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Old Nov 12, 2009 | 01:31 AM
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Heated O2 sensor

Does anyone know what year they started to put heated O2 sensors in trucks? Was it in 96 when the OBDII came out?

I want to put a O2 sensor on my truck and will need a heated one to make it work right. Any help is appreciated.
 
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Old Nov 12, 2009 | 05:03 AM
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At least as far back as '87. The early ones had a single signal wire (3-wire sensor), the later ones had two signal wires (4-wire sensor). What is is going to be used by?
 
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Old Nov 12, 2009 | 08:51 AM
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I'm looking to put it on my 82 ford truck to help tune my carb. I have long tube headers on it and don't want to take them off. They are a pain to get back on. I'm thinking that if I put it at the beginning of the exhaust pipe, (after the header flange) the exhaust won't be hot enough for the O2 sensor to give an acurate reading.

Would you happen to know how the single (3 wire sensor) is wired up? The heated wire part only draws a small amperage doesn't it? Thanks for any help given.
 
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Old Nov 12, 2009 | 04:55 PM
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Did you have anything in particular in mind for reading the sensor output? Most O2 sensors on the market are heated these days, and installing it where you describe should work fine. The three wire sensor has two wires, power and ground, for the heater and a single signal wire that references engine ground. The signal varies between 0 and 1 volt, lean to rich, and is known as a narrowband sensor. For the most part, you will know if the mixture is rich or lean, but will not have a good idea of exactly how rich or how lean.

A wideband O2 sensor would definitely be the best to use for tuning, but I'm not sure how much you are looking to spend. Innovate makes a decently priced wideband sensor and display/controller setup that works pretty well. Replacement wideband O2 sensors were going for about $50 each (fits a factory Volkswagen) last time I bought one maybe two years ago. You would be able to see the exact fuel mixture with a wideband sensor.
 
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Old Nov 13, 2009 | 01:23 AM
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I was think of just using a volt meter to read the output on a narrow band sensor.

I heard some about the wide band, but it would be harder to connect wouldn't it?

Are you talking about buying a kit and installing it?

I had planned on buying a O2 sensor from a salvage yard ( a new looking one for $5). I could get a wide band or a narrow band for the same price at the salvage yard, What else would I need to make it work. You can't use a volt meter can you? I'm just trying to get the jets correct in the carb I'm running.

I wouldn't mind trying a wide band but I can't spend a lot of money on that right now. I've got some work to do on my brakes and need new tires before the winter hit's here.
 
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Old Nov 13, 2009 | 04:45 AM
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The narrowband and a voltmeter would definitely be the cheapest route. The wideband sensors have to have a controller for the heater element and also for the pump current to the sensing element. A voltmeter might read the output of a wideband, but without the controller, it won't work.
 
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Old Nov 15, 2009 | 04:58 AM
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EPNCSU2006, you were right. I looked on the autozone website and a 87 ford truck does take a heated 3 wire O2 sensor.

My son found me a O2 sensor bung, so all I have to do now is get me a O2 sensor and I'm ready to see how rich it is running now.

Thanks for the help.
 
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 06:16 PM
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I found a 3 wire O2 sensor but i need to know which wire is for what. The sensor has 2 white wires and 1 black wire. On the other side of the connection the is a black wire, a gray wire with a yellow stripe, and a green wire with a purple stripe.

Would anyone know which wire is the feed to the computer and which wires are for the heated part?
 
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 08:22 PM
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The heater is the grey/yellow wire and the black wire. The signal is the darkgreen/purple wire and the threads of the metal body are the signal ground.
 
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 09:08 PM
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I love this website. It is awesome. I been on a few other forums before but it doesn't compare to this one.

franklin2 your the man, I wish I had the knowledge that you have, I would have a new 2nd job.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2009 | 01:41 PM
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Onething I forhot to ask. When I hook up the heated portion of the wiring what size fuse should I use to protect the sensor. I plan on useing a key swtiched source but want to put a fuse inline also to be safe.
 
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Old Nov 23, 2009 | 04:12 PM
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I'd start with 5A and go to 10A if the smaller one blows.
 
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