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OK first of all, you need to be aware that there is MUCH more involved in tuning a car than just installing this thing, this was one of the easy parts. However, Ive had a very difficult time finding information for OBD1 setups, so i figured this would be useful. This install (including all the decisions i had to make) probably took me 10-12 hours, but could be done in 2-3 with everything i know now. This setup will also work on OBD2 cars.
This writeup describes how to use a wideband to input data DIRECTLY TO THE PCM, so that you can read the data through the PCM via a datacable. There are other ways that this can be done, but usually cost more and didnt seem much easier to me. This is done by using an existing, but unused input of the PCM. Most inputs of the PCM operate on a 0-5v range circuit, so the unit data is simply a ratio of that voltage. Look for more details in step 7, you will see that i chose the AC pressure sensor. Other options include AIR and EGR if your car has these deleted or did not come with EGR.
Step 1: Check Box Contents Get everything out of the box, make sure its all there. You should have everything in this picture if you are using an LC1. This writeup wont be of much help if you have an LM1 or other wideband, but it will still work as a reference.
IMG_7115.JPG
Step 2: Get Ready Figure out what every wire is for and label it. You arent going to want to be cross-referencing the guide 150 times as you go through this install if you have a bad short term memory like me. Now would also be a good time to get the following supplies ready:
IMG_7116.JPG
Step 3: Figure out a good central location for your controller For me this was obvious: the center console was the most convenient place for a wiring nightmare that was also reasonably close to the PCM and oxygen sensor in the exhaust. If you are going to copy me: you will have to run two signal wires through the firewall on the passenger side just behind the PCM, and the oxygen sensor through the shifter boot. (youll have to dismount and set aside the PCM for this)
I found that it was convenient to untangle all the wires and hang them over my sun visor so i could work on them one at a time without the rest getting in the way.
IMG_7127.JPG
Step 4: Establish your ground I drilled into a metal bracket that the console mounts to. You'll be connecting the blue wire, white wire, and calibration button grounds here.
Step 5: Calibration Stuff Find a good place to mount your calibration button and LED. If you want you dont have to do this at all and just leave them hang somewhere. I prefer a clean setup thats easy to use whenever I need it, so i chose the ashtray.
IMG_7123.JPG
Next, wire the stuff up. Its that easy!!! [kidding, just making fun of the instruction manual] The instruction manual was very vague on this, so it took me a while to figure this out. First, just tie the LED wires to the switches wires (1). Next, tie the ground wire of the switch into a ground (2) (i grounded this in the same place as the white and blue wires). Next, tie the other end (with the red wire) into the black calibration wire. (3)
IMG_7124.JPG
IMG_7128.JPG
IMG_7129.JPG
Step 6: Narrowband replacement (optional) With OBD1, this is where you must decide if you are going to ADD an oxygen sensor to your exhaust, or just REPLACE a narrowband. There are theoretical pros and cons of each. Some say that adding one is better, because you can put it after the y-merge and therefore get a reading of both cylinder banks. Others say replacing a narrowband is better because it is closer to the engine, and higher temperatures prolong the life of the sensor. These pros/cons are marginal. I chose the latter, simply because i didnt feel like welding a bung on my exhaust even though i have the tools to do so. OBD2 guys sometimes have the convenience of just replacing a cat monitor.
ANYWAY, if you choose to replace a narrowband sensor here are the instructions to do so: run your narrowband signal wire from the wideband controller (yellow wire) up to your PCM. Here you will need to splice one of 2 wires, depending on which narrowband oxygen sensor you are replacing. Drivers side sensor is the purple/white wire from pin C20 of the PCM. Passenger side sensor is the purple wire from pin C8. I replaced the passenger side, so i cut and spliced into the purple wire as pictured. You can also remove and unplug your existing narrowband sensor now (now meaning as long as you dont start the car until wideband is completely installed). youll probably notice that the wire from the controller is purple... its only an extension i used of the YELLOW wire previously mentioned.
IMG_7133.JPG
Step 7: Wideband Output Wiring This is the fun part. For OBD1 guys that still have their emissions stuff, the AC pressure sensor is just about the only way to do this. This means you cannot use AC while datalogging, but hey you should be anyway. Many people delete their AC by this stage of the game, but thats not an option for me so i rigged up a switch rather than just cut the wire all together.
First, locate your AC pressure sensor. Its located on the passenger side, in the AC lines right near the strut mount:
IMG_7134.JPG
Next, find the red wire [with a black stripe]. this is the one you are going to cut. Brace yourself and get it done. Solder the end of the wire that leads back to the PCM to the center pin of your fancy toggle switch. Solder the other end to either of the other pins on the switch, it doesnt matter. Now Solder your wideband output wire (brown) to the other side of the switch. now you can switch between AC and logging functionality! The finished product should look something like this:
IMG_7137.JPG
Step 8: install the wideband sensor where your narrowband used to be, pretty self explanatory.
Step 9: Power Source By habit, i always save this for last. Youll need to tap the red wire of your wideband controller into a switched power source. The cigarrette lighter is pretty convenient for those installing this in the center console. I took the easy way out and daisy chained off of one of my gauges that i added earlier.
Youre done!
You can now begin logging with datamaster, which you will need to read the A/C pressure sensor. Unfortunately, Freescan doesnt support this. You will need to use a conversion formula in order to calculate the wideband data, however I am going to save that for another writeup.
