the car watched the O2 output go from around 0.6v and slowly sink down to 0v gradually as the car warmed up. What's going on with this O2 sensor?
__________________
88' Carrera, Black/Black/Black, "Murdered Out" OEM. 06' BMW 'M' Roadster (Wife's car and WAY faster than mine) |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
Rethinking this morning - if the O2 is disconnected while we're doing this, it can't be causing the issue, correct? So it must be a different part causing this? Can we leave the O2 connected and just probe that wire to get a reading?
Thanks for posting this Talewinds!
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
DUH, Ok you're saying the O2 may be giving us a false reading as soon as it warms up, therefore faulty O2, might get good readings w/a good O2, maybe no other problem at all.
Related question then - if the O2 is providing readings to the DME that are completely out of range, does the DME ignore that signal and go to a default?
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
|
A follow-up question...
Can the O2 be cleaned? I installed a brand new Innovate Wideband with my EFI and it stopped providing a good reading... I pulled it out and cleaned it, put it back in and it worked.. so in the process of tuning (when the car was very rich), it must have gotten some carbon buildup on the holes? does the wire react to a twist? in twisting in the o2 you could have twisted the wire a couple revolutions.. does that matter? I dont have the answers... just have had intermitent false readings so I wanted to offer my experience. When I cleaned It, I just used brake cleaner. Cant say that this is proper or that it is good for it... If I keep having issues, Ill buy a new one..
__________________
83 SC Targa -- 3.2SS, GT2-108 Dougherty Cams, 9.5:1 JE Pistons, Supertec Studs, PMO ITB's, MS2 EFI, SSI's, Recurved Dizzy, MSD, Backdated Dansk Sport Stainless 2 in 1 out, Elephant Polybronze, Turbo Tie Rods, Bilstein HD's, Hollow 21-27 TBs, Optima Redtop 34R, Griffiths-ZIMS AC, Seine Shifter, Elephant Racing Oil Cooling. |
||
![]() |
|
grateful user
|
Im not sure about Porsche, but I'm sure it is the same sevice interval as BMW in 88, manufactures sevice interval is 30,000 miles. As the 02 gets older, they work slower, because of the soot build up. I think in 88 it is still a one wire? If it is, you can get a Bosche 1 wire for 20 bucks at O'Riellys. I have cleaned them before, but not with satisfactory results, When I was at BMW, I had access to factory diagnostic equip, and could watch 02 v. output on a monitor, and cleaning never produced the same quick voltage fluctuations as a new one.
__________________
fully disassembled, blasted, customized and restored 75 targa with factory hard top, 993 style turbo ft fenders, steel flares, C2 bumpers and rockers, 82 3.0 sc 9.5/1 engine with PMS flywheel, 964 cams, flowed heads, ssi's short geared 915 w/lsd, polybronze, bilstein,working lambda, modified and highly tuned cis, tensioners, pop valve, backdated exhaust and heater, 2300 lbs. no bolt left untouched. 1970 911E. Nice car but needs a re-do. |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
This particular sensor only has about 4K on it but has been running in a very rich environment. The '88 is heated therefore 3-wire.
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
![]() |
Registered
|
might want to clean it good before you replace it...
__________________
83 SC Targa -- 3.2SS, GT2-108 Dougherty Cams, 9.5:1 JE Pistons, Supertec Studs, PMO ITB's, MS2 EFI, SSI's, Recurved Dizzy, MSD, Backdated Dansk Sport Stainless 2 in 1 out, Elephant Polybronze, Turbo Tie Rods, Bilstein HD's, Hollow 21-27 TBs, Optima Redtop 34R, Griffiths-ZIMS AC, Seine Shifter, Elephant Racing Oil Cooling. |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
I think I have a good used one in the cat that came off the car, not too many miles on it - I think we'll test w/that next.
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
|
Quote:
Wait, I found it in the "Idle Bounce" thread... Quote:
__________________
88' Carrera, Black/Black/Black, "Murdered Out" OEM. 06' BMW 'M' Roadster (Wife's car and WAY faster than mine) |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,612
|
Yeah...O2 sensors do not like water.
As an aside, when installing and removing the O2 sensor, make sure it is disconnected on the plug side first so you don't twist the wires. |
||
![]() |
|
AutoBahned
|
btw - are you using an analog meter to check it?
|
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
No, digital in both cases. But the reading are so far off the charts it probably doesn't make any difference. Prepping for a DE this weekend, will get back on it next week.
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
![]() |
Registered
|
Digital. It's a very high end meter with a digital/ analog scale for visual purposes.
It's given me very good results on an O2 in the past. I know what you're getting at with the digital vs. analog meter though, as my trade was industrial electricity/electronics.
