nickwrx

Is it alright to clean the lambda sensor with brake cleaner.
thanks

nick.

R19KET

Nick,

Remove lambda sensor, open dustbin lid, dispose of sensor.....

Sorry, but to my knowledge, they are consumable items.

Mark.

nickwrx

Mark i've heard story's of them being cleaned and working fine, anyway it's cheaper to try and clean it, plus my m o t runs out tomorrow and i'm trying to get it through the test.
So does anyone know if i can use brake cleaner as i'm doing the job tonight, so urgent help is needed.
thanks, nick.

Stephen Cole

Only thing to watch is that I've heard the lambda sensor is very difficult to remove sucessfully
(unless you have access to inside of the pipe to spray in lubricant etc)

Let us know how you get on

nickwrx

steve
i removed the sensor with ease and give it a clean but it's still the same.
So does anyone if the british lambda is the same as the jap lambda sensor i.e the same volted
thanks , nick.

NDT

do a search - I asked a simialr question a while ago.
Incidentally I replaced mine with a universal part - just had to swap the plug over.
I think the UK and Jap ones are the same.....but the lead fitted varied over the years.
Nick

Stephen Cole

There was a recent thread that pointed to some web articles
(Australian car mag..) etc, that described how to test your lambda sensor.
Eg measure output (with digital voltmeter) when in a blowtorch flame
(eg outside the flame there's plenty of Oxygen, but inside the flame there is lack of free Oxygen)

Here'some notes I cut out to save -

One way of testing the O2 sensor is to take it off the car and heat it up with a blowtorch (think that's hot? it can get to over 1000 degrees C in the headers!). With a voltmeter connected to the ouptut and the case, it should read about 0V when it's not in the flame, and over 0.7V when it is in the flame (as there will be little or no oxygen there). Another simple test is to keep it on the car and get some heat into it, then keep thje car on high boost so it will be running pretty rich, it should read at least 0.8V if it doesn't then it may be duff. But remember when it gets really hot, the output falls again.

jmca

Nick,

Probably tooooooo late with this but remember this from a thread a while back about testing Lambda sensors.

http://www.davep1.freeserve.co.uk/rover/tech/lambda.htm#High%20Impedance,%20Fast%20Voltmeter%20 for%20Testing%20Lambda

Johny,

NDT

that's the thread that I posted in - and I used the link to the instructions about testing your lambda....
but....
USE A DIGITAL VOLTMETER!!!!!!!
otherwise you'll damage the lambda anyway.

David_Wallis

is it possible to get intermittent faults on lambda's cos mine seems ok when I have it on the scope... nice wave form that changes slightly when revving... about to remove it and get the blow torch out... best not use oxy and acetlyene!!!

David

NDT

apparently you can get an intermittent fault - sensor works OK at normal temp, but when it gets too hot it can open the circuit.
think that the link above gives you a way to test this....two minutes of heating with the blow torch.

David_Wallis

I have checked it again and there is no connection between any of the pins on the connector.. On connecting the scope to the sensor and using the case as a ground I get no signal... silly me.. thinking the wave form that I had was actually an output... was just interference.... doh.

Going to order a new sensor today.

Anybody recommend anywhere... as mine has a bosch part number on it, so it must be possible to buy from places other than subaru.

David

NDT

most parts factors will stock a universal one, but you have to change the plug.
worth calling halfords, as they stock them, with an adaptor lead.

Nick

David_Wallis

just got one for ninety squid cash from scooby dealer...

David