If you have any questions feel free to ask and I will edit this as necessary!
This writeup describes how to use a wideband to input data DIRECTLY TO THE PCM, so that you can read the data through the PCM via a datacable. There are other ways that this can be done, but usually cost more and didnt seem much easier to me. This is done by using an existing, but unused input of the PCM. Most inputs of the PCM operate on a 0-5v range circuit, so the unit data is simply a ratio of that voltage. Look for more details in step 7, you will see that i chose the AC pressure sensor. Other options include AIR and EGR if your car has these deleted or did not come with EGR.
Step 1: Check Box Contents Get everything out of the box, make sure its all there. You should have everything in this picture if you are using an LC1. This writeup wont be of much help if you have an LM1 or other wideband, but it will still work as a reference.
IMG_7115.JPG
Step 2: Get Ready Figure out what every wire is for and label it. You arent going to want to be cross-referencing the guide 150 times as you go through this install if you have a bad short term memory like me. Now would also be a good time to get the following supplies ready:
- Electrical tape
- Extra Wire
- Wire strippers
- soldering iron (if you are fussy like me)
- a couple zip-ties
- 7/8" wrench for your 02 sensor
- 2-way toggle switch if you are following my input method
IMG_7116.JPG
Step 3: Figure out a good central location for your controller For me this was obvious: the center console was the most convenient place for a wiring nightmare that was also reasonably close to the PCM and oxygen sensor in the exhaust. If you are going to copy me: you will have to run two signal wires through the firewall on the passenger side just behind the PCM, and the oxygen sensor through the shifter boot. (youll have to dismount and set aside the PCM for this)
I found that it was convenient to untangle all the wires and hang them over my sun visor so i could work on them one at a time without the rest getting in the way.
IMG_7127.JPG
Step 4: Establish your ground I drilled into a metal bracket that the console mounts to. You'll be connecting the blue wire, white wire, and calibration button grounds here.
Step 5: Calibration Stuff Find a good place to mount your calibration button and LED. If you want you dont have to do this at all and just leave them hang somewhere. I prefer a clean setup thats easy to use whenever I need it, so i chose the ashtray.
IMG_7123.JPG
Next, wire the stuff up. Its that easy!!! [kidding, just making fun of the instruction manual] The instruction manual was very vague on this, so it took me a while to figure this out. First, just tie the LED wires to the switches wires (1). Next, tie the ground wire of the switch into a ground (2) (i grounded this in the same place as the white and blue wires). Next, tie the other end (with the red wire) into the black calibration wire. (3)
IMG_7124.JPG
IMG_7128.JPG
IMG_7129.JPG
Step 6: Narrowband replacement (optional) With OBD1, this is where you must decide if you are going to ADD an oxygen sensor to your exhaust, or just REPLACE a narrowband. There are theoretical pros and cons of each. Some say that adding one is better, because you can put it after the y-merge and therefore get a reading of both cylinder banks. Others say replacing a narrowband is better because it is closer to the engine, and higher temperatures prolong the life of the sensor. These pros/cons are marginal. I chose the latter, simply because i didnt feel like welding a bung on my exhaust even though i have the tools to do so. OBD2 guys sometimes have the convenience of just replacing a cat monitor.
ANYWAY, if you choose to replace a narrowband sensor here are the instructions to do so: run your narrowband signal wire from the wideband controller (yellow wire) up to your PCM. Here you will need to splice one of 2 wires, depending on which narrowband oxygen sensor you are replacing. Drivers side sensor is the purple/white wire from pin C20 of the PCM. Passenger side sensor is the purple wire from pin C8. I replaced the passenger side, so i cut and spliced into the purple wire as pictured. You can also remove and unplug your existing narrowband sensor now (now meaning as long as you dont start the car until wideband is completely installed). youll probably notice that the wire from the controller is purple... its only an extension i used of the YELLOW wire previously mentioned.
IMG_7133.JPG
Step 7: Wideband Output Wiring This is the fun part. For OBD1 guys that still have their emissions stuff, the AC pressure sensor is just about the only way to do this. This means you cannot use AC while datalogging, but hey you should be anyway. Many people delete their AC by this stage of the game, but thats not an option for me so i rigged up a switch rather than just cut the wire all together.
First, locate your AC pressure sensor. Its located on the passenger side, in the AC lines right near the strut mount:
IMG_7134.JPG
Next, find the red wire [with a black stripe]. this is the one you are going to cut. Brace yourself and get it done. Solder the end of the wire that leads back to the PCM to the center pin of your fancy toggle switch. Solder the other end to either of the other pins on the switch, it doesnt matter. Now Solder your wideband output wire (brown) to the other side of the switch. now you can switch between AC and logging functionality! The finished product should look something like this:
IMG_7137.JPG
Step 8: install the wideband sensor where your narrowband used to be, pretty self explanatory.
Step 9: Power Source By habit, i always save this for last. Youll need to tap the red wire of your wideband controller into a switched power source. The cigarrette lighter is pretty convenient for those installing this in the center console. I took the easy way out and daisy chained off of one of my gauges that i added earlier.
Youre done!
You can now begin logging with datamaster, which you will need to read the A/C pressure sensor. Unfortunately, Freescan doesnt support this. You will need to use a conversion formula in order to calculate the wideband data, however I am going to save that for another writeup.
If you have any questions feel free to ask and I will edit this as necessary!
The install manual said to have the heater ground and controller ground in the same spot.
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