SwampRat
15+ Year Contributor
- 35
- 0
- Mar 1, 2006
-
Gardner,
Massachusetts
Because Im using an Innovate wide band O2 sensor that is mounted on the down pipe I no longer use the stock O2 sensor. During my turbo upgrade I eliminated the stock O2 sensor but doing so threw a cell on the O2 heater so I came up with this as a simulator.
Parts: One used CPU heat sink, Thermal compound, one 10 Ohm wirewound resistor10 watt rating and one used O2 sensor connector.
You can buy the heat sink compound 64-4342 and resistor 271-0132 at Radio Shack. Why a wirewound resistor? Because we are truly simulating the heater element of an O2 sensor and need a high thermal rating capacity, this resistor is rated up to +527 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the CPU fan and clip from the heat sink, apply heat sink compound to one of the flat sides of the resistor.
Align the resistor in the center of the heat sink and whatever method you find easiest to firmly keep the resistor attached to the heat sink. I used the trusty old coat hanger, I had to remove the resistor and bend the wire enough to firmly hold it in place so it took a little bit of trial and error to get it to hold the resistor tight to the heat sink. I was going to use bailing wire but my spool was nowhere to be found so the coat hanger worked just as well but a little more work was involved to secure it.
Next figure out where you are going to mount the heat sink in the engine bay and then measure the length needed for your connector. I replaced my stock O2 housing so I used the stock O2 wire, I also pulled the heat shroud down the wire before I cut it so I would have enough to cover the wire after soldering it to the resistor.
Next solder the correct connections from the O2 connector to the resistor, in my case the O2 connector used two black wires. It also would be wise to verify the color code on the engine harness side as well. The two black wires from the O2 sensor connect to a black and yellow on the engine harness side.
Next attach the heat sink into the engine bay, because I moved my fuse box I reused the clip that used to hold the wire loom.
IMPORTANT: remember we are simulating the heater of the O2 sensor heat is the operative word so mounting location is important!
Once everything is secure start the car and let it run for about a half an hour keeping an eye on where you mounted the heat sink as it will get up to temp pretty quick and you want to make sure that it will not damage anything where it is mounted. The highest temp I recorded is 141 degrees and this was on an eighty degree day. I reset the cell and Ive been running it for just over a month and no problems.
I have pictures to go with this how-to and I was going to put it in as a tech article, but due to restrictions this is the only way I can post at this time.
Parts: One used CPU heat sink, Thermal compound, one 10 Ohm wirewound resistor10 watt rating and one used O2 sensor connector.
You can buy the heat sink compound 64-4342 and resistor 271-0132 at Radio Shack. Why a wirewound resistor? Because we are truly simulating the heater element of an O2 sensor and need a high thermal rating capacity, this resistor is rated up to +527 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the CPU fan and clip from the heat sink, apply heat sink compound to one of the flat sides of the resistor.
Align the resistor in the center of the heat sink and whatever method you find easiest to firmly keep the resistor attached to the heat sink. I used the trusty old coat hanger, I had to remove the resistor and bend the wire enough to firmly hold it in place so it took a little bit of trial and error to get it to hold the resistor tight to the heat sink. I was going to use bailing wire but my spool was nowhere to be found so the coat hanger worked just as well but a little more work was involved to secure it.
Next figure out where you are going to mount the heat sink in the engine bay and then measure the length needed for your connector. I replaced my stock O2 housing so I used the stock O2 wire, I also pulled the heat shroud down the wire before I cut it so I would have enough to cover the wire after soldering it to the resistor.
Next solder the correct connections from the O2 connector to the resistor, in my case the O2 connector used two black wires. It also would be wise to verify the color code on the engine harness side as well. The two black wires from the O2 sensor connect to a black and yellow on the engine harness side.
Next attach the heat sink into the engine bay, because I moved my fuse box I reused the clip that used to hold the wire loom.
IMPORTANT: remember we are simulating the heater of the O2 sensor heat is the operative word so mounting location is important!
Once everything is secure start the car and let it run for about a half an hour keeping an eye on where you mounted the heat sink as it will get up to temp pretty quick and you want to make sure that it will not damage anything where it is mounted. The highest temp I recorded is 141 degrees and this was on an eighty degree day. I reset the cell and Ive been running it for just over a month and no problems.
I have pictures to go with this how-to and I was going to put it in as a tech article, but due to restrictions this is the only way I can post at this time.
