O2 Sensor Install

[Wbulk]

I live at about 5,000 feet and knew I was going to have rejet my carb. I decided on the Innovate wide band MTX-L and am just going to use it as a tool to adjust the carb, but not install it in the dash. I am thinking I should have done this years ago.

Anyway with a wide band the O2 sensor it is better to be installed past the collector and not on the bottom side of the pipe so condensation does not ruin it. This makes it tuff on a cobra since I didn't want it out the side or on top. The instructions say it really shouldn't be installed lower past the 9:00 or 3:00 positions. I'm not going to leave it in so I was not so concerned about that, but didn't want it real visible. After looking at the pipe I realized I had to come up with a system to get the exact location and angle in the ballpark, as once you take the pipe off to weld in the bung you can easily lose your reference for the angle. Anyway this is the system I came up with that works pretty good.

I drew a circle with a compass on some poster board that matched the diameter of the pipe. I then measured and layed out where the frame and bottom of the body was in relation to the pipe. I cut half the circle out and left the side where the frame was and where I though I wanted the O2 sensor to be.

I put the poster board on the pipe that was still on the car, did any trimming and lined it up on the pipe where I wanted it. I then marked the poster board and pipe with reference marks so when the pipe was removed I could maintain the correct angle when I took the pipe off.


I then removed the pipe and cut some small pieces of poster board and folded them to make some 90s and stapled them to the pattern. I then taped the pattern back on the pipe, lining up the reference marks and drilled the bung hole with a step drill.


I cut the 1" bung that came with the gauge at the angle and curve of the pipe. I test fit the O2 sensor and realized with having to screw the sensor in and the cable extending close to the frame I had to tilt it slighty down a little. I then put in an old O2 sensor to hold while I welded it up.


I hope this helps anyone else that installs a sensor. I will do a thread in the spring on jetting my carb with the new gauge, and we will see how that goes.

[Widows Son]

Nice write-ups , much appreciated. I was considering the same but instead went with an Innovate LM-2 handheld with the tailpipe adapter for the WB O2 probe. Since you noted that your install was not for permanent real time EFI control but more for data collection, I am wondering if you considered the LM and if so, why you didn't go with it. BTW, nice job on the install.

[Wbulk]

Well I was at Kirkhams one day and a friend who is the shop foreman showed me their setup. It was just the gauge, the O2 sensor and wiring. They use it just for tuning. That seemed like a really good idea and a lot cheaper. It still has the connenction to hook up a lap top and read the graphs, and can do I believe 50 or so minutes of data logging.

[Jerry Clayton]

Just remember that if you do a track day and add race gas, you will probably fowl the sensor and need replacement---------

[Texasdoc]

Has anyone had success in using the tail pipe adapter for the sensor? I don't want to install bungs in the pipes just to tune the carb (no EFI). Is it accurate with the adapter? Does the diameter of the exhaust pipe affect the accuracy of the sensor when using the adapter?

Tom

[PaulProe]

I purchased the tailpipe adapter for my LM-2 and have had mixed success with it.

With just the standard unit, I had very poor readings due to reversion - sucking oxygen back into the exhaust and corrupting the sensor reading.

I found another site (Daytona Sensors) who modified their sensor a number of different ways. I took this in mind and added a 12" piece of copper tube on the end of the Innovate adapter. This put the sampling point further into the sidepipe. It solved the O2 contamination from reversion but the sampling still isn't as good as the port in the collector.

I spoke to Innovate personnel at the PRI show about this modification and they said it would help but not solve the problem. I questioned the length and they said it wouldn't have any affect on the signal. I plan to length the tube as much as I can.

The next issue I ran into is the clamping method is not real positive. It uses a thumb screw which I don't want to tighten down on my ceramic coated side pipe. I tried a plastic cap so as to not scratch them but that didn't work. They soften with heat and do not hold firm. The curve of the pipe outlet adds to the problem. I will continue to address this, there has to be a way.

Paul

[Wbulk]

Mistake. Added to the wrong thread.

Moderator, please delete this post.