cleaning/ re-using 02 sensor

[NC87GN]

Planning on buying a heated 02 from casperselectronic's as my stock AC delco 02 is on the way out. However I've been reading some posts that heated 02's may last a little longer but not much. I do not want to pay 70 bucks for one that may last an extra two runs down the track or 5 miles down the street with race gas. Is there any preventive maintenace I can do with a new heated 02 sensor? Maybe run a gallon of Xylene with a half a tank of 110? Is there a solution to submerge the sensor into and clean off any contaminants? Just trowing some ideas out there. TIA

Mike Banas
87GN

 

[OneLethal87GN]

I think the usual way of doing things is to keep two..one for racing and one for pump gas. Besides, at only $22 each, it's still cheaper to buy two than to buy a heated one..which I've read don't last longer or is any better than the regular units.

 

[gofstbuick]

No, there is really no way to clean a O2 sensor. There is a small hole on the outside of the sensor and that is the ambient source that the sensor uses to compare the O2 content in the exhaust stream. The tip of the most O2 sensors is made of a meterial ZrO2 (Zirconium dioxide), in some rare case Titania (jeep ot Toyota. The ZrO2 is a basically a galvanic battery. When the sensor is heated to 600*, the ZrO2 will generate a electrical charge in the presence of O2, and compares it to a standard (atmospheric O2 content is 20.8). If you plug the pores in the ZrO2 tip, the sensor is gone. Lead in leaded fuels and coolant will render a O2 sensor dead, maybe not right away, but eventually. It really shouldn't matter if it is heated or not, but maybe heating keeps the pores just a little clearer, only because heat is applied almost immediately.

 

[TClassic]

Originally posted by OneLethal87GN
. Besides, at only $22 each,

Try ~34-38 dollars each, at least for The Delco's, thats at Cost = 5%!!!

 

[blackbuick87]

Ramchargers sells AC Delcos for $25.00

 

[gofstbuick]

There are chips that ignore the O2 readings, and maybe that would suit your needs better.