CODE 44,45,55/CHECK ENGINE OXYGEN SENSOR TEST PROCEDURE

MANY OXYGEN SENSORS ARE BEING REPLACED TO RESOLVE INCIDENTS OF "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHTS BEING SET OR CODES 44, 45 AND 55 BEING STORED. THE OXYGEN SENSOR IS NOT ALWAYS THE CAUSE, AND A SIMPLE ON-CAR CHECK CAN BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE IF THE SENSOR IS AT FAULT. 1. THE ENGINE SHOULD BE RUN FOR THREE (3) MINUTES ON THE HIGH STEP OF THE FAST IDLE CAM WITH THE M/C SOLENOID DWELL LEAD GROUNDED. THIS WILL BURN OFF ANY CARBON THAT MIGHT AFFECT OXYGEN SENSOR REPONSE TO EXHAUST GAS. 2. NEXT, REMOVE THE GROUND FROM DWELL LEAD AND CONNECT DWELL METER. THE ENGINE SHOULD NOW BE AT IDLE. WHILE OBSERVING DWELL METER, CHOKE THE ENGINE. THE DWELL SHOULD BEGIN TO RISE TO 55 DEGREES WITHIN TWO (2) SECONDS OF CHOKING. (IF DWELL IS ALREADY AT 55 DEGREES, FOLLOW NEXT STEP ONLY.) 3. DISCONNECT VACUUM HOSE AT POWER BRAKE BOOSTER AND DWELL SHOULD BEGIN TO DROP TO 6 DEGREE WITHIN TWO (2) SECONDS. IF THE OXYGEN SENSOR RESPONDS CORRECTLY TO THE ABOVE PROCEDURE, IT IS NOT DEFECTIVE, AND SHOULD NOT BE REPLACED. THE TIME FOR THE DWELL TO ACTUALLY REACH 55 DEGREES OR 6 DEGREE WILL VARY WITH ENGINE. BY CONNECTING DIGITAL VOLTMETER J-29125 TO ECM TERMINALS 9 AND 14 OF THE BLACK CONNECTOR, THE OXYGEN SENSOR VOLTAGE MAY BE MONITORED. IN A NORMAL SYSTEM, THE VOLTAGE WILL SWING BACK AND FORTH FROM A LOW VALUE (100-300MV) TO A HIGH VALUE (700-900MV). IF THE EXHAUST GAS IS RICH, THE VOLTAGE WILL STAY HIGH. IF EXHAUST IS LEAN, VOLTAGE WILL STAY LOW. A LEAN EXHAUST, LOW O2 SENSOR VOLTAGE WILL CAUSE A RICH COMMAND, LOW DWELL READING. A RICH EXHAUST, HIGH O2 SENSOR VOLTAGE CAUSES A LEAN COMMAND, HIGH DWELL READING.

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