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Wideband O2 Installation Overview

roger 04 rt

New member
Here is an updated installation guide as of March 12, 2013

For those who have followed my project to integrate an Innovate Motorsports LC-1 Wideband O2 Sensor and Controller onto my 2004 R1150RT, I wanted to give an overview of what you need to buy and how it is installed.

The goals of this project were to richen the stock stoichiometric AFR of 14.7:1 (a lean mixture) to something in the range of 13.8 to 14.2 (heading toward a Best Power mixture). Most motors produce more horsepower and torque; do not lean-surge; and run cooler and more reliably as you richen the mixture toward Best Power ratios.

It was an objective that both the Open Loop and Closed Loop fueling mixtures were improved. That meant that I would need to shift the Lambda sensor from 14.7 to the new target (e.g. 13.8). It was also an objective that the Motronic maintained its full function.

After extensive riding and datalogging, I am satisfied that AFRs in the 13.8 to 14.2 range do add power, improve driveability, don't lean-surge and the Motronic continues to operate as designed.

Installation photos:

LC-1, Wideband O2 and Gauge (Red or Blue)
lc0kit.jpg


lc1.jpg


lc2.jpg


lc3.jpg


lc4.jpg


lc5.jpg


lc6.jpg


fprfinal.JPG


Here are the parts:

1. (optional) BoosterPlug to richen Open Loop by 6% or 3.5 Bar fuel pressure regulator (8%). This is to shift the Open Loop fuel table to reduce Adaptation time. If you don't add one of these parts Adaptation to the new AFR Target takes about a tank of fuel. N.B. I used an external adjustable regulator in the fuel return line so that I could make adjustments to pressure as I experimented.
2. Innovate Motorsports LC-1, Bosch Wideband O2, and DB gauge (package from Amazon).
3. Plastic project box 2" x 4" x 1", cable ties, heat shrink tube.
4. A computer with Serial Port to set the AFR on the LC-1.

Here are the steps, see the photos above.

1. Pull the fairings and fuel tank, disconnect ground from the battery.

2. Drop the exhaust, remove the old O2 Sensor (note where cable is routed), cut the sensor from the cable about 4" from the sensor, keep the cable with connector for the new installation. Save the old sensor in case.

3. This is the only tedious step. Take the plastic project box and drill two 3/8" cable entry holes in each end, drill two more holes along one side for the calibration switch and status LED. Insert the cables through rubber grommets as shown in the photo. Wire according to LC-1 instructions with the following additional notes:

a) The stock O2 sensor cable & connector has four wires: the two white wires (Stock O2 heater) can be taped over, they are not needed. The gray wire is sensor ground, tape it over also (or it can be connected through a 1.5K resistor to the controller ground inside the box). The black wire is connected to the LC-1 Analog Ouput 1 which is the Narrowband output.

b) Insert three 3' wires (18 gauge) into the proto box: heater ground, controller ground and 12V. The two ground wires get attached to a single lug which is bolted to the battery ground post. The 12V wire can be connected to the 12V lead on the left-hand fuel injector. This is the easiest fused, key-switched power source but it goes off after a couple seconds since it is the same source as the fuel pump. This source of +12V is on one of the two white wires in the O2 sensor cable so you could have access to in inside the junction box.

Better find a 12V line that goes on and off with the key. The fused side of F1 or F8 is a good choice.

4. Relocate the Motronic O2 sensor connector to the area near the fuel tank electrical connector, on the right hand side of the cycle.

5. Install the LC-1 and proto box where shown in the photos. Plug the Stock O2 connector into the Motronic input O2 connector; connect the power and ground wires; reinstall fuel tank; reset the Motronic; initialize the throttle.

6. Install BoosterPlug or 3.5 Bar regulator if you are using one.

7. Follow the LC-1 instructions for calibrating the Wideband sensor and it's heater.

8. Install the Wideband O2 sensor in the exhaust in the stock O2 sensor bung per the LC-1 instructions; reinstall exhauast; reinstall fairings when you're ready.

