Oxygen sensors in engines

Contemporary spark ignited combustion engines use oxygen sensor technology, in addition to another device that is also used to reduce the level of toxins emitted from an internal combustion engine; this was known as the catalytic converter.

ECU, which is short for Engine Control Unit or PCM, which is short for Powertrain Control Module, is an automotive computer program that monitors ignition timing, fuel quantity, and other factors that are essential for an internal combustion engine to function. function. It collects data on oxygen concentration and then makes adjustments to the amount of fuel injected into the engine to balance the level of air and fuel.

The purpose of the ECU is to maintain a certain AFR by deciphering the data it collects from the oxygen sensor. The stoichiometric equation, which is the calculation of the components in a chemical reaction, is a calculation similar to the AFR obtained through the use of oxygen sensors, where a trade-off is made between fuel economy, power and emissions.

Internal combustion engines, especially those that use gasoline, fear three types of emissions in contemporary systems: these are; hydrocarbon which is the gas released when fuel is not fully burned, this can occur when a piston fails or the mixture is rich, carbon monoxide which can occur if the mixture is somewhat rich, and NOx also known as nitrous oxide which occurs when the fuel mixture contains too much air, causing the temperature in the combustion chamber to exceed 1300 Kelvin. This is also known as a lean mix.

Regular checks on O2 sensors are recommended to determine whether or not they need to be replaced, as an O2 sensor failure could indirectly prove costly, whether your oxygen sensor failure is caused by normal wear and tear, the Using certain fuels that contain lead or may be contaminated with silicone, the fact is that a faulty O2 sensor could eventually damage your vehicle’s catalytic converter and other damage that can be expensive to repair.

Another recommendation is not to interfere with or adjust the oxygen sensor signal being sent to the ECU, as that could cause damage to your car and also increase your vehicle’s emissions. You may think that a tweak here and there will give your engine, and in turn your car, more power, but that’s not necessarily the case. Even though your tuning may cause the engine to run slightly lean and therefore give you a slight increase in power and increase your fuel economy, it has also increased your nitrogen oxide emissions and the extra power will soon lead to misfires. ignition which will further cause an immense loss at the same power, below its initial power point.