1 or 2 wire O2 sensor??

[Bagged Dually]

I'm going to have to replace a broken O2 sensor on my old truck this week, and currently it has the stock single wire sensor in it. Is there any advantage to going to a dual wire sensor?? It seems like I had heard there was an advantage of some kind to using the dual wire sensor. If there is an advantage and I go with the 2 wire sensor what do I connect the other wire to??

 

[foamypirate]

I'm going to have to replace a broken O2 sensor on my old truck this week, and currently it has the stock single wire sensor in it. Is there any advantage to going to a dual wire sensor?? It seems like I had heard there was an advantage of some kind to using the dual wire sensor. If there is an advantage and I go with the 2 wire sensor what do I connect the other wire to??

I think it's actually a 3-wire sensor you are thinking about (12v+, ground, signal). The 3-wire uses the 12v+ feed to heat up the element, so the truck can go into closed loop mode sooner, where the computer actually uses sensor input to determine fueling, instead of reading from a predefined map. It's more efficient in closed loop. The stock 1-wire sensor relies on exhaust heat to get up to temperature, and can take a while in the cold temps.

 

[bucket]

Yup, the three wire O2 is a great upgrade. I tapped mine into a fused IGN terminal in the fusebox.

 

[Bagged Dually]

Is there a certain 3 wire sensor I should use?? Is there a universal 3 wire sensor??

 

[bucket]

It's a common sensor in newer GM's. Look it up for like a '97 S-10 or something. A lot of them (newer GM) are 4-wire sensors, you can use them too, but the hookup isn't quite as simple.

 

[Bagged Dually]

As usual great info. Thanks a lot guys!!

 

[skysurfer]

ac delco afs-74.

 

[Bagged Dually]

Even better.