What are the differences? What's so special about a "wide-band" O2?

 

Cliff notes: wideband o2 sensors are a lot more accurate then your stock sensor, which is also what the autometer and a like gauges run off of.

 

autometer runs off your stock one
a wide band is basically something that has a wider range vs a stock one that is narrow
this way you read more accuratly cuz its able to pinpoint exactly vs stock which doesnt

 

those are like 250 arent they..

 

A wideband has a larger range of measurement from 0-5V and the slope of the curve is more gradual. The narrow band is limited to stociometric and then either rich or lean depending on where the voltage occurs. The slope of the narrowband is steep, that is why it is either stociometric, rich, or lean. The wideband also needs a controller to help process the voltage into usable data.


[Modified by Quaalude, 1:18 PM 11/30/2002]

 

Yup, the trouble with stock sensor is that it tends to be either "on" or "off". That is, below 13:1 it puts out a low voltage, above 13:1 it puts out a high voltage. Right at 13:1 it moves between the two voltages rather quickly, making it hard to tune for a precise point.

 

Narrow bands (stock O2 sensors) are tuned for 14.7:1 a/f ratio, not 13:1. They can also be affected by heat. It's closed loop operation that causes the cycling back and forth of the signal, not the opteration of the sensor.

Wideband sensors need controllers to regulate them including the heating element within them.

http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h37.pdf