Lambda/Oxygen sensors - Can they be cleaned?
Lambda/Oxygen sensors - Can they be cleaned?
Author
Discussion

BryanWilton

Original Poster:

196 posts

234 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Been looking for good price on Lambda sensors, came across this guys site on Ebay

He reckeons he can clean them using ultrasonic waves, etc & they will back to their best.
(assuming heating element is ok)

He has loads of positive Feedback(100%) & for £10 plus postage I'm tempted to give it a go

Anyone used this guy or had them cleaned elsewhere, does it really work?

That Daddy

19,462 posts

252 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Thats funny, they normally break down internally and switch lazy,its not the carbon on the outside that generally give the problem when they go AWOL.

BryanWilton

Original Poster:

196 posts

234 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
Thats also what I thought....

I wonder why the switch becomes lazy though, is it because it becomes furred up or something?

That Daddy

19,462 posts

252 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
BryanWilton said:
Thats also what I thought....

I wonder why the switch becomes lazy though, is it because it becomes furred up or something?
Its an electrical component in a very very harsh enviroment,price/quality also come into the equation like most things it as a lifespan/cycles limitation,bloody hell some long words their,must of swallowed the English dictionarygetmecoatSpend will slaughter me if he reads this oneeek

GreenV8S

31,027 posts

315 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
I wouldn't be at all optimistic about your chances of cleaning a lambda sensor. Of course, if you send him one that's basically OK and he brushes the soot off the outside and sends it back, it'll still be basically OK. Would that be enough to persuade you to leave positive feedback?

That Daddy

19,462 posts

252 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
GreenV8S said:
I wouldn't be at all optimistic about your chances of cleaning a lambda sensor. Of course, if you send him one that's basically OK and he brushes the soot off the outside and sends it back, it'll still be basically OK. Would that be enough to persuade you to leave positive feedback?
Thats a good point Peter,like ityes

spend

12,581 posts

282 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
That Daddy said:
getmecoatSpend will slaughter me if he reads this oneeek
Apart from 'their' being a lot of missing spaces it was pretty ledgerybill Simonbiggrin

Dave

That Daddy

19,462 posts

252 months

Friday 8th June 2007
quotequote all
spend said:
That Daddy said:
getmecoatSpend will slaughter me if he reads this oneeek
Apart from 'their' being a lot of missing spaces it was pretty ledgerybill Simonbiggrin

Dave
rofl

BryanWilton

Original Poster:

196 posts

234 months

Tuesday 12th June 2007
quotequote all
Just brushes the soot off, I hope not (:

This guy is an aircraft engineer & seems to know what he's talking about

The Sensors get a chemical clean & are cleaned internally by ultrasound apparently

Have emailed him & he reckons he has 100% success rate as long as the heater part is ok

Don't know whether to give it a go........

dalecrx

67 posts

281 months

Tuesday 12th June 2007
quotequote all
It might be worth it, but i know how crucial they are to get the engine running right. I would personaly buy new ones as they get affected by temperature and the harsh conditions.

I have a (AFR) Air Fuel Ratio wideband kit for another car i have as im currently tuning it. It has a calibration button on the control unit as after a while the lamba sensor can go out of calibration. The calibration button sets it back to open air.

If you want to get them cheaper look up the part no and order them from america. I did this on my last TVR Chimaera and saved quite abit. I think it only cost me about £45ish delivered. Ill try and dig out the link. It was 3 years ago though. There is a few posts on here about ordering the lambda sensors from america.

im

34,302 posts

248 months

Tuesday 12th June 2007
quotequote all

Excuse my ignorance but what do the lambda/oxygen sensors do and how would you know if you needed to repair/replace them?


Nuggs

4,640 posts

265 months

Tuesday 12th June 2007
quotequote all
im said:
Excuse my ignorance but what do the lambda/oxygen sensors do and how would you know if you needed to repair/replace them?
It's a sensor attached to the exhausts (just before the Y-piece) which measures the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gasses. It sends its readings to the ECU to allow it to adjust the fuel/air mix accordingly.

I guess if your sensors weren't working properly, you'd start running lean or rich, pinking must be a risk and could you could also end up fecking up your cat.

im

34,302 posts

248 months

Tuesday 12th June 2007
quotequote all
Nuggs said:
im said:
Excuse my ignorance but what do the lambda/oxygen sensors do and how would you know if you needed to repair/replace them?
It's a sensor attached to the exhausts (just before the Y-piece) which measures the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gasses. It sends its readings to the ECU to allow it to adjust the fuel/air mix accordingly.

I guess if your sensors weren't working properly, you'd start running lean or rich, pinking must be a risk and could you could also end up fecking up your cat.
Thanks Nuggs

You truly are the fountain.

thumbup

BryanWilton

Original Poster:

196 posts

234 months

Monday 2nd July 2007
quotequote all
Have found some very cheap ones in the US which are universal type (wires need joining), but are NTK which are supposed to be the best make.
I am an Electrician though, so not a problem.

According to NTK the only difference is they don't come with the plug on, the sensor is exactly the same as the direct fit.

Will let you all know how I get on with them (when they arrive).
They were very cheap, so fingers crossed they end up being the right ones!
(£35 inc P&P for 2)

blitzracing

6,422 posts

251 months

Monday 2nd July 2007
quotequote all
Talking of generic sensors- can some one confirm the correct voltage for the origional units. The Rover manuals state 0-1v and the RPI site states 5 volt for the 14CUX ? Was there a change in the 14CUX in its history, or have RPI got it wrong and the 5 volt units are for the latter Sajem ECU fitted to the Range Rovers ?

GreenV8S

31,027 posts

315 months

Monday 2nd July 2007
quotequote all
0-1V is pretty much universal for narrowband Lambda sensors.

Wideband sensors aren't often accessed directly, they're usually connected to a driver unit that provides an analogue output and 5V output seems common.

BryanWilton

Original Poster:

196 posts

234 months

Monday 2nd July 2007
quotequote all
Well they arrived from US, they are the right size, 12mm thread, 17mm socket size
They are 3-wire, Titania, NTK (written on packet).

They do have Nissan written on them, but I believe some old Nissans use the same sensor
Haven't got a socket to remove the old ones at the moment, will probably have to make one out of a deep reach 17mm socket as I can't find anyone who makes the correct tool

Bargain if they work (£35 for the two, including postage from the US)




PxMetro

43 posts

220 months

Saturday 19th July 2008
quotequote all
Hi
I am interested to know if you managed to replace the Lambda sensors, and of course did they work okay? My 450 has just failed miserably on emissions at the MOT test, so I have been looking for ideas at to what the problem might be. Reading some of the threads here I'm thinking it might be the Lambda Sensors.

big geoff

387 posts

231 months

Saturday 19th July 2008
quotequote all
MY 400 failed its mot 2 weeks ago on high emissions and i changed both lambda sensors when they were removed one was a grey colour and the other was black and sooty fit two new ones my mpg and performance has improved

BryanWilton

Original Poster:

196 posts

234 months

Saturday 19th July 2008
quotequote all
Yep, got them from the US in about a week
They are NTK easy to change with a spark plug spanner (there are differnt sizes)
Been in for over a year now & all is good, just passed an MOT on emissions for the 2nd year running

Exchange rate is so good at the moment that you ll probably get 2 for about £30
I wouldn't bother changing just the duff 1, for that money you might as well change both IMHO