Carb Cleaner

[Martyn2004]

I have read a few posts reccomending the use of carb cleaner - but have also read that it might damage the "Oxygen Sensor"when used.

Can anyone reccomend makes which won't do such damage.

Also, could someone with the knowledge post details of how to clean the "Oxygen Sensor"

Help is appreciated

[LAURIE MILLS]

I have read a few posts reccomending the use of carb cleaner - but have also read that it might damage the "Oxygen Sensor"when used.

Can anyone reccomend makes which won't do such damage.

Also, could someone with the knowledge post details of how to clean the "Oxygen Sensor"

Help is appreciated

←

Hi,

Never heard of Carb Cleaner damaging the Oxygen (Lambda) sensor, although some early fuel additives (especially the original RedEx) can damage it, and indeed the catalytic converter. Certainly I have squirted cans of carb cleaner down the throttle bodies (and carbs) of a number of cars to no ill effect. In the days of carbs the technique was to squirt it down the throttle body while the engine was running, with resultant clouds of blue smoke as the cleaner and deposits were burned up in the combustion process. Modern engines (including the GS) won't run without the tubes attached, so cleaning the throttle body is done without the engine running, and given that it is highly volatile I doubt whether much carb cleaner would go into the engine on subsequent restarting.

They are particularly prone to "lead poisoning" due to the use of (now unavailable) leaded petrol. The oxygen sensor usually sits in the exhaust manifold or downpipe, and should not need cleaning, and I am not sure if it can be, or if cleaning it would do any good. Faulty Lamba sensor will usually show up in your MOT emissions test, or by a "check engine" light on the dash, and can sometimes be cured by a high speed run (they work best at or above 600 deg C), when the high temperature will clean it for you.

They are not usually an expensive item (£55 on my sons Honda), but can be a pig to remove, so if it aint broke!!!!

[ColinBarber]

O2 sensors can be more than £55 if they are 4 wire types and the A/F ratio sensors that are using on the RX300 instead of O2 sensors are 2 or 3 times the cost so be careful when removing them.

I believe some carb cleaners can damage plastics etc. so throttle position sensors etc. could be damaged if you are not careful.