Just installed the spark plug wire coat over the o2 sensor and wrapped the section of the cat convertor area, cleared codes and will let you know. Also noted that the o2 sensor in the guys picture above is in fact aftermarket. My factory o2 sensor looks different were the wires come out of the top on the sensor. Another possibility for us non tuned guys.

 

yep, looks like I have the same ones as OP...interesting

 

saberdog, you are using straight adaptors? ok, I'm thinking a very short 90 fitting would work best to retain heat. Maybe adjust it as close as possible to pipe then wrap pipe and sensor together utilizing the insulative property or the wrap and the air gap to keep the sensor hot??? or maybe a mylar wrap?

 

So we have 90 degree fittings on our o2’s since they turn? OP can you post your o2’s?

 

No, sorry. I meant 90° spacers, so the sensor is online with the pipe, not perpendicular. I don't have spacers, just replacement O2s.

like these:

 

i’m sorry I’m a bit confused here. Are you using the spacers for the top and the bottom O2 sensors or just the bottom ones?

 

Just the bottom ones. The top ones get the same signals whether catted or not. I have heard the same concerns for people trying to use the 90 degree spacers too.

 

??? What concerns?

 

That they still get codes. Seems mini cat spacers work for the p0420 and p0430 code, but leaves you with the heater codes I mentioned before. So far , I installed the wrap on the left side o2 sensor and cleared the codes .I went to work today and got a code again. Checked the code and it was for the side I didnt wrap yet. So I might be on to something. Need more miles to confirm . Im going to do the right side tonight.

 

Hey Sabre, any updates?

 

Yeah, unfortunetly the heater codes still came back a week later after the wrap and short mini cats. Im disappointed and am going to give up and save for a tune. Cant say I didnt give it the old college try. Sorry I didnt report back sooner, pissed off by the outcome. Good luck

 

No worries, but that is what I feared would be the outcome. Thanks for trying as it give us the info we need, not that we wanted that answer, but it is what it is...

 

FWIW, I on a Nissan I just wrapped the sensor in aluminum foil and attached to the header, worked fine. No code. No cats. No tune. Ran it like this for years.

The ECU was happy that the o2 sensor was still heated (I suspect it measures resistance that changes as it warms up), and it was happy that it measured a different signal than the 1st o2 sensors. Not sure how much a delta the 2 sensors need to see to avoid the ECU interpreting it as a bad catalytic convertor.

Sharing real world example.

 

Just wondering if something like this would work better?

https://wctperformance.ca/vibrant-j-...-flow-inserts/

 

From what I was told by Efrain who used these on his car for years, the vibrant spacers with no inserts works.

https://www.speedlifemotorsport.com/...r-for-cel-fix/

 

Any pics? Need to do something with mine and finding stock DPs hasnt been successful.

 

That car was sold a decade ago, so no pictures.

The idea is the same as a spacer:
1. Keeps the sensor warm
2. Allows there to be a delta in the signal between the primary and the secondary sensor signal.