Any advantage to California o2 sensor?
 

I've got an 83 944. The only difference between the non-California o2 sensor and the California sensor is that the California sensor is heated. It looks like on my non-California car it has a connector for the heater right next to the sensor lead. If the California sensor heats up faster, shouldn't the computer start receiving o2 data sooner? The recommended change interval for the California sensor is twice as long as the non-California. Sounds like a good reason to use the California sensor. But will my non-California computer be able to use the heated sensor? Thanks.

What year…? Three wire O2 sensors are heated- late model 944s at least use heated sensors...

Forgot to mention the first time - its an 83 944.

purely for emissions, the car wont run any better or faster.

Benefit: Pass CA smog

I thought early cars had 1-prong o2 connectors? Correct me if I'm wrong

Early cars were one wire O2 sensors. Later one's were 3 wire but to qualify for California emissions, a certified CAB catalytic converter must also be installed. I guess the inspection stations check to see that the cat has the CAB stamp on it's outer housing. I'm sure they wouldn't pass my '87 with the 3 wire sensor and Magnaflow cat, regardless of how clean the motor runs.

Early cars were one wire sensors, except the ones sold in California were three wire sensors. If you have the 3 wires in your early car (like mine) then your car was originally sold in California or supposed to be headed there, but sold somewhere else.

The cars run in open loop mode while waiting for the O2 sensor to heat up (or if its missing like mine), when the sensor warms up, the cars run in closed loop, where the DME takes input from the O2 sensor. Without the sensor (Euro spec cars) the engine runs richer.

All the heated element does is allow the DME to take input from the sensor almost immediately after the car is turned on, not several minutes after it warms up. This leans out the fuel mixture and lowers emissions for the first few minutes, where without the heated element you have to wait a few minutes for it to lean out the mixture and lower emissions.

Yes your DME will work with a heated sensor. Is it worth it? up to you.

Also the DME's were the same for Euro cars and American cars. They are designed to use the 02 sensor input if its there and warmed up. The Euro cars didn't have 02 sensors till the later models.