Lambda Sensor

1. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

   #1 6th September 2008, 22:34

   i was just curious as to what the purpose was in the lambda sensor is it to lower emissions or to regulate the fuel mixture or what?
   because i know you don't need it to run the car so i guess its something to do with the eco-friendliness of the car
2. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

   #2 7th September 2008, 00:08

   from what i know its an oxygen sensor to detect the amount of oxygen in your exhaust gases, and it will then send signal back so the mixture is adjusted for a mixture of best fuel consumption, drivability and emissions... that just basic what i know though, if its fucked though it will cause your car to overfuel or just give you a shite air/fuel mix, if you unplug it i think it definatly overfuels, well it did on my old corsa.. thats best i got, hope it helps
3. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

   #3 7th September 2008, 00:20

   yeah i had it disconnected for about a week while waiting for my new lambda sensor to arrive, and it seemed fine. idle was ok, not juddering when heavy on the throttle seemed fine. must vary with different makes of vehicle
4. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

   #4 7th September 2008, 00:23

   must do, unpluged mine on corsa and it chugged like a muscle car
5. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

   #5 7th September 2008, 00:33

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by stevemcbride must do, unpluged mine on corsa and it chugged like a muscle car

   lol a bit meaty then, yegh the reason i was askin about the lambda is because ive got a little issue with mine everything is fine apart from the idle and low revs... it dont like low revs (anything from 1k rpm to 1.5k rpm) and ive had 2 new lambda's, a new idle actuator valve and an ecu checkup and still no joy but when i disconnect my lambda its fine idle great power it consistent and low rev it steady, was gonna disconnect the lambda and only use it for mot.
6. user_14883 Infrequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 193

   #6 7th September 2008, 00:43

   your syptoms sounds similar to mine mate, did you use genuine lambdas? i tryed a new one but it was a cheap thing of ebay and it was fine for a week then started playin up again all tho it is alot better than it used to be.
7. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

   #7 7th September 2008, 00:46

   i think like the cat its only really there for emissons and this green bollocks, just disconnect it if you cant afford the genuine part, i think it must increase fuel consumption slightly though im sure
8. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

   #8 7th September 2008, 00:47

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by barrett130 your syptoms sounds similar to mine mate, did you use genuine lambdas? i tryed a new one but it was a cheap thing of ebay and it was fine for a week then started playin up again all tho it is alot better than it used to be.

   both genuine bosch all the way... not cheap
9. user_14883 Infrequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 193

   #9 7th September 2008, 00:48

   thanks steve i will try disconnecting it see what i get, my cars fine when i floor it just chuggs like mad when low on revs or its not really labouring the engine, like i say fine when labourin
10. user_14883 Infrequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 193

    #10 7th September 2008, 00:49

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by megabob both genuine bosch all the way... not cheap

    hard to justify paying 6-80 odd quid when your not exactly sure its that ent it lol
11. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

    #11 7th September 2008, 00:59

    well replaced lambda first and still no good so got new idle actuator valve which helped a little (old one was on the way out), then problems started again had the lambda checked and it was as the garage said "producing a slow reading" the lambda was about 2-3 seconds behind everything else and they had problems accessing the ECU to get a diagnostic so i had the ECU checked out and it was ok so had the lambda replaced and its now giving the right readings and is not slow but its still producing poor idling and dodgy low rpm's
12. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

    #12 7th September 2008, 01:02

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by megabob both genuine bosch all the way... not cheap

    :O shit, take it to a decent diagnostics, not just a plug in thing if you already havn't, gettin mine done tuesday £52 for a full day of tests with "special equipment" best in doncaster apparently... i cant see it being the lambda sensor if you've replaced it twice already, surely they cant just break....
    
    barrett130 id say you've definatly got a missfire mate, check you coil pack, right down to your spark plugs, (ht leads... etc.) havnt really had no problems with saxo so wouldnt know where to start lookin (will have to invest in haynes manuel) but my corsa was being an absolute shit bag for ages, eventually found on of the ht leads was frayed so was earthing against the casing for it..... causing the car to miss fire, exact same symptoms... like bogs down when you put foot down straight away? tick noise and a jerk maybe if you keep foot pressed down in a high gear?
13. user_14883 Infrequent Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 193

    #13 7th September 2008, 01:08

    mmm cheers mate, i got a vts with coilpack no HT leads, dont surpose you or anyone else no's any method of testing these cause there like 260 quid lol no return either.
14. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

    #14 7th September 2008, 01:08

    i was gonna get a new coil pack at some point but dont wanna go off spending more money unless i have to lol and yeah the ECU was properly checked out
15. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

    #15 7th September 2008, 01:17

    only had saxo a month, ant really had to look under the bonnet too much, so yea try spark plugs first, you could borrow one from some really kind person with a vts and see if it works, or you could try scrappy, one that guarantees there stuff so you can take it back if it makes no difference/ dunt work. ant a clue about testing though, try googling, "how to test coilpack"
16. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

    #16 7th September 2008, 01:22

    their used to be a device you could get that went where the spark plug would go and it would produce a colored spark depending on the mixture and you would check it next to a color chart, but i think it was really designed for checking fuel mixtures and for any impurities also its really for cars with carbs or without ECUs (for manual tuning)
    
    oh and of course the devices spark was visible lol would be kinda pointless otherwise
17. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

    #17 7th September 2008, 01:24

    try find one of them, sounds like that could work
18. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

    #18 7th September 2008, 01:28

    very rare i think, a guy showed me one when i was working on my mini GT it was like over 20 years old and he wouldn't sell it for anything
19. user_24153 Regular Poster Joined: May 2008 Doncaster Posts: 459 mk2 gold vts

    #19 7th September 2008, 01:33

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Spark-plug-tes...QQcmdZViewItem
    
    i rekon thats what you would need
20. megabob Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2008 Camborne Posts: 287 Saxo VTR

    #20 7th September 2008, 01:36

    could be a handy little gadget
21. notts106gti L-plater Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 46

    #21 7th September 2008, 13:14

    vts runs fine without lambda