Removed O2 sensor, now car wants to die.

[v8s_are_slow]

So Ecmlink V3 lite will be here tomorrow. Decided to install my Wideband today so it'd be ready. Figured I'd remove the stock O2 sensor since V3 can simulate an narrowband anyway once it's here. But I didn't expect my car to wanna be dying on me. Wideband reads all the way lean (18) at idle but it smells rich so it's not making much sense to me. If I punch it and the exhaust stops popping, then the wideband jumps to the proper reading. Figured if anything the car would just run rich. Anyone think it's the O2 sensor being removed that's giving me the problem? Or something else? Don't wanna install V3 with an existing problem on it ya know? Thanks.

 

[proteusx301]

I don't think you quite understand what an upstream o2 sensor does. Put it back the way you had it and weld a bung in the downpipe for the wideband.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Well, I can't. It snapped off in the O2 housing and had to get another housing. Link should be here tomorrow and then I can simulate the narrowband. I had a 1g with no sensor but had maft and wideband so I was at least able to tune around it some. Although I can't....at the moment. I totally wasn't thinking about that before hand. Dummy. Figured it'd run rich (like with a bad O2 sensor) but didn't think it'd wanna kill it. Oh well.

 

[proteusx301]

I would just wait for ECMlink then. No sense in doing damage to the car.

 

[IHeartMyHonda]

your engine runs based on the reading that your upstream sensor sends to the ecu. you could cause severe damage to the internals if you keep it running that lean.

 

[Afroclipse]

If you removed the front O2 the pm me your address and I will come to your house and slap you.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Lol. Yeah, I did a stupid move. Was just thinking about the 1g I had that I was able to tune around. Just gonna let it sit for now until it gets here. Thanks for the advice and pointing out my stupid move. Lol.

 

[Afroclipse]

Link won't save you from a front O2 removal, if by it you mean LINK, unless you mean a new O2. Get a new front O2 then remove the REAR one my friend the REAR one and put your wideband there. The one that monitors whether your Catalyctic converter is working or not. The front one tells the ECU how the mixture is, the UEGO tells you how the mixture is so you can adjust your fuel accordingly. Hulk want smash you.

 

[IHeartMyHonda]

plus, its not recommended that you put a wideband that close to the turbo

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Link has a narrowband funtion that allows you to remove the stock O2 and use the wideband. So that's why I removed it to begin with and reason I'm waiting on Link. Just wasn't thinking when I tried to start it "without" Link being installed.

Also, you can run the wideband that close. Even Thomas Dorris wrote on his website that that's where he's installed and ran it for years with no problems. Plus, the further away you get it, the longer it takes for the wideband to get a reading.

 

[Beemer92]

Your either gonna need a new upstream O2, or a decent simulator. The info the upstream O2 sends to the ecu is vital. Not having either a working O2 or a simulator hooked up is causing damage to the fuel system, valves, and pistons. Pinging is very bad to the engine.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Ecmlink is in and the car is running just fine now. Shew!!!! Bout time!!!

 

[jrohner]

Most of you guys posting here make the o2 sensor out to be more important than it is. It's extremely unlikely that anything bad would result from not having the o2 sensor hooked up. If the ECU isn't receiving signal from the o2 sensor, it will run according to the fuel maps (which are ignored when running in closed loop mode). IF there are no boost leaks or anything else throwing off his AFR's, he'll run a little richer when not fully warmed up because of the low coolant temp enrichment, but otherwise will be fine. The o2 sensor is there to make the EPA happy more than anything (emissions).

I'll probably never switch back to running closed loop on my DSMs ever again as I can actually control part throttle AFR's through the fuel maps then. When I was running closed loop a couple years ago, I was doing it with my wideband instead. I'm sure the OP will be quite pleased running narrowband simulation.