Baleno 1996 G16B Manual Keeps Killing Oxygen Sensors. Need Help.

[browser]

I have owned this car from new and do all the servicing, its been a fantastic car.

About 2 years ago the oxygen sensor went slow in response time and the miles per gallon went from 42.6MPG down to 33MPG.

Fitting a new NTK sensor cured the problem.

About 12 months later it happened again and was cured by installing another sensor.

Now it has happened again, my MPG down to 33MPG and the car has more guts/power than normal.

All other sensors check out perfectly as per the service manual as does the fuel pressure.

There are no fault codes in the computer, all wiring and circuit earth points have been checked and re bonded to earth.

Before I buy another sensor has anybody got any experience with the same problem.?

Thanks John Australia

[paulmcc]

i would have thought that the sensor being dodgy would have brought the engine management light? anyways are the sensors ones were they have to be cut out and solderd in?

[browser]

The sensor on my Baleno is a one wire sensor, with earth return being through the sensor body.

The sensor still operates but is slow in response times and you do not get any fault registered in the computer. If you disconnect the sensor the computer does register a Oxygen sensor fail code.

The replacement sensor comes without the end plug so you have to cut it off the old sensor and solder it onto the wire of the new sensor.

I believe that Baleno's sold in Europe had a 3 and 4 wire sensor configuration for some reason.

[paulmcc]

yeah my oxygen sensor has 4 wires,  although i dont have any experience with the cut and fit sensors personaly iv heard that they start to fail really quickly compared to the more expensive plug and play type. sorry i cant be of more help. only thing i would suggest would be to try a more expensive o2 sensor, failing that youl probably have to replace your sensor anyway just more frequently

[rxjimbo]

Just a thought...do you have an induction kit / filter or a panel filter like the original? Presume the o2 sensor is not the hot wire type. Only ask as my scooby used to keep chewing up sensors when i fitted an induction kit as the filter was not sa efficient at removing fine particles from the air and the hot wire kept burning out. Sorted it by fitting a different filter. Also what is the return / earth seal like - maybe clean it up using some alcohol and refit the sensor, just thinking about a dodgy earth contact.

[browser]

Dont have an induction kit fitted, intake system is factory stock standard.

All the earth bonding points have cleaned and rebonded to chassis and the oxygen sensor is a one wire type.

When I find the reason for these failing sensors and correct it I will most likely buy a three wire universal sensor and convert the wiring on the car to work the 3 wire sensor.

From studying Bosch/NTK and Denso catalogues they all seem to say the the 3 and 4 wire units are made better and last longer and are less prone to ageing and contamination than 1 or 2 wire sensors.