Help Please!

[jonesycm50]

I have a 2001 IS300 with 70k on it. I put on a greddy evo2 exhaust, and injen intake, and the mehgan racing pro1 headers. everything was good until the headers went on, shortly after they went on my check engine light went on and the car started to perform a lot worse. i had diagnostics run on it and they said it was running worse than a stock. that basically it was in "safe mode" because the ECU doesnt understand what was going on, that the o2 sensors on either side of the CAT were not sensing a difference. this guy suggesting finding an o2 eliminator, another mechanic suggested rewiring the ECU to overide the o2 sensors, i have a chart that he gave me it says for turbo applications (which i dont have and dont plan on getting) but if it works that would be ok i guess. what should i do?? i didnt know this was gonna happen with the headers, should i just take them off?? what a waiste of money... i dont really wanna run a piggy back system, that seems like messing too much with the car, i am looking for performance gains, better fuel use, but i also want the car to last, help please

pat

[bartkat]

I have a 2001 IS300 with 70k on it.  I put on a greddy evo2 exhaust, and injen intake, and the mehgan racing pro1 headers.  everything was good until the headers went on, shortly after they went on my check engine light went on and the car started to perform a lot worse.  i had diagnostics run on it and they said it was running worse than a stock. that basically it was in "safe mode" because the ECU doesnt understand what was going on, that the o2 sensors on either side of the CAT were not sensing a difference.  this guy suggesting finding an o2 eliminator, another mechanic suggested rewiring the ECU to overide the o2 sensors, i have a chart that he gave me it says for turbo applications (which i dont have and dont plan on getting) but if it works that would be ok i guess.  what should i do?? i didnt know this was gonna happen with the headers, should i just take them off?? what  a waiste of money... i dont really wanna run a piggy back system, that seems like messing too much with the car, i am looking for performance gains, better fuel use, but i also want the car to last, help please

pat

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You need O2 simulators. These will fool the ECU and allow your motor to run ok.

http://www.turboeast.com/products.asp?page=IS300Electronics

[jonesycm50]

Where would you reccomend getting o2 simulators?? How much do they generally cost, and are there any risks in getting them? Is this better than the turbo rewiring override?

Thanks, Pat

[bartkat]

Where would you reccomend getting o2 simulators??  How much do they generally cost, and are there any risks in getting them?  Is this better than the turbo rewiring override?

Thanks, Pat

←

One place is in the link in my post above yours. I think the ones in the link are just for headers, not turbo. The sims are just electronic devices that are spliced into the wiring.

Here's another source.

http://www.o2sensorsimulator.com/

[CEB]

I have a 2001 IS300 with 70k on it.  I put on a greddy evo2 exhaust, and injen intake, and the mehgan racing pro1 headers.  everything was good until the headers went on, shortly after they went on my check engine light went on and the car started to perform a lot worse.  i had diagnostics run on it and they said it was running worse than a stock. that basically it was in "safe mode" because the ECU doesnt understand what was going on, that the o2 sensors on either side of the CAT were not sensing a difference.  this guy suggesting finding an o2 eliminator, another mechanic suggested rewiring the ECU to overide the o2 sensors, i have a chart that he gave me it says for turbo applications (which i dont have and dont plan on getting) but if it works that would be ok i guess.  what should i do?? i didnt know this was gonna happen with the headers, should i just take them off?? what  a waiste of money... i dont really wanna run a piggy back system, that seems like messing too much with the car, i am looking for performance gains, better fuel use, but i also want the car to last, help please

pat

←

Perhaps you already know but, just be aware that even with the O2 simulator turning the CEL off, you won't pass the sniff test which if I remember correctly, they do in MA.....so you'll have to throw your stock header back in with all o2 sensors.....it is easy to throw the stock header in from the top if you remove the heat shields on the cats.

[steviej]

Perhaps you already know but, just be aware that even with the O2 simulator turning the CEL off, you won't pass the sniff test which if I remember correctly, they do in MA

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sorry, in MA they just check codes for now. For a while they were using dynos and testing cars at more reasonable speeds than idle. They haven't used them for a couple years. Sources tell me though, this state may be going back to them.

sj

[jonesycm50]

Perhaps you already know but, just be aware that even with the O2 simulator turning the CEL off, you won't pass the sniff test which if I remember correctly, they do in MA

←

sorry, in MA they just check codes for now. For a while they were using dynos and testing cars at more reasonable speeds than idle. They haven't used them for a couple years. Sources tell me though, this state may be going back to them.

sj

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My car is actually registered in New Jersey, so thats where I would be getting inspection. I'm not sure I would pass state inspection anyway so I think im going to have to go to a private inspection. I just go to school in boston. I have never been pulled over for tinting, or the sound of my car, only driving like a MASS.hole which hey i was just trying to fit in.