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Just thought I’d post this up here as a buddy and I came across this in the garage today. The pic below shows 3 different O2 sensors. The one me on the left is a Bosch LSU 4.2, the middle is a Bosch LSU 4.9 and the one on the right is an NTK. Notice the number of hole around the perimeter of the 4.2 vs the 4.9. Also the hole in the center is different. The NTK is unique in comparison and easy to identify. As for differences between the 4.2 and 4.9, the 4.9 is an improved version of the 4.2 with better sampling, feedback rate, heating, etc. So while it’s a better sensor, I’ve run both the 4.2 and 4.9 in my car and have seen zero differences in performance. The friend mentioned above has run all three with no notable differences. Lastly, one of the sensors is about $35, one is about $140 and one about $300. I’ll let you guess which is which! This is just an FYI, if you already knew this, cool. If it helped someone out that’s always great too.
The widebands I use are NTK/Ballenger units and use the NTK sensors.
There are 3 grades of the sensors. Std, calibration grade and Lab grade. The Lab grade is the spendy one. I have the calibration grade. They were about $150. Likely more expensive now.
I will say, I’ve never had one fail. In over ten years.
The widebands I use are NTK/Ballenger units and use the NTK sensors.
There are 3 grades of the sensors. Std, calibration grade and Lab grade. The Lab grade is the spendy one. I have the calibration grade. They were about $150. Likely more expensive now.
I will say, I’ve never had one fail. In over ten years.
Ron
Do you ever pull them out and calibrate them as recommended?
Mine said every 10,000 miles iirc or once a year, I've never done it.
I've got a short 4" fender exit so I thought that was close enough to being out in the air lol.
I do not. On the vette that would be a bitch.
The Nova is in a 5” pipe, it says air when I turn it on.
I do recal my roving wideband I use for tuning others cars. I put tape over the pot so I don’t turn it accidentally. It never seems to change
I do not. On the vette that would be a bitch.
The Nova is in a 5” pipe, it says air when I turn it on.
I do recal my roving wideband I use for tuning others cars. I put tape over the pot so I don’t turn it accidentally. It never seems to change
I am with you on this Ron. I have my old NTK. It's at least 10 years old. I bought a spare sensor for it, when Ballenger "took over" the look of the setup, just in case they stopped making one.
I have re-calibrated mine a couple times just because when I turned it on, the dash after "AIR" was on the bottom, not in the center, but even when I swap over to Holley, I'm going to keep my wideband in, and just run it on the even side of the engine, just as a secondary sanity check.
I am with you on this Ron. I have my old NTK. It's at least 10 years old. I bought a spare sensor for it, when Ballenger "took over" the look of the setup, just in case they stopped making one.
I have re-calibrated mine a couple times just because when I turned it on, the dash after "AIR" was on the bottom, not in the center, but even when I swap over to Holley, I'm going to keep my wideband in, and just run it on the even side of the engine, just as a secondary sanity check.
I have all 3 of my Ntk wideband sensors without any hiccups. I thought 2 would be trashed after the threads got hurt but a good tap and die set fixed them. Glad I didn't throw them away.
I've been using those older 2 (calibration grade and production grade) for many years in boosted setups and tons of Boostane Professional octane booster. They all still read what my new calibration grade sensor reads when I plug them into my Ballenger Afr500v2 (after adjusting the **** for each sensor to say "CAL") and do a datalog.
Over 15 years ago I bought an Ngk Afx from a member on here used, it came with the Ntk wideband o2 sensor.
That sensor is STILL alive in one of the cars I sold my friend. For the heck of it we installed my new sensors and there was no noticeable difference in what it read at different loads.
Then there are the Bosch 4.9 sensors, everyone I know that uses them (a lot as they come with the cheapest widebands), go through one every 6 months or a year.
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Oxygen sensors 
