PCM Diagnostics & Tuning HP Tuners | Holley | Diablo

Can I run a wideband instead of a front o2 sensor?

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Old Mar 10, 2011 | 09:57 AM
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Default Can I run a wideband instead of a front o2 sensor?

Tuning a friend's car with my hptuners but he has a stock exhaust so no extra bung for the wideband. Plus the cats are literally right next to the manifolds so I doubt there is even room for an extra hole. But there is the upstream o2 sensor right before the cat that I can replace and put in the wideband temporarily while I do the tune. Wouldn't be running it 24/7 in place of the OEM o2 sensor, just for tuning purposes.

What will happen if I take out the o2 sensor? Obviously I would get codes, but would the car run fine or just in open loop?
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Old Mar 10, 2011 | 10:06 AM
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Yes, that is fine. If you are tuning his car properly, you would be adjusting his VE tables with his O2 sensors turned off anyway. Then, tune, calibrate the ve tables to his set up, then calibrate the maf, then turn the O2s back on and test her out.
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Old Mar 18, 2011 | 01:47 PM
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Do you mean turn the NB o2 sensors off and use only the WB for the entire tune? Hadn't really thought about that, I was just going to weld another bung in my exhaust so I could keep both NB o2 sensors in place. This method seems much easier.
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Old Mar 18, 2011 | 02:19 PM
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I think running your factory sensors with a wide band all the time is a better idea, that way you can check on them. However for that instance he was saying he could turn off the O2's and just run the wideband, then check after. On a car your going to mess with a lot, it makes more sense to run both.
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Old Mar 18, 2011 | 03:55 PM
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Yes, I'm saying turn them off while you are tuning. Otherwise, every time you make an adjustment, the computer is counteracting so it does whatever the NBs are telling it to do. If you leave them turned on while you tune, the car will constantly try to achieve 14.62 unless at wot, no matter what adjustments you make. If you turn them off, you can see what the actual afr is and can tune that to 14.62 except at wot. Then, turn the NBs back on and check it to make sure they don't change anything. This way, the car will run the same whether or not the O2 sensor is working. The only way you know you have a failed O2 is because of a CEL light. If you don't do this, and a NB goes out, the car could instantly go extremely rich or extremely lean. It takes a while to do it right, but man what a difference it makes when you complete the job.

You can have all three O2s installed, just turn the NBs off with your HP tuners when you are actually tuning.
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Old Mar 19, 2011 | 08:16 AM
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If the wb is left installed, do not disconnect the harness. This kills the heater, and will cause sensor failure....
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