In this project, Andrew Totolos installs a computerized engine management system that will help custom match fuel and boost levels on a Dodge SRT-4. Now that the system has been mounted and the wiring hooked up, it's time to install the new wide-band oxygen sensor. The wide-band sensor will measure a much wider range of ratios. After the sensor is installed, the system will have to be calibrated. Materials/tools used in this second phase of the project:
wide-band oxygen sensor
standard shop tools
lift or jack stands
lubricant
Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection and ear protection, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with power tools or pneumatic tools. Also wear eye protection any time you are working underneath a vehicle.
Safety Alert: As a standard safety precaution, always disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable before you begin work on any electrical or mechanical components.
Wide-Band Oxygen SensorAlmost all cars built since 1980 have an oxygen sensor--or "O2 sensor"--and its job is to tell the ECU if there's too much or too little fuel being mixed with the air in the combustion chambers. A standard oxygen sensor only measures a narrow range around 14.7 parts air to 1 part fuel--which is the range where the catalytic converter works best to clean pollution from the exhaust. But a wide-band oxygen sensor like the one we're installing will measure a much wider range of ratios--from about 10:1 all the way up to 20:1.
We'll tune this one in the 13:1 to 15:1 area, but the extra range is good to have since it makes it easier to tune the engine accurately and safely.
Installing the Sensor Safety Alert: For this portion of the upgrade, the car needs to be lifted off the ground to perform the modification. Use either a lift or jack stands.
Never work on a vehicle supported only by a jack. If you don't have access to a lift, be sure to use jack stands, appropriately rated for your vehicle, for supporting the vehicle while you work.
Since the project car already has an aftermarket exhaust header, there is an extra port for the new sensor. If your car has one, spray it with lubricant and use a hex socket to back the plug out (figure A).If you don't have an extra sensor port in your car, a muffler shop can weld one for you, but if you're serious about this level of performance tuning, you should consider an aftermarket header anyway.
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