O2 Sensor Location

[Bartman]

I'm trying to debug some engine problems I've been experiencing and I'm wondering about my O2 Sensor installation locations. How important is to have them installed as close to the engine as possible? I have short block hugger headers, so they could be installed just below them, but they are currently installed farther back on the exhaust around the transmission area.

 

I recently replaced my O2 Sensors, but based on my latest recording the short tems counts are still varying quite a bit.

[Xander]

a narrowband O2 sensor only operates above a certain temperature. A heated O2 sensor has 3 or 4 wires and can be place pretty much anywhere in the exhaust stream. A non heated one wire O2 sensor must be heated by the exhuast gasses to get to the operating temperature. Therefor it should be placed close to the engine.

 

A wideband O2 sensor on the other hand only operates at a specific temperature. ( somewhere near 900 deg C). It has a internal heater which is computer controlled. A Wideband O2 sensor must not be placed to close to the engine. If it is heated above the operating temperature by the exhaust gasses it wil not give of the right signal. I know this from experience . My engine ran lean while the wideband O2 said everything was OK. this melted my sparkplugs which in turn destroyed two pistons.

[Bartman]

I have heated O2 sensors and I believe they are narrowband, so the placement of my sensors doesn't sound like it should be causing me any problems.

 

Thanks for the info Xander.