strange o2 readings?

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drchandra9
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:59 am

strange o2 readings?

Post by drchandra9 »

Hello all! So as the title suggests I'm getting strange readings when I connect my multimeter to the diagnostic port. With the -ve on ground and the +ve on Ox I should be seeing between 0.1v to 0.9v with quite a lot of fluctuating but I'm getting nothing! Also, when I try to test fuel trim I should be seeing 2.5v ish but again I'm not getting a reading. This is with the car fully warmed up. I saw the right readings once last week but have not been able to replicate this. Any suggestions? I'm thinking lamda is gone?
thomp1983
Posts: 1545
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: newark, notts

Re: strange o2 readings?

Post by thomp1983 »

Are you using a digital multimeter? It's difficult to see the fluctuations on a digital meter holding the revs higher should help, it's also difficult to get a decent contact on the pins in the diag port.

You can disconnect the o2 sensor itself and measure at it's plug for the fluctuations, it's usually just as easy to pop to your local mot place and ask for an emmisions test if you suspect part of the fueling system to be playing up
drchandra9
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 6:59 am

Re: strange o2 readings?

Post by drchandra9 »

I am using a digital mm. The contact I am making is good. Its puzzling that I got it to do it once before but not again. I went and had a probe put in at my local mot place and he said it was a little rich if anything until he touched the throttle and then the 02 volume reading went too high.sorry I can't remember the exact figures now. Which colour wire is signal on the lambda sensor as I can check it tomorrow. I also have a defi display with AFR on it which is giving odd readings. This is connected directly to the ox port and is set for narrowband. On throttle it reads 20!!!!!!! When coasting or off throttle it comes down to about 15 or 16 but no lower!
thomp1983
Posts: 1545
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: newark, notts

Re: strange o2 readings?

Post by thomp1983 »

Was the car fully warm when you did the emissions test? If it's a 4 wire sensor then it's the black wire you want
Mr2Owner
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2015 7:39 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: strange o2 readings?

Post by Mr2Owner »

Does that analogue needle fluctuation test actually work, I've yet to see a single person on these forums get it to work first hand. Theres a lot of talk about doing the Toyota test procedure but no on seems to actually get the fluctuations. I'm beginning to think theres a misprint or type error in the procedure as I tried it and it didn't work either.
SonicSW20
Posts: 3681
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: strange o2 readings?

Post by SonicSW20 »

thomp1983 wrote:Are you using a digital multimeter? It's difficult to see the fluctuations on a digital meter holding the revs higher should help, it's also difficult to get a decent contact on the pins in the diag port.


It will oscillate steadily once a second ish - if your multimeters refresh rate is slower than that, get a better multimeter.

The frequency of the oscillations often gets misquoted as 10 times a second, which would be hard to see.

I agree it can be difficult to get a good connection on the terminals. If you're struggling to get a connection, insert a small length of wire as the wire will be able to get further into the terminal than some of the fatter multimeter probes.
SonicSW20
Posts: 3681
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: strange o2 readings?

Post by SonicSW20 »

Mr2Owner wrote:Does that analogue needle fluctuation test actually work, I've yet to see a single person on these forums get it to work first hand. Theres a lot of talk about doing the Toyota test procedure but no on seems to actually get the fluctuations. I'm beginning to think theres a misprint or type error in the procedure as I tried it and it didn't work either.


Yes, when done properly. I've tested o2 sensors via the diag port on several MR2's.
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