Has anyone ever tried a mechanical O2 fix instead of sims?
03-07-2006, 01:46 PM
#1
Launching!
Thread Starter
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Has anyone ever tried a mechanical O2 fix instead of sims? I searched and searched but couldn't find anyone who has tried this. On my defunct '03 WRX with no cats I first tried an electronic fix to get rid of the cat inefficiency code. It got rid of the CEL but the O2 sensor status would show "not ready" for emissions testing purposes...big no no. At the time, PA had recently switched to OBD emissions testing and I wanted to see if I could "stick it to the man". I wanted to maintain a catless setup AND pass emissions testing. Most of the Subaru people were starting to use a "mechanical O2 fix". To do this, you would buy a pack of 18x1.5 mm spark plug anti-foulers, drill one out with a 1/2" drill bit, screw them together and then screw the O2 sensor into the one you drilled out. You'd take this whole setup and screw it into the O2 bung on your exhaust pipe. The O2 sensor tip is essentially inside it's own little space because of the two anti-foulers that it's screwed into. Evidently the exhaust gas temperature changes enough within the O2 sensor's new "space" to make the O2 sensor think that everything is hunky dory. This setup worked flawlessly for me and I was able to pass the new emissions testing without a problem. If it worked for that, I don't see why it wouldn't work on our cars when running LT's or other catless setups.
On a sidenote, do the O2 sims that people use allow the O2 sensors to show a "ready" status for emissions purposes?
On a sidenote, do the O2 sims that people use allow the O2 sensors to show a "ready" status for emissions purposes?
03-07-2006, 03:42 PM
#4
Originally Posted by waveoff
I searched and searched but couldn't find anyone who has tried this. On my defunct '03 WRX with no cats I first tried an electronic fix to get rid of the cat inefficiency code. It got rid of the CEL but the O2 sensor status would show "not ready" for emissions testing purposes...big no no. At the time, PA had recently switched to OBD emissions testing and I wanted to see if I could "stick it to the man". I wanted to maintain a catless setup AND pass emissions testing. Most of the Subaru people were starting to use a "mechanical O2 fix". To do this, you would buy a pack of 18x1.5 mm spark plug anti-foulers, drill one out with a 1/2" drill bit, screw them together and then screw the O2 sensor into the one you drilled out. You'd take this whole setup and screw it into the O2 bung on your exhaust pipe. The O2 sensor tip is essentially inside it's own little space because of the two anti-foulers that it's screwed into. Evidently the exhaust gas temperature changes enough within the O2 sensor's new "space" to make the O2 sensor think that everything is hunky dory. This setup worked flawlessly for me and I was able to pass the new emissions testing without a problem. If it worked for that, I don't see why it wouldn't work on our cars when running LT's or other catless setups.
On a sidenote, do the O2 sims that people use allow the O2 sensors to show a "ready" status for emissions purposes?
On a sidenote, do the O2 sims that people use allow the O2 sensors to show a "ready" status for emissions purposes?
1. the cats are working effectively.
2. the sensors are switching within tolerance (not a dead O2)
3. the heater element is there and working
your idea sounds cool.. until you compare the price of two O2 sensors with the price of a pair of O2 sims...
03-07-2006, 07:27 PM
#5
Launching!
Thread Starter
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by MrDude_1
the O2 sims show a moving wave in the correct way to trick the PCM into thinking:
1. the cats are working effectively.
2. the sensors are switching within tolerance (not a dead O2)
3. the heater element is there and working
your idea sounds cool.. until you compare the price of two O2 sensors with the price of a pair of O2 sims...
1. the cats are working effectively.
2. the sensors are switching within tolerance (not a dead O2)
3. the heater element is there and working
your idea sounds cool.. until you compare the price of two O2 sensors with the price of a pair of O2 sims...
Total price for this mechanical fix I speak of is less than $6.00...you're just buying spark plug anti-foulers for this mod. I think I paid $2.88 for a pack of two spark plug anti-foulers at Advance Auto. So, in our case you'd need two packs of the anti-foulers. People are hocking this mechanical fix on eBay for $15-$20. Here's an example http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mecha...spagenameZWDVW The pic in the ad gives you a good idea of what I'm talking about. What gets me is that people are actually stupid enough to pay that much for something that only costs $2.88! 