In Tech | Oxygen sensor type and what need to know?
OXYGEN SENSOR TYPE AND WHAT NEED TO KNOW
Post by Allen Huang, Updated on January 8th, 2021
As technology advanced, automotive parts industries also follow the trend to provide better and safer product to the market. With emission standard improve overtime, oxygen sensor also enhanced its functionality to meet the regulation requirement and better off fuel economy and environment. From traditional switch type oxygen sensor that detects the oxygen content by lean and rich indicator to newer generation of detecting in how lean or how rich and provide a more accurate reading for air and fuel management. Oxygen sensors move forward and escalate its technology to keep vehicle owner sustain excellent fuel economy and overall monitoring the health of vehicle’s exhaust and engine system.
How many types of oxygen sensor are there?
Thimble oxygen sensor
Oxygen sensor’s sensing element was first developed in thimble shape. First-generation oxygen sensor is unheated type in single or two wire, one wire has only signal wire, while two wire with second wire for ground function. Unheated type oxygen sensor relies on engine room heat to reach operational temperature; thus, it took a minute to start monitoring exhaust and feed back to engine control unit (ECU).
Second-generation oxygen sensor is heated type in three or four wire. By adding a heater within sensing component, oxygen sensor can start its function faster, which improve the operation and response time. Additionally, heated type oxygen sensor can be placed after catalytic coveter to monitor overall exhaust system for better exhaust regulating.
Planar oxygen sensor
Planar type sensor is an improve version of oxygen sensor. It generally come in three and four wire. Oxygen sensor can be considered as switch that feedback rich or lean indication to vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU) for air and fuel management. By material printing process that integrate heating element within sensing component, which achieving lowering emission during start up time and meet the requirement of updated emission standard.
Air Fuel Ratio sensor
Air fuel ratio sensor general in Japanese make automobile. It is a wide range oxygen sensor that focus its detection on the lean spectrum of air to fuel ratio by continuously sampling of the oxygen content within the exhaust gas and feedback its reading to the vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU) for air and fuel management. Air fuel ratio sensor is a new generation of four wire oxygen sensor, it is particularly sensitive to the lean spectrum of air to fuel ratio and feedback how lean of oxygen content within the exhaust system and provide more accurate readying to the vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU).
Wideband oxygen sensor
Wideband oxygen sensor general in US/EU make automobile and motorcycle. It is an all-range oxygen sensor for detecting board spectrum of air to fuel ratio by continuously sampling of the oxygen content within the exhaust gas and feedback its reading to the vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU) for air and fuel management. Wideband oxygen sensor is a new generation of five wire oxygen sensor, it can detect how rich or how lean of oxygen content within the exhaust system and provide more accurate readings to the vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU).
Titanium oxygen sensor
Titanium oxygen sensor use different method and technology to detect oxygen content, traditional oxygen sensor uses zirconia oxide and Titanium oxygen sensor use titanium oxide. It is use in some EU and Japan make automobile.
What need to know about the oxygen sensor on the vehicle?
There are two style of oxygen sensor that vehicle owner can purchase, direct fit and universal. Direct fit is according to OEM specification from connector to wire length and sensing component that is identical or within tolerance for compatible installation. About universal style, it can replace various application as long as the sensing component is in the same specification. Installing universal oxygen sensor is to keep the original connector and wire, cut the sensor part and replace with the universal oxygen sensor. By following the installation manual, it can easily handle the challenging part of connecting the corresponded wire. Noted that due to different manufacturer, the wire color can be different, but the function will be the same. Universal style can be a lower cost solution for vehicle owner.
For some buyer, there will be hesitation during the purchase due to the exterior look are not identical, do not worry! Oxygen sensors determine its function by its sensing components specification within the sensor. The difference of exterior look can be how manufacturer designed it to coordinate with its sensing component and provide the best reading function and protection.
In Conclusion, original equipped sensor (OEM) is considering the safest and identical specification as the one need to be replaced. However, the downside will be the cost is relatively high. Aftermarket oxygen sensor can deliver the same quality and function with a lower cost. It is an alternative for vehicle owner and DIY user.
