The O2S can fail in any or all of the following manners:
•
slow response rate
•
reduced output voltage
•
dynamic shift
•
shorted or open circuits
Response rate is the time required for the sensor to switch from lean to rich once it is exposed to a richer than
optimum A/F mixture or vice versa. As the sensor starts malfunctioning, it could take longer to detect the changes
in the oxygen content of the exhaust gas.
The output voltage of the O2S ranges from 0 to 1 volt. A good sensor can easily generate any output voltage in this
range as it is exposed to different concentrations of oxygen. To detect a shift in the A/F mixture (lean or rich), the
output voltage has to change beyond a threshold value. A malfunctioning sensor could have difficulty changing
beyond the threshold value.
OXYGEN SENSOR HEATER MONITOR
If there is an oxygen sensor (O2S) shorted to voltage DTC, as well as a O2S heater DTC, the O2S fault MUST be
repaired first. Before checking the O2S fault, verify that the heater circuit is operating correctly.
Effective control of exhaust emissions is achieved by an oxygen feedback system. The most important element of
the feedback system is the O2S. The O2S is located in the exhaust path. Once it reaches operating temperature
300° to 350°C (572 ° to 662°F), the sensor generates a voltage that is inversely proportional to the amount of
oxygen in the exhaust. The information obtained by the sensor is used to calculate the fuel injector pulse width. This
maintains a 14.7 to 1 Air Fuel (A/F) ratio. At this mixture ratio, the catalyst works best to remove hydrocarbons (HC),
carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) from the exhaust.
The voltage readings taken from the O2S sensor are very temperature sensitive. The readings are not accurate
below 300°C. Heating of the O2S sensor is done to allow the engine controller to shift to closed loop control as
soon as possible. The heating element used to heat the O2S sensor must be tested to ensure that it is heating the
sensor properly.
The O2S sensor circuit is monitored for a drop in voltage. The sensor output is used to test the heater by isolating
the effect of the heater element on the O2S sensor output voltage from the other effects.
LEAK DETECTION PUMP MONITOR (IF EQUIPPED)
The leak detection assembly incorporates two primary functions: it must detect a leak in the evaporative system and
seal the evaporative system so the leak detection test can be run.
The primary components within the assembly are: A three port solenoid that activates both of the functions listed
above; a pump which contains a switch, two check valves and a spring/diaphragm, a canister vent valve (CVV) seal
which contains a spring loaded vent seal valve.
Immediately after a cold start, between predetermined temperature thresholds limits, the three port solenoid is briefly
energized. This initializes the pump by drawing air into the pump cavity and also closes the vent seal. During non
test conditions the vent seal is held open by the pump diaphragm assembly which pushes it open at the full travel
position. The vent seal will remain closed while the pump is cycling due to the reed switch triggering of the three
port solenoid that prevents the diaphragm assembly from reaching full travel. After the brief initialization period, the
solenoid is de-energized allowing atmospheric pressure to enter the pump cavity, thus permitting the spring to drive
the diaphragm which forces air out of the pump cavity and into the vent system. When the solenoid is energized
and de energized, the cycle is repeated creating flow in typical diaphragm pump fashion. The pump is controlled in
2 modes:
Pump Mode: The pump is cycled at a fixed rate to achieve a rapid pressure build in order to shorten the overall test
length.
Test Mode: The solenoid is energized with a fixed duration pulse. Subsequent fixed pulses occur when the dia-
phragm reaches the Switch closure point.
The spring in the pump is set so that the system will achieve an equalized pressure of about 7.5” H20. The cycle
rate of pump strokes is quite rapid as the system begins to pump up to this pressure. As the pressure increases, the
cycle rate starts to drop off. If there is no leak in the system, the pump would eventually stop pumping at the equal-
ized pressure. If there is a leak, it will continue to pump at a rate representative of the flow characteristic of the size
of the leak. From this information we can determine if the leak is larger than the required detection limit (currently
25 - 2
EMISSIONS CONTROL
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