Offshoreonly.com - O2 sensor without drilling and welding Lightning headers

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Quote:

Originally Posted by hadleycat (Post 4125096)

Thank you for the feedback. I was wondering if the sensor needed to be warm or not.

How does does the sensor being too cold effect it?

I thought the sensors heated up on their own. I'll pre-empt this by saying that I have zero experience with O2 widebands, so I'll defer to those who have tuned with them. I just recall reading that the water ruins them after they have heated up, and I think EZstriper mentioned waiting to supply power to his sensor until he know it would stay dry.

Did a little Googling and answered my own question:

"If there are unburned combustion products but also oxygen molecules in the exhaust, the combustion products rather combine directly on the electrode surface with the oxygen in the exhaust instead of the oxygen coming through the ceramic without creating a voltage. So even though there is fuel there, the sensor will read as if a lean condition exists. These sensors require a minimum temperature of about 300C to work. Single wire sensors relied solely on the heating by exhaust gas. At idle that may not be enough. Multiwire NBO2 sensors have a built-in heater that helps keep the sensor at operating temperature at idle and also speeds up the heat up process to minimize open loop startup time. "

From: http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/resources/news3.php

Definitely interested to see how this turns out. I have lightening headers but I have dry to the tip tails. Just want to avoid removing my exhaust and having 02's installed if I can

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budman II (Post 4125099)

Hadley, since you already have the tube bent up, why not just install it and start the motor to see what kind of exhaust flow you get from it. Zero cost and very little effort.

I plan on trying out the pipe this week. At least I would like to see what kind of flow i get thru the pipe and how hot it gets.I just ordered my AFR gauge and sensor this Monday morning so I am hoping to see it one day this week.

Put one of those blue paper shop towels in it too see if you are pulling in any water.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but i could swear 02's measure outside exhaust 02 vs inside 02 so it can measure how much you have/don't have in the exhaust.

I was researching PTFE miniature filters (don't ask...lol) a long time ago and stumbled upon their use in 02 sensors for this.

The sensor won't be too cold. They are heated on their own and will regulate the temperature. Personally I think the Bosch wideband sensors are junk and always have been. I would be interested to see the life span of an NTK wideband versus the Bosch. The NTK's can be purchased with the NGK AFX wideband kit and in my opinion is the best on the market. I don't base any of this on experience with marine equipment, but 10 years of experience running them in standalone fuel injected cars used for drag racing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hadleycat (Post 4125045)

I can see how the O2 extension could really effect your readings. If that piece works the way I understand it from the picture I dont think you wouId get much flow over the sensor. I dont know much about O2 sensors but I think they like to have the exhaust flowing around them to be accurate.

I agree 100% but after killing the second sensor we had to try something just to keep it dry. They need the exhaust to go through them, I was just trying to get them to work with a little less Obama rigging like youve got going on LOL.

After seeing the drawing there and seeing exactly where/how the sensor is going to be installed I highly doubt its going to work. At WOT theres going to be so much water flying around behind the transom I dont think it will last long at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budman II (Post 4125074)

I'm wondering how much effect the steel wool had on the sensor getting a timely and accurate reading.

The steel wool hardly effected the flow at all. It wasnt solid at all, I just cut a couple small pieces off and stuck them in there. I blew through it and also shined a light in there after the jb weld dried to check the flow before I used them to be sure it was going to flow ok.

We were using an NGK AFX wideband FWIW.

And yes, they are self heating sensors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budman II (Post 4124819)

Fixx, did you have the sensor outside the exhaust pipe, or did you actually locate the sensor up inside of the exhaust? I thought he meant the latter when I first read this, now I realize that he is simply trying to channel the exhaust through the pipe to the outside of the tip, where the sensor would actually be located. I can't see how this would be any hotter than having the sensor screwed into a bung in the exhaust, especially with water mixing around the outside of the tube.

Am I on the right track with this, hadley, or am I off base? Are you talking about something like this?

http://wiki.efihacks.com/images/6/6e...r_Assembly.jpg

no,,i had the o2 tip exposed and had the wire going through a piece of 1/2 stainless tube filled with high temp silcone sealer..i found that when trying to tune each cylinder was a big pain because the readings would change 2 points from cylinder to cylinder then all of them across the board at idle..then it was a pain in the azz to fish the tube into each exhaust runner and then the wires would melt and short out..wish i still had it laying around but i scraped it..

I really think that if you keep the tail of the pipe out of the exhaust stream where the water is it should work, no sharp bends and keep it as short as possible . If it works you're a hero to many in the same ...... boat!
good luck:ernaehrung004: