Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Purpose of O2 Sensors in Cars
Oxygen sensors, commonly called O2 sensors, are a vital component in maximizing fuel efficiency in vehicles.
Name
An oxygen molecule consists of two atoms of oxygen bound together. Thus, O2 ers to the chemical formula for pure oxygen.
Task
O2 sensors monitor how much unburned oxygen is present in the exhaust from an automobile engine. The amount of oxygen indicates how efficiently the engine is burning fuel.
Effect
The cars computer uses readings from the oxygen sensor to adjust the mixture of air and fuel in the engines combustion chambers for maximum efficiency.
Location
There is an O2 sensor inside the exhaust manifold. Vehicles produced after 1995 also have a "downstream" sensor to measure the exhaust as it leaves the catalytic converter, to ensure that the converter is working properly, too.
Malfunction
Symptoms of a malfunctioning O2 sensor include declining gas mileage, rough idling and engine surges or hesitation. A vehicles "check engine" light will often come one.
No comments:
Post a Comment