free air wideband calibration
 

hi guys,
i installed an innovate lc1 with an xd16 gauge.i read on the manual that it need a free to air calibration from time to time and they indicate the proceedure.
my question:
where to find free air? the sensor is instaled about 60" after the turbo before the cat.
do i need to remove the sensor to see free air and calibrate?
the air in the section between the turbo and the cat does not recirculate so it is not a free air with the 20.8 o2. after one day that the car sitts the lc1 show 18.5 o2 levels in that section.
what can i do?
remove the sensor or wait (how long) ?

also read on a thread that sensors have a small hole for this free air calibration. this sensor that came with the lc1 kit does not seem to have any hole from the cable side.
so where the sensor finds the sample air to calibrate?


thanks!

You could have pulled the sensor quicker than posting this.

not from where it is mounted....

calibrate it in the morning before you start the car

after 24h the reading at the gauge before i start the car is about 18.5. that means that there is stil some amount of fumes in the exaust for the last time.
will it ever recirculates and cleans the air inside that pipe?the sensor is located between the turbo and the cat. the only way to get in clean air is from the cat. is it posible? parhaps if i leave it siting for a week?

i instaled the sensor yestarday and i calibrated before doing that. now it works fine, but i would like to know what to do is sometime needs calibration.yes , it is best to puul the sensor out but it is very dificult for me.

They say it can be done without pulling it out if you let the car sit for 48 hours. I've never been able to do that. I've always pulled it from the downpipe or midpipe and then do the calibration.

I always pull mine as well... Just jack up that side of the car and pull it. OR like stated above the manual does say you can cal it installed after 48hrs.

after 48h the gauge reads 20.8 . i assume that it is doable that way. the sensor was calibrated before 48h when i installed it so the reading is correct.

another option for quick calibration:

what if i drive the car at about 70kmh , switch off the engine and floor the pedal? can i suck air in the exaust that way or suck hydrocarbons of oil too and destroy the measurments?

You have power steering, power breaks, and your ignition could lock if you turned the key far enough back. Not the best idea @ 70km/hr :)
Just unplug the sensor and be done with it.

After 48 hrs the exhaust should be clear. It is possibly reading b/c it is in need of being calibrated. During calibration what you are doing is zeroing (reseting) the point at which the sensor reads open air. If you cannot pull the sensor just let the car sit for a few days and then cal it.

I work with several devices that need to be calibrated on a regular basis and have FAR more expensive sensors than this O2 sensor. They all tend to shift in the slightest as they are put through use. It is not too strange that your sensor is picking up hydrocarbons and then is possibly none present. Also I think this is the first time you have calibrated it sinve its initial install? Yes? I would honestly expect it to have shifted a little bit. Its ok, just cal it per instructions.

yes it is the first time i calibrated before i installed it. how i will know when to recalibrate it?
for now i do not have any problem with it. i let it sit for three days and the reading was 20.8 for o2 before i started the car again.when i must expect this shift you are talking about?
thanks

It is a good idea to calibrate it several times per year and especially when the weather changes. I cal mine at least 4x per year but that is just b/c where I live we have 4 seasons where conditions are very different. It really is not possible to calibrate it too many times. heck, if your car sits for days at a time you could cal it every time you get in if you wish.

I would expect it to shift a bit after the first couple months (or less) of use just because it is going through initial heat cycles.

you probalby wouldnt really know when it "needs" calibration, due to various driving conditions of each person. that reminds me i havnt calibrated mine in ages.... i should do that lol...

The LC-1 is also set up to measure several different fuels. Make sure you are in the correct setting.

thanks guys,
i have another concern and parhaps you could help. are there any problems caused to the sensor from the oil burning?i have the omp ateched but i used to add a litle 2stroke oil to the tank for safety. at about 1/200 . should i continue this or i will ruin the sensor?
since i went single i use castrol synthetic oil in the engine. is it a problem when burns off in the engine ?
thanks