Home made MIL eliminators and/or O2 Sensor spacers?

[Xcentric]

The subject is eliminating a CEL and code P0420 (bad catalytic converter) after installing "for off road use only" exhaust system.

Has anyone successfully used either of the methods linked below on a GT? The non-electric sensor "spacer" method seems too easy to be true. :lol

For the time being, I cleared the codes with my ScanGauge, which takes about a minute total (longer if I have to retrieve the ScanGauge from my truck). I may keep doing that, as long as I don't have to do it more than every tank of gas or so.

I could buy a tuner and eliminate the O2 sensor reporting, but I don't need a tuner for any other reason. I have a good dyno-verified tune.

You can make your own MIL Eliminators for a couple dollars of parts from Radio Shack or Auto Parts Store.. Just modify the ones on the back side of the "Cats" :thumbsup


Either solution should not require reprogramming to disable cat checks.


:banana
For the Electrically Inclined DIY'er. This is what I put on my Cobra R. Much cheaper than the Dallas Mustangs MIL eliminators.






You don't have to use a large chunk of PC board for this. You could just wire it cut and splice (solder and heatshrink) directly to the O2 sensor harness.


After Completion , wrap the whole thing in heatshrink tubing, and PCB Epoxy.


Follow Link.
http://cobrasvt.homestead.com/files/milelims/index.htm


----- CUT HERE ------


For the non Electrically inclined DIY'er,.


http://poisnus.com/files/Spark Plug Non Fouler Mil Elims/mil elims spark plug fowlers.htm


:cheers
Hope this helps.

 

[BlackICE]

I just turn them off in the tune. The ECU expects the O2 reading of the rear sensors to be different than the front, most of the tme less and surprisingly sometimes more. The circuit is a high impedence low pass filter and the spacer is going to change the location of the sensor to the exhaust flow. I don't know if either will work on a FGT. I would check on modularfords.com to see if anyone has luck with getting either to work on Mustangs.

An low impedence active active circuit that lowers the output voltage most of the time and raises it some of the time would work for sure. To get the parameters how to modify the circuits output I would monitor the upstream and downsteam O2 sensor readings with SCT Livelink and the make a circuit to emulate that. I think such active black boxes are sold but a probably more complex that either you presented here.

Best solution would be to get the person that made the dyno tune for you to make a small change to turn off the read o2 sensors.

 

[Xcentric]

Tx Clinton. I bought the car with a tune, but without the tuner. Then had it dynoed to ensure the tune was good. So, I don't have a tuner, nor access to the tuner used for my car.

 

[BlackICE]

Check with Torrie, he may have a way for you to suck out the current tune and then he can modify it and put that into a tuner for you. He could give you other options that may be handy like changing tires sizes, when fans come on, less RPMs on startup, various options depending on gas, etc.

 

[SMOKDU]

The reason it turns on the light is because the exhaust temp is not what it should be because the cat heats up the exhaust. I did have this work on my older 355 after I rebuild the cat. The cat was like 3k and the spacer was $15. it worked for me. the easier way is to SCT with a mail order Torrie tune.

 

[BtwoG]

I had no luck with the "spacer" method on my CTS-V. Not a FGT, I know. And I was trying to clear a different code. But they are so cheap it's probably worth a try.

 

[Sinovac]

Cut a round piece of electrical tape and stick it over the check engine light.

I can die cut a piece for you- $10 S&H.











:lol

 

[BlackICE]

Cut a round piece of electrical tape and stick it over the check engine light.

I can die cut a piece for you- $10 S&H.

:lol

The problem with that is it will mask any other real problem that you may want to know about.

I presume that the car is catless now, not that the cats are defective.

 

[Xcentric]

Yes, the cats are neutered. And, I would like a functional CEL. Again, clearing the codes is easy, just a small PITA if it's needed often.

 

[Lorenzo]

[]Yes, the cats are neutered.


LOL Good one.

 

[BlackICE]

[]Yes, the cats are neutered.


LOL Good one.

My cats ran away, but tend to come back once every two years.

 

[tmcphail]

Yeah I can take care of that with custom tuning quite easily.

 

[nota4re]

The reason it turns on the light is because the exhaust temp is not what it should be because the cat heats up the exhaust.

Nah. The reason it doesn't work is because there's the Federal OBDII standard that requires that the automaker employ sufficient technology to be able to detect and report (via a CEL) a non-functioning cat. No cat present is kinda the very easiest case to detect.

 

[BlackICE]

Nah. The reason it doesn't work is because there's the Federal OBDII standard that requires that the automaker employ sufficient technology to be able to detect and report (via a CEL) a non-functioning cat. No cat present is kinda the very easiest case to detect.

I don't even need an ECU, my nose can tell. :lol

 

[jcthorne]

I tried teh MIL eliminators and they do not work on the FGT. The ECU looks for timing of the O2 sensor rich / lean flip between front and rear o2 sensors. The MIL eliminators just offset the reading, it worked on older Mustangs but not the FGT. The CEL will come back every few key cycles and will keep you from passing emissions inspection. The CEL active code is there and stops the test. You will need them turned off in the tune. Suck it up and buy a SCT Tuner and get er done right. Been there and done that, the MIL eliminators are hanging in the garage.

 

[Xcentric]

Appreciate the advice. Emissions inspection is not an issue. So...it's key cycles and not mileage or running time that trips the code and CEL?

 

[jcthorne]

I think its actually 'drive cycles' which entails more than just starting amd moving the car. Emissions or not, I could not live with the CEL coming on all the time. I would eventually learn to ignore it but that is the problem, I need it to work for other things when they happen.

 

[Xcentric]

I think its actually 'drive cycles' which entails more than just starting amd moving the car. Emissions or not, I could not live with the CEL coming on all the time. I would eventually learn to ignore it but that is the problem, I need it to work for other things when they happen.

Agree, I want the CEL to work. But, I can clear the P0420 code, which turns the CEL off for free. I figure a tuner and tune (which I don't need except for the O2 reporting code), dyno time, travel expenses, yadda yadda and I'm looking at $1K to turn a light off.

If no one has found or built MIL eliminators that work, and the O2 sensor spacer trick is bogus, I can mount the ScanGauge in the car to make code clearing about as simple as resetting the trip odometer.

 

[BtwoG]

I had my CEL turned off well after the dyno and tune. It took the guy 5 minutes. No additional dyno tuning required. A reputable shop should be able to do it for you for around $200.

You can also get a bluetooth OBDII reader and clear the codes via a phone app, if it makes it easier.

 

[tmcphail]

SCT X4 Programmer in stock $ 499 includes custom tuning. You can have the device tomorrow PM if you want it.