Oxygen Sensor - 1 wire connection
 

All - I disconnected my oxygen sensor as part of an engine drop.

The circled connection is broken (snapped in 1/2 ) and looks to have been that way for a while. What is this part? It is connected to the SINGLE wire from a 3 wire oxygen sensor.

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That little ceramic connector breaks on pretty much every car.

You can cut it off, strip the green wire, and put a spade connector on it, and attatch to the single wire from the o2 sensor. The green wire has a center wire surrounded by a copper shield, make sure you just use that center wire and pull the shield one out of the way.

There was a pelican member "Louie85" who was making replacements for the ceramic connector out of plastic, I don't know if he's still doing it.

Thanks - what does that connector do? As opposed to the two wire connector?

the connector connects to the oxygen sensor to the DME, the two wires are for heater of the o2 sensor. Yep still makes them. PM me if you need one.

This type of O2 sensor comes in 1, 2 and 3 wire varieties. All put out the same signal.

The 2 wire version has a heater in it to preheat the sensor one wire is signal to the computer that other the heater, and the case is ground.

3 wire is 2 wires for heater and one wire for signal.

You can use any 1 wire that will screw in. Make your own connectors, or use someone else's..... does not matter.

I have used a
$18.95 Bosch sensor for a Chevy truck worked great!!

How an Oxygen Sensor Works

The oxygen sensor in your vehicle is an electronic component that is designed to measure levels of oxygen in the engine exhaust. Typically, the oxygen sensor is mounted to the exhaust system tube, with the sensor part inside the tube. This measures the oxygen mixture by generating a small amount of electricity due to the difference in atmosphere, oxygen and carbon dioxide. The PCM monitors this voltage and adjusts the fuel system and engine timing accordingly.
The oxygen sensor is in continuous communication with the engine control unit giving it the information necessary to adjust fuel intake and ignition timing for correct combustion. When the engine is cold the oxygen sensor is not as active, but will become so after the engine coolant has reached a specific temperature. Early sensors used this time to “heat” up so that the reactive material within could work properly, to correct this condition the oxygen sensor has been constructed with a 12 volt heater element. This heater allows the sensor to read at maximum efficiency quicker. When the throttle is wide open and under max load the oxygen sensor will go full voltage until normal operating conditions return. Typically changing an oxygen sensor when necessary is a simple process. Most solutions to oxygen sensor problems result in changing the oxygen sensor, but always be sure there are no vacuum leaks present in the intake system, this can give a false oxygen sensor trouble code Due to the severe usage the sensor endures, it is common for most sensors to last approximately 75,000 miles, however it is not uncommon for an oxygen sensor to last only 40,000 miles depending on your driving habits and vehicle conditions.
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courtsy the www. doesent fix your problem but gives you a insite on how they work.

There is a lot of difference in O2 sensors. A new sensor that is wrong will work but it may not work right. For a real educational read check the two following threads (on the 2nd thread look for the posts by Zucker):
- Oxygen Sensor Design
- O2 sensor cost & replacement - Rennlist Discussion Forums