I keep killing O2 sensors- Innovate LC1, Would a bung extender help? Options

[tornik550]

I am trying to get my engine tuned. The engine is running well however due to a bad spark plug wire I flooded a cylinder which in turn killed an O2 sensor. I have since got my engine running well and my air fuel gauge had been working well with a new o2 sensor. Now I am getting bad o2 sensor error codes again. Not sure why- it has only been a few weeks. My engine is running very well however a little too rich. Head and oil temps are perfect. I use an innovate lc1 and gauge.

I read about using a bung extender. There is one listed on innovate's website for around $90. There are cheap looking ones on ebay for about $0.90. I don't mind ordering the innovate one if that is what I need however 1/100 of the price for the cheap ones would be nice also- if that would work.

Any ideas?

[McMark]

Where is it installed?

[tornik550]

Where is it installed?

I have triad headers. It is installed just after the collector. The bung is installed about 20 degrees from vertical.

[brant]

any chance you could have a power or ground problem?

If I let the race car battery run down, It always shows an O2 sensor code....

very sensitive to power supply.
I think the heater is a power hog too... I've heard of using a relay to power the O2 sensor heater wire.

[mrbubblehead]

mine would show an error code right after start up. i made a time delay circuit and set it to about 30 seconds after start up. never had the problem again. since then, i have installed the new mtxl and it has been flawless....

[tornik550]

any chance you could have a power or ground problem?

If I let the race car battery run down, It always shows an O2 sensor code....

very sensitive to power supply.
I think the heater is a power hog too... I've heard of using a relay to power the O2 sensor heater wire.

I do not really remember about the wiring on the innovate system since I installed it a couple years ago. I was messing with the gauges right before all of this started to happen. I will check to see if I maybe messed up the wiring around the gauge- maybe a wire from the sensor came loose. I was getting very bizarre/erratic readings just prior to the system failing.

[rhodyguy]

triad muffler with the 3 resonators?

[tornik550]

triad muffler with the 3 resonators?

Triad header however I also have a triad muffler.

[rhodyguy]

i don't think the triad muffler lends itself to proper ox sensor placement like the bursch style with the bung just down stream of the collector and reading all 4 cyl. just a thought. pretty hot confines too.

[tornik550]

i don't think the triad muffler lends itself to proper ox sensor placement like the bursch style with the bung just down stream of the collector and reading all 4 cyl. just a thought. pretty hot confines too.

With the triad header and muffler setup there is a j pipe between the collector and the muffler intake. I have the o2 sensor in the j pipe right after the collector.

Do you think that a bung extender would help? Would take the sensor out of the hot air however I am not sure if it would screw up the readings.

[stugray]

I do not really remember about the wiring on the innovate system since I installed it a couple years ago

I know the wiring by memory as I was just installing mine last night:
Red +12V Power (needs to come on before engine starts)
white & Blue - grounds, must be tied together and to chassis GND (suggests engine case).
Yellow Analog Out 1
Brown Analog Out 2 (default to DB gauge)
Black - LED/Calibrate button

HTH

Stu

[tornik550]

So I went through and made sure that my wiring is correct and sturdy. I did not find any problems. I am starting to wonder if my issue is the o2 sensors. I think it is possible it could be the LC1. I get the same strange response even with trying two different o2 sensors.

My gauge flickers all over the place. It seems excessively sensitive. It will read between 7 and 22 within seconds. The numbers flicker all over the place. The problem is that my engine is running great. I do not see how my engine could be running so well and have readings between 7 and 22.

[mrbubblehead]

So I went through and made sure that my wiring is correct and sturdy. I did not find any problems. I am starting to wonder if my issue is the o2 sensors. I think it is possible it could be the LC1. I get the same strange response even with trying two different o2 sensors.

My gauge flickers all over the place. It seems excessively sensitive. It will read between 7 and 22 within seconds. The numbers flicker all over the place. The problem is that my engine is running great. I do not see how my engine could be running so well and have readings between 7 and 22.

mine would do the same exact thing. try waiting 30 seconds after you start the car. then put power to the lc1. i bet that is the problem.

