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Wideband Lambda
ttalps2000 - 2/2/19 at 08:01 PM

Does anyone have experience of the Spartan2 wideband lambda kit or the TechEdge kit from Trigger Wheels?

Hear a lot of issues with the Innovate products, so want to avoid them really.

B33fy - 2/2/19 at 08:35 PM

Not tried Spartan as yet, one last go with innovate, then Spartan it is. At least they are cheaper to replace when they go wrong.

Oddified - 2/2/19 at 08:35 PM

I have the old Innovate LM1, works very well but the sensors don't really last that long.

I've now been using an AEM X series wideband for a while, very very good.

Not exactly answering your question but might be useful info.

Ian

coyoteboy - 2/2/19 at 11:25 PM

Lm1 uses a Bosch sensor which is an OEM sensor good for 70k miles in theory.

Almost all the issues folk have with lc1/lm1 are down to incorrect wiring, which it's quite sensitive to.

Oddified - 2/2/19 at 11:58 PM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
Lm1 uses a Bosch sensor which is an OEM sensor good for 70k miles in theory.


Throwing some water/meth and nitrous at them most certainly seems to curtail their life expectancy some what! lol.

Ian

Jed - 3/2/19 at 07:27 AM

I'm a LM1 user myself but have just had the sensor fail due to thermal shock. These guys seem to have gone through a lot of sensors in the past (water and meth seems to be their thing) so now produce their own controller. No experience of it but might be worth a look.
http://www.hybridtune.co.uk/shop/4594379960/hybrid-tune-wideband-lambda-kit/11355316

ttalps2000 - 3/2/19 at 07:44 AM

Thank you for all the replys. The AEM looks nice, but the in-line version seems to be a lot of money. The Hybrid tune version looks promising though. Will only be using normal fuel so hopefully this will help with the life of the sensor too!

mark chandler - 3/2/19 at 10:00 AM

I run an innovate II, the sensors failed when the mixture was quite a bit out, now the car is dialled in it's been fine for a few years.

I suspect I also landed a couple of cheap Bosch clones, the one in there now is the genuine thing.

SPYDER - 3/2/19 at 10:44 AM

I have experience of both the Spartan and the Techedge.
The Techedge failed after a couple of years.
The Spartan is still going strong. I got mine from ExtraEfi.

B33fy - 3/2/19 at 11:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
Lm1 uses a Bosch sensor which is an OEM sensor good for 70k miles in theory.

Almost all the issues folk have with lc1/lm1 are down to incorrect wiring, which it's quite sensitive to.


Bit of a sweeping statement there, what sort of issues with incorrect wiring other than getting the wires crossed? It would be helpful to have a better understanding of what the causes of the the sensor failures are.

scudderfish - 3/2/19 at 08:28 PM

Came across this article this morning

http://www.nzefi.com/bosch-lsu-wide-band-airfuel-ratio-lambda-sensors-fail-often-aftermarket-performance-applications/

coyoteboy - 5/2/19 at 09:47 AM

quote:
Originally posted by B33fy
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
Lm1 uses a Bosch sensor which is an OEM sensor good for 70k miles in theory.

Almost all the issues folk have with lc1/lm1 are down to incorrect wiring, which it's quite sensitive to.


Bit of a sweeping statement there, what sort of issues with incorrect wiring other than getting the wires crossed? It would be helpful to have a better understanding of what the causes of the the sensor failures are.


Grounding paths. The LC1/LM1 controller has multiple ground paths for sensing and power circuits. If you don't follow the correct scheme (as per the manual) then you end up ramming current down the DAC outputs during cranking and high current spikes.

Poor tuning (very rich) and poor sensor placement (thermal control) shortens the sensor life hugely.

These are all things that OEMs can set an engineer to instrument/plan/define easily but DIY folk just go with the best they can, and often it's not good enough. They they get frustrated with the product. If the likes of the Spartan one is more robust, that's awesome. The sensors are definitely a finely tuned beast though and dumping hot/cold shockwaves and rich mixtures on them will definitely upset them.

r1_pete - 5/2/19 at 08:24 PM

I ran Spartan on my last car with no problems,

Running one on the current car, again no issues.

Both use Extraefi MS2, I had a gauge in the first, but it was just another distraction, so running plaul Spartan in this one...

DavidW - 5/2/19 at 09:07 PM

I have the Spartan in my V8 Defender with Megasquirt.

Works fine, great value.

David

ttalps2000 - 5/2/19 at 09:18 PM

Looks like Spartan is the best way to go then!