reconditioned lambda sensors

[marcus1970]

Can you recondition the lambda sensors, or are they either knackered or not knackered. Can anyone explain what actually happens to them, do they get clogged or rust away or melt into a blob. Any info much appreciated...

Also where is the cheapest I can I get two new ones if thats the only option..

Cheers

MB

[marcus1970]

??? Anyone...

MB

[Julian64]

they get carbon deposits all over them. On an old BMW I had they started playing up. Cos I'm so tight I could float on water, I took them off and played an oxygenating flame on them from my welder. The carbon made a lovely firework display as it burnt off, leaving an almost perfect white original ceramic look.

I put them back on the car about a year ago and they seem to be going strong still.

There will be lots of people posting telling you they are lifed, rather like the battery brigade on here, and I'm sure they are, but I think a lot are thrown away on a whim.

[GreenV8S]

The working bit is a complicated chemical catalyst which can be poisoned by various chemicals that come out of your engine. If this happens there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. The working bit also has to be in contact with the exhaust gases to get an accurate reading, and carbon build-up will gradually isolate it making it respond slower and slower. This is a typical symptom of a failing lambda sensor. In theory you should be able to remove the carbon build-up (haven't heard of anyone trying the oxygen trick before but it sounds feasible) but you have to ensure that you don't contaminate the sensor while you're doing it. So you can't just have at it with a wire brush and so on!

[marcus1970]

Could it be that the connectors that connect the lambda sensors to the ECU are starting to corrode, after all they are somewhat open to water and road grime etc.

Cheers

MB