Elon,
I know of a team that has been using the same 02 sensor for over 5 years on
the salt, with many record miles logged. Still functions as if new, agrees
with data acq numbers. Wide band 02 sensors are much better made these days
with leaded fuel, Just one of those functions of todays technology. Parts
and electronics do get better.
Now if you are using a single wire 02 sensor that is zirconia ceramic it
probably wont last long. Picking a good O2 sensor and a little knowledge
about then may be beneficial. Like if you get a heated 02 from early style
sensor they are four wire but the heater is very slow camparable to todays
newer models, like up to a minute for it to start working in a closed loop
operation. Then you have a heated titania, which uses a different ceramic
and does not provide a voltage signal, they instead use a resistance number,
low resistance is rich, high resistance is lean. Very rare sensor. The next
generation that is taking over the market is the heated planar type. Very
different makeup from older designs which uses a conduction ceramic strip
and pulls reference air by a port in center of ceramic strip and can be at
operating temp in less then 10 seconds. Then the newest is the wide band o2
sensor. This is harder to follow since most lambda sensors operate on true
air/fuel ratio directly, stead 450mv in center of 14.7:1, all other sensors
use a varity voltage crossing stoich usually 10 times a seconds, they are
extremely hard to contaminate but if you dont have the tech, brain box to
actually use the data it provides then it is useless to the common folk.
These use a printed circuit on 02 to maintain a pulse width modulated signal
to keep sensor in operating range of approx 1300 to 1500 degrees. Like the
box dave showed, im sure uses a wideband o2 sensor. As they are all in
automotive use, the on board computers have different strategies on how to
interpret data and what changes it makes to the vehicle using a specific
sensor.
So basically choose your o2 sensor wisely, know how the sensor works, what
is it sapposed to do. Just picking one off of a shelf may not be the trick.
And an older style 02 probably wont withstand leaded fuel for very long, but
newer sensors may be much better as they are harder to contaminate by the
style you choose. There is NO sensor that I know of that is lead proof.
Jonathan Amo
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