clancy

Just replaced the B1S2 O2 sensor with the Bosch 15733 universal. Their supplied connector is a glorified butt connector. The interesting part is they specifically state NOT to solder the wires. Their explanation is air is drawn into the sensor through the wire and soldering will not allow this????? I called them and they repeated that air is drawn through the wire and no solder allowed. I am not an engineer but I do not see how air passes through the wires and through their PosiLock connector. Also mentioned soldering can cause heat damage to the O2 sensor. I can sort of understand that one, assuming you solder too close to the actual sensor. But solder caused heat transfer along the wire to the sensor is a bit far fetched to me. Assuming you solder properly and quickly and at least 12" from the connector sounds like an unlikely damage scenario.

Sounds to me like they are over simplifying for the sake of the dummies installing the sensors. Easier to say no soldering than to explain no soldering if you are going to do it too close to the sensor or with poor technique and do not know how to use a heat sink or soak. Is this Air through the wire thing real?

jcman

I'm not sure if the PosiLock has a weatherpak seal?
If it don't have a seal this air theory is pure BS and if it does it's not like we are taking our cars above 15k feet to equalize internal pressure or the exhaust gas heat creates that much critical expansion or maybe it does based on the materials in the sensor.

clancy

Look at their video, don't see this seal as especially great. They suggested using plain old crimp connectors and heat shrink in place of soldering and heat shrink. How does air travel through wire?
https://www.boschautoparts.com/en/au...k?partId=15733

N_Jay

I don't know what type of wire they use but I was unable to get solder to stick to it.
I just made my own crimp connectors and use heat right over them.

jcman

They are right Clancy because the stranded wire plating of chrome or nickel is similar to resistance wire and soldering would also create an galvanic affect "not mentioned" that will change signal values and sealing it would restrict the very small amount of air pressure "apparently" from the exhaust gas to keep a constant, I guess it really is about a lot of hot air in sense of it.

Good thread Clancy.

clancy

Interesting; learned something. Thanks

I thought one wire powered the heater, one the sensor, one a return value to the ECM, and a ground.

Airbag

I think the "theory" is the air drawn through the wire acts as a reference to compare against the measured gasses .
personally I think its all BS , I used the universal bosch ones with the connector they give you and its been fine.

jcman

Not if the wire is thermistor based then the soldering makes sense realistically as mentioned, the air theory, well,,, that's area 51 being explained.

SloopJohnB@mac.com

And that was on an 87 Saab 900Turbo. Worked fine with the replaced 02 sensor.

But given the detail and expense that Bosch has gone to to get this probably not inexpensive 4-wire connector in the sensor kit, I would use the connector.

jcman

Could be possible the wire was copper stranded or some other alloy for the SAAB, was it a Bosch sensor?

I'll side with you on the connector kit, as much as I understand some things the other ones are not worth the adverse results even with a semi flimsy reason not to, maybe they don't want their competitors to know something or some other reason...x-file category on this one