Advice please, Lambda light???

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 12:46

Right, had Lambda light on for two weeks,(checked all vac pipes and replaced afew cracked ones)came across a cheap front Lambda and Flea bay as the old Lambdas have over 100k on it since last swap, so did the swap this morning along with oil & Filter, took car for a spin feels a bit sluggish? Might just be me and probs is??? Didnt do the rear Lambda as i dont have the funds for a new one just yet but should they both be changed at the same time? Also got a cheapo code reader but coming up with no faults? Do the dealers have different kit that will pick up the fault or will they just charge me £40 to tell me theres no faults? Just putting it out there to see if anyone knows anything, responses appreciated. Thanks.

**T5frankie** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 12:54

i think you aint supposed to buy cheap lambdas, does the car smell rich?

**p fandango** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 12:58

sorry but if you've got the light on then the ecu should be showing faults, thats what the light for too tell you the ecu knows something isn't right

850's aren't fully OBD2 compliant, so not all fault code readers work with them

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 12:59

yeh does smell rich Frankie, was a new Bosch lambda, same part number.

**T5frankie** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 13:02

Originally Posted by p fandango

sorry but if you've got the light on then the ecu should be showing faults, thats what the light for too tell you the ecu knows something isn't right

850's aren't fully OBD2 compliant, so not all fault code readers work with them

my missus early 96 s70 doesnt work via obd2 where my 97 one does

**T5frankie** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 13:05

Originally Posted by timbo

yeh does smell rich Frankie

does it run evenly? and the lambda light has gone out?

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 13:10

It does now after fitting new Lambda but light still on, with the old one it used to race upto 1500rpm intermittently during idle after a 30/40 mile run but no longer does that, as i say only just changed it over so not done more than 30 miles yet?

**T5frankie** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 13:14

pull the ecu out for a couple of hours to reset the light

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 13:16

Cheers Frankie, I appreciate your help mate!!!! Was Gonna do that tonight and leave the ECU out over night! Ill let you know the results! fingers crossed!

**T5frankie** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 13:30

Originally Posted by timbo

Cheers Frankie, I appreciate your help mate!!!! Was Gonna do that tonight and leave the ECU out over night! Ill let you know the results! fingers crossed!

if it comes back on change the rear lambda for a bosch if stays on again maybe buy a bosch one for the front, if still having problems it could be your maf, are you running stndard injectors?

**p fandango** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 14:22

read the codes!!

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 15:01

yeh standard injectors, will get codes read.

**shepbomb** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 16:12

Timbo,
Im in doncaster and my code reader does work on the 850's if you want to pop by and use it you are more than welcome

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 17:09

Your in conisborough aren't you shep??? Not a stalker but seen your car on my travels, I might do that mate if you don't mind, when's good for you???

**LiamT4** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 17:26

Just a note, but the if the rear lambda is on its way out, it shouldn't effect the way the engine runs. On these older cars all the rear lambda does is measure emissions and let you know when there is a problem. Its the 1st lambda that will cause issues when its faulty.

**shepbomb** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 18:52

Yes mate,
Whenever is best for you Im available till tomorrow night pretty much :-)

**960kg** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 19:30

Originally Posted by LiamT4

Just a note, but the if the rear lambda is on its way out, it shouldn't effect the way the engine runs. On these older cars all the rear lambda does is measure emissions and let you know when there is a problem. Its the 1st lambda that will cause issues when its faulty.

Not strictly true......the front O2 sensor gets it`s signals from the rear O2 sensor first so that it can tell the ECU if the cat. is running as it should the rear one then sends signals to the front one to finalise more accurately the fuel trim.

Just because cat. is mentioned owners think that is all it does but it is untrue.

They should ideally be replaced together as they wear together.

As Frankie says your not supposed to fit cheap ones as they are not to Volvo spec. even if the same maker.

In fact buying cheap is the most expensive way!

Don`t forget you can then forget for another 100,000!!!....... if you have the car that long.

**timbo** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 19:54

I was guessing that the two sensors fed back to each other at some point 960KG, and as ive only done one the other will give a vastly different reading but as the old sensor was/is Kaput it probs never got an accurate reading, its a Bosch sensor ive fitted but its coverd 5000 miles from new, ShepBombs kindly offered his code reading services so wait out but im guessing it'll come up with Lambda/Cat faults? We shall see, lifes never boring with a 16 year old Volvo is it!

**shepbomb** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 23:18

Right,
we plugged the scanner in no codes detected, same when I plugged Volvo FCR, I remember when my lambda went it was showing codes, but only 2psi of boost??? any ideas anybbody

**p fandango** · Saturday 6th October 2012, 23:26

Originally Posted by shepbomb

Right,
we plugged the scanner in no codes detected, same when I plugged Volvo FCR, I remember when my lambda went it was showing codes, but only 2psi of boost??? any ideas anybbody

2-3psi is the standard actuator setting, the ecu simply wasn't activating the BCS to raise the boost as it thought it was dangerous to do so. No fault codes yet MIL light on is a first for me