Best MPG - How Oxygen Sensors Work to Save Gas
Did you know that a modern car is more sophisticated than a Formula 1 racer? Regulations within F1 had made sure that its drivers are the centerpiece of the race and not the technology. On the other hand, for everyday car consumers, the technology plays a large part in the buying decision of a car consumer.
Because of this, it is inevitable that a modern street car would be a computer on wheels. All that power in the car is controlled by the computer or Engine Control Unit (ECU). For this purpose, a number of sensors have been built into the vehicle system to act as the eyes and ears of the ECU. One of these is the oxygen sensor.
An oxygen sensor (O2 sensor) is a electronic sensor that detects the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust system and compares the result against ambient outside conditions. O2 sensors makes it possible to provide real-time information to the ECU when the car's internal combustion engine has the correct air-fuel ratio or "stochiometric".
What is the O2 sensor composed of?
Real time information to the ECU means better and more efficient fuel consumption to the user. The O2 sensor is capable of detecting a rich or lean air-fuel mix through its sensor probe and comparing the results with its sensor body, which takes measure of the ambient temperature outside the exhaust system..
How do O2 sensors save gas?
The sensor probe is the part of the O2 sensor that is inserted into the exhaust pipe to detect oxygen in emissions. The probe is a thimble-like probe composed of a "ceramic cylinder plated inside and out with porous platinum electrodes."
The probe detects oxygen through an electrochemical process in a Nernst cell. It usually has two zirconia dioxide electrodes at the tip, which interacts with exhaust gases to generate different voltages which is processed by the ECU to indicate lean or rich mixtures and adjust accordingly.
Symptoms of a bad or blocked O2 sensor
-Soot buildup on the ceramic tip, slowing response time -Silicone buildup due to fuel additives -Oil coating due to oil leaks -Improper handling of the O2 sensors during diagnostics testing -Wear and tear. O2 sensors are rated to last 30,000 to 50,000 miles for unheated sensors. There is another version that encases a heating element to bring the sensor up to operational temperature in less time and this can last up to 100,000 miles.
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