The V8 Owners Forum -

Looks like my engines killed another 2 lambda sensors.....

Only fitted them last year, and cars only been run a handful of times, now they only read a max of 13.3%...in free air.....they were fine last year when I fitted them.

Getting sick of replacing them, just wondering if the LSU4.9 ones are better, my ECU can use either with a slight mod.

Can only presume over fuelling has killed them, as they look fine.....

Maybe an gunson exhaust gas analyser might be better to start with to get the initial tune right, before wasting more sensors?

thanks
scott

Where are they located? If they are too close to the engine, excessive heat kills them. You sort that to some extent by raising them out of the direct gas stream.

It might be your controller cooking them. Read the 'smart sensor warmup' bit of this page https://ldperformance.co.uk/product/wid ... ontroller/

More importantly....what controller ?

I had nothing but grief with innovate was killing at least 4 sensors a year (2 either bank)
Did everything they said bought heat sinks etc still failed swapped to PLX controllers sensors still in the same places and we are still on the same sensors a year later
Work that one out innovate said nothing wrong with there controller I beg to differ

I was told to stay clear of Innovate as it didn't have separate power and signal grounds. So went for Tech Edge all those years ago, as they also did a self assembly kit. And I like building such things.
On the SD1, I mounted the sensor where the pipes combine, so no problems with excessive heat. But once the system is up to temperature, the internal heater never comes on. MS can compensate for the distance from the engine. It must be at least 10 years old and still working fine.

I bought my Innovate from a chap on hear who used to sell them and its still working fine. Seen EGT temps of 800 degrees C and no problem so far

Innovate were a nightmare really.

Definitely more than their fair share of "sensor failures"...which in reality was due to their controller.

I've changed to different controllers and used those same "faulty" sensor for a few years without issue ! Innovate did make some great products, but despite them claiming how they run the sensor being better than everyone else....including Bosch themselves....well no, it isnt better. It's bloody unreliable ! lol

I have an innovate as recommended by the MS crowd - wish I had know of the issues raised and I would have looked elsewhere.

garry

It was the MS forum that told me not to use Innovate. I didn't have an opinion on them before getting MS. Favourite these days seems to be Spartan.

thanks everyone,

I've made a few changes in my VEMS ecu, turned "Enable at startup" off, so now they wont enable start straight away when the key is turned, and set the "warm up delay" to 240secs, to give then a chance to get passed the condensate phase.

I've Ordered some more LSU4.2 ones, as the LSU4.9 need some internal wiring and at the moment, I just want enough to be able to get some road miles.

I need to retune the VE table yet, so no point if the lambdas cant be trusted.....

If I'm still getting issues with these I might look for something better.....

regards
scott

Spartan fan here they just work and no voltage offset issues like I had with my Innovate LM2 (even grounded in the same place as MS and splitting heater and sensor grounds) lots of glitches and freezing on initial purchase of the LM2 until about 2 firmware updates in but as a stand alone its OK relegated to its original carry case nowadays though, but Spartan 1 and later 2 are just trouble free

As regards positioning, this might help:-

https://www.wbo2.com/lsu/position.htm

I had severals years of trouble with two Innovate LM-1 units. Lots of "dead" sensors and typical explanations (sensor location, grounding etc). One of the units was sent back to USA for warranty repairs and came back (naturally) with "no problems whatsoever". I tested heat sinks,various locations but to no avail. Finally bought an AEM wide band and have not had issue ever since. Same sensor, same location. Maybe Innovate makes too sensitive equipment for automotive use

Sensor location is an interesting thing: if you look where the OEM sensors are located, often they are rather close to the engine. Why does a typical Bosch sensor survive there for 100-150 K miles and only a short time with Innovate unit ?

garrycol wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:47 pm

I have an innovate as recommended by the MS crowd - wish I had know of the issues raised and I would have looked elsewhere.

garry

Well it looks like I have done my $$$$ - sensor installed but not yet connected electrically. I guess I will use until it fails and get something else.