__________________
88' Carrera, Black/Black/Black, "Murdered Out" OEM. 06' BMW 'M' Roadster (Wife's car and WAY faster than mine) |
||
![]() |
|
AutoBahned
|
ok - sounds like the thing to do is to just replace it - the $$ are likely < than the hassle of debugging...
|
||
![]() |
|
Registered
|
The 3.2 DME simply compares the O2 input signal against an internal reference voltage. For the time the sensor voltage is below the reference voltage (indicates lean mixture) the mixture trim value increases with a given rate (rate depends on RPM) and for the time the value is above the reference voltage (rich mixture) the mixture trim value decreases with the same rate.
The rate of change is about 5% per second at 3000 RPM. The trim value can modify the mixture by plus or minus 20% in part-throttle. If the O2 input voltage is zero all the time (sensor damaged or not connected) the mixture trim will simply walk all the way towards richening the mixture by 20%. So the bottom line is without the sensor connected you run rich in your part-throttle range. Newer DME's from the 964 onwards detect a damaged or missing sensor and keep the mixture trim a zero. Ingo
__________________
1974 Targa 3.6, 2001 C4 (sold), 2019 GT3RS, 2000 ML430 I repair/rebuild Bosch CDI Boxes and Porsche Motronic DMEs Porsche "Hammer" or Porsche PST2, PIWIS III - I can help!! How about a NoBadDays DualChip for 964 or '95 993 |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
|
Quote:
__________________
88' Carrera, Black/Black/Black, "Murdered Out" OEM. 06' BMW 'M' Roadster (Wife's car and WAY faster than mine) |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
No kidding! Thanks Ingo!
Randy - I have a known "ok" used sensor, so we'll screw that in and get a reading right there. No problem getting a new one, just want to be sure that's what's causing this rich condition. There's a lot more to the story, started with a dyno run showing a very rich condition, but from Ingo's info it certainly could be a bad sensor. But the thing only has about 4K miles on it, so ???
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
grateful user
|
I dont know where you are, but you don't necc. need a heated 02 if you are in the southern region. (it will just stay in open loop for a few min. longer.) I have put the one wire on lots of gm cars w/heated 02,(some have four) works fine for 20 bucks, unless you just want to shell out the cash for the heated one. (or ones)
__________________
fully disassembled, blasted, customized and restored 75 targa with factory hard top, 993 style turbo ft fenders, steel flares, C2 bumpers and rockers, 82 3.0 sc 9.5/1 engine with PMS flywheel, 964 cams, flowed heads, ssi's short geared 915 w/lsd, polybronze, bilstein,working lambda, modified and highly tuned cis, tensioners, pop valve, backdated exhaust and heater, 2300 lbs. no bolt left untouched. 1970 911E. Nice car but needs a re-do. Last edited by don gilbert; 04-09-2010 at 04:37 PM.. |
||
![]() |
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. Louis region
Posts: 3,147
|
I've been wondering about that Don. When I fired this up cold, later yesterday, I got a slightly high, .69? normal reading at first, then it steadily dropped below .00 over about 15 seconds. Wondering exactly what the purpose of the heating is? I do drive it year-round, sometimes at pretty cold temps.
__________________
Deceased: Black '88 Carrera Coupe, Steve Wong and Russell Berry chips, Dansk premuffler, custom MK GT3-style muffler, Magnecores. Al Reed 7 & 8 X 16 Fuchs. Full Elephant Racing suspension, 21/28 T-bars, Turbo tierods, bump steer kit, Bilstein Sports, BK strut bar. Ruf bumpers, 935 mirrors, Carrera 3.0 tail, DasSport bar. '11 BMW 328iX, '18 Nissan Frontier 4X4, '92 Acura NSX. |
||
![]() |
|
grateful user
|
Strictly emission reasons. Just gets it into closed loop faster, esp. for cars in cold climates. I use a heated one on my sc engine with cis. only because of have SSI and they let the 02 cool down real fast between short stops. I like closed loop as fast as poss. when im just putting around. (fuel mileage) On a properly tuned cis car, you can hear and feel the gentle fluctuation of the lambda control in action, not so much on motronic though.
__________________
fully disassembled, blasted, customized and restored 75 targa with factory hard top, 993 style turbo ft fenders, steel flares, C2 bumpers and rockers, 82 3.0 sc 9.5/1 engine with PMS flywheel, 964 cams, flowed heads, ssi's short geared 915 w/lsd, polybronze, bilstein,working lambda, modified and highly tuned cis, tensioners, pop valve, backdated exhaust and heater, 2300 lbs. no bolt left untouched. 1970 911E. Nice car but needs a re-do. Last edited by don gilbert; 04-09-2010 at 04:31 PM.. |
||
![]() |
|