Wideband sensor location

[KrayzieFox]

What's the "best" spot to install the wideband o2 sensor? I know it would be optimal for performance for it to be on the turbo manifold, but I'm afraid the high temps will destroy the sensor. I do have a MAM midpipe which has a spare o2 bung at the end of it, but would having the sensor that far back on the exhaust even do anything?

Please advise. My options are 1) Manifold 2) J-pipe and 3) clear at the end of midpipe

[pdhaudio83]

nooo. 6-24" down from turbo is fine.... any one of those spots is OK.

[KrayzieFox]

Even at the end of the midpipe?

[kansei]

nooo. 6-24" down from turbo is fine.... any one of those spots is OK.

Not according to NGK at least.. they have some little formula but it ends up being that it needs to be at least a foot from the turbo.

That being said, mine has been in my j-pipe for years without any issue.

Even at the end of the midpipe?

after the cat? I wouldn't. Put it in your j-pipe, put your second oxygen sensor in the midpipe after the cat.

[pdhaudio83]

Of course I'm not running any cats, but yeah, your O2 should be before cats.

[KrayzieFox]

Not according to NGK at least.. they have some little formula but it ends up being that it needs to be at least a foot from the turbo.

That being said, mine has been in my j-pipe for years without any issue.


after the cat? I wouldn't. Put it in your j-pipe, put your second oxygen sensor in the midpipe after the cat.

Of course I'm not running any cats, but yeah, your O2 should be before cats.

LoL!! Ok.. so who do I listen to here?

I was thinking of doing what Chris was saying and put the wideband sensor in the j-pipe, but would having the 2nd o2 sensor in the midpipe after the cat cause a CEL?

[pdhaudio83]

We're saying the same thing... not after the cats (thus... before the cats)

:) Chris then tells you how to arrange them

[CulRidr]

6" is too close as it is way too hot...you risk shortening the life of your sensor.

[KrayzieFox]

We're saying the same thing... not after the cats (thus... before the cats)

:) Chris then tells you how to arrange them
Oh ok, I thought you were saying to put the o2 sensor before the cat and the wideband sensor after it.

6" is too close as it is way too hot...you risk shortening the life of your sensor.
Are you saying that in reference to the bung on the manifold or j-pipe? Which is too close?

[kansei]

We're saying the same thing... not after the cats (thus... before the cats)

:) Chris then tells you how to arrange them

No, I'm saying after the cat for the second oxygen sensor (the wideband isn't included in this count). That's where it's supposed to be, so you won't get a CEL for putting it there. No need for any tricks like the nonfoulers or the electronic tricks. Just wire it up (yeah you'll have to extended the harness a couple feet) and it'll be good :)

6" is too close as it is way too hot...you risk shortening the life of your sensor.

As I said, that's what NGK says.. when I did it two years ago I said the same thing, and I got lots of people saying they had run their sensors there for 2-3 years no problem.. and they've now run them there for 5 years no problem.

Heck my stock oxygen sensors didn't even last 5 years :P

edit:

just so I'm clear.

First oxygen sensor: manifold bung
Wideband: j-pipe .. a bit farther would be more ideal but you don't have a bung for that already.
Second oxygen sensor: midpipe AFTER the cat

[pdhaudio83]

Either way, a new wideband sensor is a whopping $60.

[CulRidr]

Speaking of sensors, I think mine let go after swapping it from my old j-pipe to my new Corksport one. I popped a CEL not long after, and my car seems as though it's drinking gas at a rate I've never seen before. Need an OBDII code reader to find out if my suspicions are correct...

[kansei]

Speaking of sensors, I think mine let go after swapping it from my old j-pipe to my new Corksport one. I popped a CEL not long after, and my car seems as though it's drinking gas at a rate I've never seen before. Need an OBDII code reader to find out if my suspicions are correct...

You can just totally unplug that second oxygen sensor and it won't affect your fuel economy one bit. You'll have a CEL but.. yeah still excellent fuel economy, no change.

[CrashKelly]

word, its the one on the manifold you have to worry about....blew mine out and my car was drinking gas like the world was running out of it....

[pdhaudio83]

word, its the one on the manifold you have to worry about....blew mine out and my car was drinking gas like the world was running out of it....

yessir... true limp mode... car can't read A/F ratio, goes to an RPM-based fuel map... FUEL DUMP!

[CulRidr]

You can just totally unplug that second oxygen sensor and it won't affect your fuel economy one bit. You'll have a CEL but.. yeah still excellent fuel economy, no change.

Hmmm, either way, need to figure out why my mileage is lower then usual, and what the CEL is in the 1st place. I'll keep you guys posted.

[KrayzieFox]

How should I go about extending the 2nd o2 sensor to reach to the midpipe? Just splice in extra wire or what? Any special wire I should use?

[CrashKelly]

How should I go about extending the 2nd o2 sensor to reach to the midpipe? Just splice in extra wire or what? Any special wire I should use?

I think you can just move it to get more slack....Thats what I did if I remember correctly....Trace the wires back and see if you can re-route them to get a little more leeway

[KrayzieFox]

I think you can just move it to get more slack....Thats what I did if I remember correctly....Trace the wires back and see if you can re-route them to get a little more leeway

I'll try it, but I don't think there will be enough wire to reach that far back.

[CrashKelly]

I'll try it, but I don't think there will be enough wire to reach that far back.

All I know is that Ive had my wide-band and the stocker in both bungs and I did not have to splice any wires....but of course I have a catless mid-pipe and corksport j-pipe, so I might have the bungs in different places.

[KrayzieFox]

All I know is that Ive had my wide-band and the stocker in both bungs and I did not have to splice any wires....but of course I have a catless mid-pipe and corksport j-pipe, so I might have the bungs in different places.

Is the bung on the midpipe all the way at the end (towards back of car) or at the beginning of the pipe?

[CrashKelly]

Is the bung on the midpipe all the way at the end (towards back of car) or at the beginning of the pipe?

mine is toward the front of the car....it's probably like a foot and a half to two feet away from the one on the j-pipe.

[CrashKelly]

If you really wanted to get creative you could order an exhaust gas temp gauge and use that in the stock mid-pipe location and just have a new bung welded on for the wideband. To be honest I don't think the widebands location is as touchy as people say it is....as long as it is in the exhaust and not too close to the turbo you're fine...I think it can be as far back as it needs to be. I mean I had one of the most reputable shops in the country tune my unichip and they placed their wideband right in the tip of my muffler with a clip. Unless you have leaks the amount of exhaust gas in your pipes is going to stay there until it makes its way out.

[bazooka joe]

ya, what everyone has said...just don't have it to close to the trubo..24"....mine is south of the down pipe and has been so for 3 yrs, no issues and i get proper readings

[CulRidr]

Forgot to update this, but the code is a P1180...