Check engine light question

FORGIVEN06 · January 28, 2020

I recently installed some headers and my truck and after install the check engine light came on for catalytic converters sensor. So my question is if anyone has a fix to making the sensor “read” correctly like a resistor or something? I reset it with my flashpaq hand held turner but it reappeared the next day. I plan to do a full tune on the future so I’m just looking for a temp fix so that I can use the remote start. Ever since light came on it won’t let me use remote start. Any suggestions/experience is appreciated!

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Jaychevy81 · January 28, 2020

Maybe a wide band 02 sensor not sure though I’m looking to do headers and Y pipe in the spring. I’m already boosted and tuned only thing left is that. What headers did you get.

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njk4o5 · January 28, 2020

you can try the good ol' sparkplug extension collar on the O2 sensor if that doesnt work then probably need a tune

FORGIVEN06 · January 28, 2020

Maybe a wide band 02 sensor not sure though I’m looking to do headers and Y pipe in the spring. I’m already boosted and tuned only thing left is that. What headers did you get.

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American racing

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FORGIVEN06 · January 28, 2020

Maybe a wide band 02 sensor not sure though I’m looking to do headers and Y pipe in the spring. I’m already boosted and tuned only thing left is that. What headers did you get.

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Forgive my ignorance but what is a wide ban 02 sensor?

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JimCost2014 · January 28, 2020

21 minutes ago, FORGIVEN06 said:

Forgive my ignorance but what is a wide ban 02 sensor?

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Did not know myself, now I do:

A wideband oxygen sensor (commonly referred to as a wideband O2 sensor) is a sensor that measures the ratio of oxygen to fuel vapor in the exhaust exiting an engine. The measured ratio is expressed as parts of oxygen to fuel.

JimCost2014 · January 28, 2020

davester · January 28, 2020

Perhaps describe what codes you are getting?

Just putting on headers shouldn't cause an problem with O2 sensor readings/levels, assuming the sensor is still in the exhaust stream and properly connected.

But, since you just installed them, you may wish to inspect the exhaust system for any leaks, as they can cause reading problems with O2 sensors.

FORGIVEN06 · January 28, 2020

Perhaps describe what codes you are getting?

Just putting on headers shouldn't cause an problem with O2 sensor readings/levels, assuming the sensor is still in the exhaust stream and properly connected.

But, since you just installed them, you may wish to inspect the exhaust system for any leaks, as they can cause reading problems with O2 sensors.

I will pull the code tonight again. I’m new to this so I was just assuming that it was because of the headers not because of a leak. I had a friend who works for gm do it so I guess I just trusted it was done correctly

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CamGTP · January 28, 2020

Did the headers come with cats?

If not, a tune is a must. Otherwise the light will never go off until the rear o2 sensor codes are disabled and the 2 different cat parameters in the calibration disabled.

To expand on the wideband part, it's a tuning tool. GM runs narrowband sensors on these engines, they only do two things. They read lean and rich of what I will call a target, that being roughly ~450mv. That middle spot on the 0-1000mv range is stoich. It gathers the information from the o2 sensor and spits that out into the fuel trim data that will show lean or rich values in a percentage. And it only does this in closed loop fuel control. Open loop or wide open throttle disregards o2 sensors and runs purely on the airflow/fueling data in the calibration.

This is why a wideband o2 sensor is required for tuning, it will tell you real time air fuel ratio's or Lambda (whichever way you wish to say it). Narrowbands can't tell you what a wideband can.

FORGIVEN06 · January 29, 2020

Did the headers come with cats?

If not, a tune is a must. Otherwise the light will never go off until the rear o2 sensor codes are disabled and the 2 different cat parameters in the calibration disabled.

To expand on the wideband part, it's a tuning tool. GM runs narrowband sensors on these engines, they only do two things. They read lean and rich of what I will call a target, that being roughly ~450mv. That middle spot on the 0-1000mv range is stoich. It gathers the information from the o2 sensor and spits that out into the fuel trim data that will show lean or rich values in a percentage. And it only does this in closed loop fuel control. Open loop or wide open throttle disregards o2 sensors and runs purely on the airflow/fueling data in the calibration.

This is why a wideband o2 sensor is required for tuning, it will tell you real time air fuel ratio's or Lambda (whichever way you wish to say it). Narrowbands can't tell you what a wideband can.

No cats with it. Tune sounds like my best bet. Do you have a wide band you recommend?

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CamGTP · January 29, 2020

My preference is the AEM wideband with built in OBD2 port that allows for tuning with HP Tuners.

There are others out there that work but I haven't tried them. The AEM's work great and because I use HP Tuners, it makes it a breeze for data logging on 2007+ trucks/car.

Jaychevy81 · January 30, 2020

Just curious were you able to remove the stock Y pipe in one piece. Just curious for a future mod thanks.

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CamGTP · January 30, 2020

Yeah, it's easy just takes more time if you are doing it on the ground.

Remove all the nuts/bolts from the y-pipe to the exhaust manifolds, unplug all your o2 sensors, loosen the clamp bolt at the rear of the y-pipe. I'd use 1-2 nuts to hold the y-pipe up at the manifold connections for the time being.

Then put a jack under the transfer case with a block of wood to hold the transmission/t-case up. Remove the transmission mount bolt(s) from the cross member, then remove all 4 cross member bolts holding it to the frame. Remove the cross member and now you can snake the y-pipe out in one piece. I've done this many times, it's not that hard even laying on my back.