[tornik550]

So I went through and made sure that my wiring is correct and sturdy. I did not find any problems. I am starting to wonder if my issue is the o2 sensors. I think it is possible it could be the LC1. I get the same strange response even with trying two different o2 sensors.

My gauge flickers all over the place. It seems excessively sensitive. It will read between 7 and 22 within seconds. The numbers flicker all over the place. The problem is that my engine is running great. I do not see how my engine could be running so well and have readings between 7 and 22.

mine would do the same exact thing. try waiting 30 seconds after you start the car. then put power to the lc1. i bet that is the problem.

Do you have a switch specifically for the lc1? I just have mine hooked to key switched 12v.

[mrbubblehead]

no. its not specifically for the lc1. mine was ran off a switched circuit also. one of the guys on the innovate forums designed a time delay circuit and suggested i try it. sure enuff, i built it, installed it, and it worked like a charm.

So I went through and made sure that my wiring is correct and sturdy. I did not find any problems. I am starting to wonder if my issue is the o2 sensors. I think it is possible it could be the LC1. I get the same strange response even with trying two different o2 sensors.

My gauge flickers all over the place. It seems excessively sensitive. It will read between 7 and 22 within seconds. The numbers flicker all over the place. The problem is that my engine is running great. I do not see how my engine could be running so well and have readings between 7 and 22.

mine would do the same exact thing. try waiting 30 seconds after you start the car. then put power to the lc1. i bet that is the problem.

Do you have a switch specifically for the lc1? I just have mine hooked to key switched 12v.

[tornik550]

So am I understanding this correctly- if I put a switch on my current 12v circuit and turn the switch on about 30 seconds after the car is started- this may work? If I understand that correctly- that would be easy enough to try.

no. its not specifically for the lc1. mine was ran off a switched circuit also. one of the guys on the innovate forums designed a time delay circuit and suggested i try it. sure enuff, i built it, installed it, and it worked like a charm.

So I went through and made sure that my wiring is correct and sturdy. I did not find any problems. I am starting to wonder if my issue is the o2 sensors. I think it is possible it could be the LC1. I get the same strange response even with trying two different o2 sensors.

My gauge flickers all over the place. It seems excessively sensitive. It will read between 7 and 22 within seconds. The numbers flicker all over the place. The problem is that my engine is running great. I do not see how my engine could be running so well and have readings between 7 and 22.

mine would do the same exact thing. try waiting 30 seconds after you start the car. then put power to the lc1. i bet that is the problem.

Do you have a switch specifically for the lc1? I just have mine hooked to key switched 12v.

[mrbubblehead]

EXACTLY! and if it works i will give you the diagram for the time delay. so when you turn the car on, the time delay will turn the lc1 on automaticly. but i would try an ordinary toggle switch for a few days to make sure it solves the problem. i betting it does. fingers crossed....

[tornik550]

EXACTLY! and if it works i will give you the diagram for the time delay. so when you turn the car on, the time delay will turn the lc1 on automaticly. but i would try an ordinary toggle switch for a few days to make sure it solves the problem. i betting it does. fingers crossed....

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) Success!!!! The setup works. I am now getting reasonable a/f readings.

[mrbubblehead]

EXACTLY! and if it works i will give you the diagram for the time delay. so when you turn the car on, the time delay will turn the lc1 on automaticly. but i would try an ordinary toggle switch for a few days to make sure it solves the problem. i betting it does. fingers crossed....

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) Success!!!! The setup works. I am now getting reasonable a/f readings.

thats great!let me look for that diagram and i will post it up. are you good with electronics? do you have a soldering iron? live close to an electronics warehouse? i got all the parts for under 20 dollars and it took a couple of hours to make.

[mrbubblehead]

here it is....
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i722.photobucket.com-12492-1369879284.1.jpg)