Hi Gang,
I have an AE with a Microtech ECU and wondered if anyone has an opinion on just how much of a b**ch it is to install a wideband o2 sensor.

It's been running a bit flakey, and today I put in new plugs and standard o2 sensor. That fixed about 85% of the bad running, and I'm hoping to get the other 15% through tuning the ECU.

Opinion I've heard is that putting in a wideband would make things much better, so my question: how much work is it really? do I need to budget an entire weekend? Or perhaps a 3 day?

Thanks for your input!

- k -

 

If you plan on doing any sort of tuning, then you need to have a wideband sensor. You'll probably need to weld a new 02 sensor bung ~36" from the turbo (that's the suggested distance for my Innovate LC-1), so that's the hardest part of any wideband install. For the rest, just follow the directions.

 

^^ This is correct. Best position for the w/b is between 10-2 o'clock.

 

Thanks for the input. Do you have a model/make that you'd recommend for this ecu?

- k -

 

What are you trying to do? If you are just going to use a wideband in place of the OEM sensor, that wont help you.

I would get the Innovate LC1. They are very rugged and easy to use with most any tuning device. I run mine with an RTEK 2.0

You can also use it to emulate the narrowband 02 sensor, and eliminate the stock sensor. That is what I do with mine and I run it in the stock location. I had to get a heatsink to keep it from overheating however.

 

Innovate and PLX widebands are some of the better ones. Cheaper widebands like the AEM UEGO can be hit or miss. Some people have had some major problems with them. Any wideband will have a 0-5V output, which your microtech will need to log data. Some (like the LC-1) allow a 0-1V simulated narrow band output, as LargeOrangeFont mentioned.

EDIT: Here's an install option for the LC-1 (and maybe other widebands): https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?p=9146710

 

My aim is to get max potential hp out of this engine. It was rebuilt with polish/port by aitkins about 8k miles ago. It came with a MircoTech LTX12 ECU and I'm still learning about this new 'performance' world.
I've been driving stock RX for 22 yrs and turbo for 15. This is my first non-stock RX.

Thanks a million for sharing your knowledge and experience.

 

installation of a wideband is real easy, if your just setting it up to tune the car and plan to remove it afterwards u could install it in under 20 minutes if u really want to... just screw it into stock lcoation rout the wires real fast, get a power off ignition and a ground and its working... then tune it and remove it..

or if u plant o install it long term...

u would want a bung welded ont eh down pipe like people are saying near end between 10-2 oclock , then maybe do a neat job of routing the wires and isntalling the guage, maybe spend 1-2 hrs?

i run mine full time on two of my turbo cars.

 

Very cool. I hadn't thought about making it a temp installation. What would be the circumstance that I'd regret not doing a permanent install?

 

Thanks for the link, that is a very cool idea! I've been trying to keep stuff as stock-looking as possible and this fits *right* in. (i never look at that clock anyway)

Do you know some links that would help me understand how this device - LC1 - interfaces to my car and ECU?


- k -

 

It's basically as I described above. The wideband 02 sensor has a short harness that will plug into the wideband controller. The controller then has the typical wires for 12V switched power, ground, etc..., but it will also have output wires for a gauge (like the one I used in that link) and for inputs on your standalone. 0-5V is wideband & 0-1V is narrowband.

 

+1 for the Innovate LC-1.