worth it to switch 02 sensor for wideband

[1Gina2G]

This may sound weird but I bought a new front 02 sensor a while before I purchased my LC1 wideband, also way before I even know you could do narrow band simulation.

Someone just mentioned how I should move my wideband from the rear 02 sensor spot, and put it in the 02 housing, and set it up for narrowband. MOSTLY because of the flex part of the downpipe having the potential to leak in the future.

Would this be worth it? I can understand that the flex could leak, never occured to me before, with plently of others mounting widebands in the rear 02 spot...The sensors are currently wired in and bolted to the exhaust with the paste for the threads it comes with, not sure if thats for sealing or corrosion or both but it's deffinatley on there good, not sure how much harder it'd be for it to come back off..

thanks everyone..

 

[92AWDHX40]

Worth it i would eliminates it going into the downpipe, just put it in the o2 housing and use the link to simulate it, im getting around to it this winter when i set up my speed density.

 

[1Gina2G]

Didn't mention that I don't have dsmlink. I only have evoscan as a logger. So is it even possible to simulate narrowband

 

[WES_393]

You can run narrowband simmulation with any wideband that has a 0-1v output. Just splice the output to the stock front O2 input. But even with DSMLink, I personally could never get narrowband simulation to work smooth. No matter how much I tried to adjust the "switchover" points, it would always fluctuate the A/F ratio way too far and make the engine idle like junk. I switched back to the factory front O2 and havent looked back.

Not saying it will be the same for everyone. But IMO, why mess with something that already works well.

 

[1Gina2G]

You can run narrowband simmulation with any wideband that has a 0-1v output. Just splice the output to the stock front O2 input. But even with DSMLink, I personally could never get narrowband simulation to work smooth. No matter how much I tried to adjust the "switchover" points, it would always fluctuate the A/F ratio way too far and make the engine idle like junk. I switched back to the factory front O2 and havent looked back.

Not saying it will be the same for everyone. But IMO, why mess with something that already works well.

Something like this is exactly what I was wondering about. I was thinking about maybe getting some kind of exhaust wrap to put arund the flex, maybe prolong some wear, who knows. Everythings new and in place, but me being OCD with things I may very well switch them out anyways, saying the sensors budge freely. They've already gotten hot a cupple times so I'm just left to wonder.

 

[Calan]

But even with DSMLink, I personally could never get narrowband simulation to work smooth. No matter how much I tried to adjust the "switchover" points, it would always fluctuate the A/F ratio way too far and make the engine idle like junk.

In my experience, problems with NB simulation in ECMLink are usually caused by the delay and response time of most WB units. One trick to getting a more stock-like response with NB simulation is to start with STFTAdjRate values (on the STFTAndO2Feedback DA tab) set to about half their factory values, and then make small adjustments until it's dialed in.

I was thinking about maybe getting some kind of exhaust wrap to put arund the flex, maybe prolong some wear, who knows

That will actually accelerate cracking, due to the wrap retaining moisture.

A high-quality SS flex section should last for years.

 

[1Gina2G]

That will actually accelerate cracking, due to the wrap retaining moisture.

A high-quality SS flex section should last for years.

Good catch. Makes perfect since. It is a new downpipe but I still might just switch it.

Say my flex DID have some small break or leak in it, would I be able to hear it? Ever since I got the megan racing catback on, the car sounds SO MUCH smoother and quieter compared to just running a strait downpipe by itself.

Is it possible to have a leak, and not be loud, AND affect the wideband readings?

 

[We're on Boost]

That paste on the threads of the LC-1 sensor is anti-seize compound. It's good stuff, you should never have a problem getting the sensor back off. You know Innovate is nuts about having you take the sensor out every so often to do a free-air calibration. You should get some anti-seize so you can freshen up what's on the threads whenever you take the sensor out and put it back in.

I know you can make the narrow band sim work. But I personally decided to get a new OEM O2 sensor mounted in the stock position (O2 housing) and I had a TIG weld shop (gotta be TIG on stainless steel) put a stainless bung in the part of the downpipe that goes down from the O2 housing, before the flex section, for the wideband. My downpipe is 3" there, and it is several inches down from the O2 housing, so the exhaust gases are a little cooler there - longer life for the wideband sensor, but still hot enough. This seems to me like the most robust way. The OEM narrow band does it's job well and should last a long time if you are starting with a new one.

One little "problem" with the LC-1 setup is the cable from the sensor to the LC-1 module is pretty short, and they don't want you splicing into it to make it longer. So I ended up "mounting" my LC-1 module quite far forward in the car, not back on the firewall like some do. Mine is nylon-tied to something right at the inside wall of the passenger side wheel well. It seems fine, that module must be pretty tough.