Oxygen (O2) Sensor

[redhot]

Hi Guys,

I wonder if anyone here have successfully cleaned an oxygen sensor. I don't want to throw away $200 worth of sensor if there is a way to clean it.

Thanks...

[dutchy]

regular fuel will do the trick.

[redhot]

How long would I submerge it?

[rwy16r]

would love to know what the procedure for O2 sensor cleaning is?

[dutchy]

take them out, check first if they're full of the black soot. if so, submerge in petrol and move around till the soot comes off. you can clean it further with a cloth. let dry and put back in. - sorry, no capital letters as my shift button doen't work.

[AfterBurner]

Didn't think it was possible?

Should measure with a multimeter maybe (ohms) if open cct the cleaning will be in vain.

If it's intermittent, maybe cleaning would help, otherwise, i dont think it will.

If it's farked, its farked...

[dutchy]

if it's f..., then it's f... indeed but I did a search a while ago on how to clean these and this was what I found. It worked for me cause when I put them back, the error disappeared. They were very dirty and also I used nulon injector cleaner which might have left a film on the sensor. After cleaning, all was good.

[AfterBurner]

They still going strong?

Generally they rust up pretty bad & go manky cos of the heat etc. They are sorta similar to a spark plug.

[redhot]

Thanks guys for your responses, anyway I have submerge it into petrol and it looks like all the deposits are now gone. My O2 sensors wasn't that bad when I took it out but my engine light sometimes comes up and I think this is because of O2 sensors. I had similar problem from my old pulsar but I replaced it straight up and it cost me $200 so I was thinking there might be a way to clean this up.

I will let you know if my engine light still comes up and fuel effiency hasn't improve. Right now, I can only get 500KM out of 45 litres of tank which is 9L/100KM.

[rwy16r]

I will try that cleaning procedure as my car is not really fuel efficient getting 450km out of 50 litres of petrol.

[JohnBu]

I will try that cleaning procedure as my car is not really fuel efficient getting 450km out of 50 litres of petrol.

you sure you're filling up your car with 50L of petrol?

[faneca]

you sure you're filling up your car with 50L of petrol?

Which petrol are you using too? You get further on the better stuff lol iv just done 190km on a quarter of a tank

[rwy16r]

yep guys, I am filling the car up till it clicks with sometimes V power and BP ultimate and I stopped using 95 RON a while back as it was pinging and now it does not ping. Now according to the Drivers handbook My car tank fits , if I can remember around 52 litres.

I might have to take it to a mechanic to see any problems.

At the moment I am monitoring a full 52 litre being guzzled to about 1 quarter of the petrol tank and I have only clocked 360km.

My driving habits are: I drive to work 5 days a weeks, work is only 16km back to home, I use the aircon when it is hot on 2nd level, the boot holds light weight and full size tyre. I work from 7am till 4pm , so I drive in rush hour in bloody Sydney traffic, stop and start all the time, when no traffic the journey takes 8 minutes but when rush hour , the trip could take 1/2 hour. I weight 85kg. the tyres are pumped to 38psi and I use crappy brands like Full Run and Rotalla Tyres.
My car is regularly serviced as I am very fussy, probably more than the police cars.

This is my life story ;)

[03srit]

I think its the stop start traffic that's causing you to average 450km per tank.

[JohnBu]

yep guys, I am filling the car up till it clicks with sometimes V power and BP ultimate and I stopped using 95 RON a while back as it was pinging and now it does not ping. Now according to the Drivers handbook My car tank fits , if I can remember around 52 litres.

My driving habits are: I drive to work 5 days a weeks, work is only 16km back to home, I use the aircon when it is hot on 2nd level, the boot holds light weight and full size tyre. I work from 7am till 4pm , so I drive in rush hour in bloody Sydney traffic, stop and start all the time, when no traffic the journey takes 8 minutes but when rush hour , the trip could take 1/2 hour. I weight 85kg. the tyres are pumped to 38psi and I use crappy brands like Full Run and Rotalla Tyres.




Forget the size of your tank, how much are you filling up on the bowser? That's the accurate way of working out your petrol consumption.

Due to your driving conditions, i.e. short trips in peak hour, your consumption doesn't appear extraordinary.

[rwy16r]

I fill at the bowser about 45 litres JohBu.
(http://www.opelaus.com/forums/member.php?972-JohnBu)

[pd-xc-72464118]

Can anyone please point me in the direction of where the sensor is in the engine bar, perhaps some ideas or links on how to remove it? Any images/diagrams would be very much appreciated.

My sister's just paid $130 odd to get an engine light warning diagnosed as an oxygen sensor and now they want $420 off to replace it. I'm thinking it might just be worth trying to petrol cleanout. That said, the light is permanent, not flashing, so it might be completely gone, beyond cleaning.

[guy 27]

Can anyone please point me in the direction of where the sensor is in the engine bar, perhaps some ideas or links on how to remove it? Any images/diagrams would be very much appreciated.

My sister's just paid $130 odd to get an engine light warning diagnosed as an oxygen sensor and now they want $420 off to replace it. I'm thinking it might just be worth trying to petrol cleanout. That said, the light is permanent, not flashing, so it might be completely gone, beyond cleaning.

on the exhaust. There will be one before and after the catalytic converter. depending on engine type the 1st on may be on the exhaust manifold.
You just need an open ended spanner to undo it, undo the wiring plug first so you don't stress the wires when turning it.
remember to put a bit of silver or copper grease on the thread when putting it back in so its easier to remove next time.

[pd-xc-72464118]

on the exhaust. There will be one before and after the catalytic converter. depending on engine type the 1st on may be on the exhaust manifold.
You just need an open ended spanner to undo it, undo the wiring plug first so you don't stress the wires when turning it.
remember to put a bit of silver or copper grease on the thread when putting it back in so its easier to remove next time.

Cheers guy!

[chris_r]

Also, I've noticed on my last trip to Repco, they also sell a special socket designed to remove O2 sensors. It's like a 22mm socket with a hole cut in the side to clear the wires. Not a bad idea considering especially in the Corsa C SRi Z18XE (and probably regular Z14XEs too), the first O2 sensor's a little bit of a pain to get a spanner on to.

[pd-xc-72464118]

Also, I've noticed on my last trip to Repco, they also sell a special socket designed to remove O2 sensors. It's like a 22mm socket with a hole cut in the side to clear the wires. Not a bad idea considering especially in the Corsa C SRi Z18XE (and probably regular Z14XEs too), the first O2 sensor's a little bit of a pain to get a spanner on to.

Thanks chris_r. I was wondering about similar issues myself. It seems that if some mechanics quote anywhere near up to $450, and about $200 (being generous) is accounted for by the parts cost, then the labor cost is a bit of a rip-off and/or the work required to get to the sensor is substantial.

Another point is that there seems to be more than one O2 sensor. I've seen terms like "front" and "pre-cat" sensor used. Anyone have some more information on this topic?

[chris_r]

Yes, there is two O2 sensors on the Z18XE engines. One pre-cat (on the top of the exhaust manifold) and one post-cat (under the car, just to the rear side of the engine). The reason there is two is so the ECU can tell when the catalytic converter is just about knackered and not running as efficiently as it should. Whether it really works or not, I don't know, but I do know that the twin O2 sensor thing is part of newer emission standards, mainly due to the number of 15+ year old cars out there that still have the original cat fitted.