performance O2 sensors

[Weirdo_Joe]

Still a newbie here; eight months into car tuning, loving the Aveo... had a p2135 code for awhile; it's stayed off for more than 40 engine cycles now (thankfully! but while researching the problem, I was reading about O2 sensors, and how most cars' factory O2 sensors only detect air/fuel mixture in the ranges the cars factory intake is meant to produce. I see some O2 sensors, such as Walker, boast increased performance by more accurately detecting the mixture (I have a CAI & exhaust) and the result is more power from better fuel delivery... I guess my question is, has anybody noticed a performance gain after switching to a wider spectrum O2 sensor? I already have one, and the other is on it's way; plan to install them anyways (myself! : ) just so I know my car is reading it's own vitals properly...

[petrified.rabbit]

if you go out of the factory range (the signal is just converted to a voltage, like 1-5v return signal) then the computer will not read it. And you will get a CEL. The range of OEM is not that bad anyhow, it is based on the intake, but also displacement. And even with a bolt on CAI you are not changing the time the cams open, just the amount of air available.

[Weirdo_Joe]

Nice! As always, appreciate the info! Got them on today, along with drilling/cutting out the holes close to the intake... a cool modification I read about in a couple places on here! The tool I borrowed from Autozone wouldn't fit around the upstream sensor, so I removed the exhaust manifold heat shield thingy, hoping nothing else would come off (catalytic converter, etc. ) and used a wrench... SEEMS to have made an improvement; the sensor and the cutting... drove for a little bit earlier, with only about 10 holes cut out & factory sensors, and didn't notice much, if anything... I'll be going out for some more 0-60mph tests tomorrow, and will report back soon!

[Weirdo_Joe]

Ok! Between the Walker O2 sensors, and the holes I drilled/cut near the intake, I am consistently getting times .25 - .31 seconds faster... (for 0-60 mph) Also, the acceleration seems to be smoother, as well as a bit faster. Better starts, it seems! I am happy, and doing it was fun! Now on to headers...

[daug1502]

What holes drilled out? Post a link to one of those threads, I missed something.

[Weirdo_Joe]

Cool! I'll look for them now...

[Weirdo_Joe]

Here it is!!! This link should work... (for now ; )

http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/f94/g...r-intake-8152/

Well worth cutting up the plastic "honeycomb" and I have to agree with this, after re-reading some:
The open G.O.A.T. gives you the best of both worlds, a short RAM and CAI...
Not an exact quote, but close enough! Good stuff!

[daug1502]

Oh, that thing lol, already did that, it makes them look better too.

[Weirdo_Joe]

Yeah... it really seems to help the power, and recently, I wrapped the lower half of the intake with like 5 layers of foil, all tight and stuff. I read foil has the same r-factor as pink insulation, and that's what the intake pipe is... figured a few extra layers would help! And it seems to! Also put a fan powered by 2 D batteries behind the holes, blowing at the intake... still testing, and playing with the angles... took a couple times, and they were good! More on this as I know what it do...

[daug1502]

It's going to take more than a small fan like that. Get an electronic supercharger, they are on eBay and not very expensive if I remember.