9. The AFR gauge cable is coiled under the seat and I connect the gauge as needed.

10. Program your target AFR. Start your engine.

Block Diagram of Finished System

motroniclc1.jpg
 
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LC-1 Software Settings for AFR=14.2

This is the LC-1 first setup page. I left Stoichiometric at 14.7 (rather than adjust to 14.13 of E10 fuel) since it's easier to think in those terms.
lc11.jpg


Here are the voltage and Lambda settings that created the best O2 toggling waveform. They take into account a 140mV low side offset that I discovered in the Motronic, and produce a sharp change from Lambda=0.965 to 0.975.
lc12.jpg


I selected updating 12 times per second as a way to keep the Motronic from over-responding to the very sensitive LC-1.
lc14.jpg
 
Fuel Mileage

I know there is some interest in gas mileage with the LC-1 Wideband O2 set at 13.8:1. Here are some data points.

3/26/12
Just ran my first gas mileage test using the LC-1 Wideband O2 set to 13.8:1 AFR. All the driving was local trips. no highway, up to 25 miles per trip, some as short as 5 miles. I burned 2.48 gallons, for 106 miles. That's about 43 MPG.

4/5/12
I've now made a 102 mile highway trip at 60-70 MPH, mostly in 6th gear, temperature 45 degrees, wind speed 18 MPH +/-, driving 50 miles West on the Mass Pike and turning around driving the same route in the other direction in the same conditions. The tank was filled at the same station and to the same level (touching the filler neck) before and after at the same station. Total fuel on the pump 2.008 gallons. Approximate mileage 51 MPG.
 
Unfortunately I've only owned the bike for a few months when I started this. I was not rigorous and have no highway-only data. My combined mileage was around 46. So it seems about the same.
 
Not to muddy up the waters, but have you also considered the emissions output aspect of your analysis? Do you plan to also verify your results along wiht an exahust gas analyzer report to show the emissions changes with your changes?

Now myself, I really doubt most motorcycles produce enough emissions to really be a source/cause of bad air quality. As such I have modified my bike with a Techlusion system to support the air intake and muffler changes I have made. But where I live in Wisconsin an emissions system check with an exhaust gas analyzer is not required for registration. In some states though, that could be the case.
 
Interesting project - thanks for posting. It's a shame though that you don't have any baseline data on MPG.

I am currently installing an LC-1 on my 86 Porsche 930 turbo, which has mechanical fuel injection (CIS). There is a little misnamed device on the car called the Warm Up regulator that can be modified to provide some mechanical adjustment for richness at various rpms and boosts. No computer involved because the car has no computer. I'm gonna be tuning it for MPG.

Keep us posted on your results. I may do the same to my K12S as it's kind of a gas hog, though it may have something to do with my throttle hand. :thumb

Ub
05 K12S
86 R65
76 DT250

7981722_26_400.jpg
 
Like I said earlier, it was mid to high 40s MPG before and that's where it is now. I think many wondered if the richer 13.8 mixture would drop highway mileage to the high 30s/low 40s. It hasn't running at 60-70 MPH yesterday with an 18 MPH gusting crosswind, the highway mileage was 51. Better than I expected and good enough for me.

Although the richer 13.8 mixture theoretically uses more fuel, the 14.7:1 stock narrowband sensor somehow led to lower mid-range power. Between 60 and 70 in sixth gear, in the crosswind, I had plenty of punch for passing, no downshifting, throttle only. At 65 in 6th gear the engine was loafing (far from lugging) at a happy 3100 or so RPM. That may have helped with the MPG numbers.

But do we own these performance machines for whether their gas mileage is 46 MPG or49 MPG?
 
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Not to muddy up the waters, but have you also considered the emissions output aspect of your analysis? Do you plan to also verify your results along wiht an exahust gas analyzer report to show the emissions changes with your changes?

Now myself, I really doubt most motorcycles produce enough emissions to really be a source/cause of bad air quality. As such I have modified my bike with a Techlusion system to support the air intake and muffler changes I have made. But where I live in Wisconsin an emissions system check with an exhaust gas analyzer is not required for registration. In some states though, that could be the case.

Fair question, what I really wonder is how well does a 10 - 15 year old cat work on any of these boxers? And the LC-1 is can be programmed in a minute to run at 14.7:1. if and when comliance is the aim. Did we buy these bikes for their EPA performance?

Reading through many threads on this site, there have been attempts to gain driveabiligy in the low to mid range of power--pulling Coding Plugs, adding Powercommanders, changing exhausts, adding Techlusions, AIT modifiers, removing cats all together, and the list goes on.

Right now, my R1150RT is running as I expected it would before I ever set foot on it. It is entirely stock, except I can adjust the AFR programatically to find the operational sweet spot. Since the LC-1 responds many times faster than a narrow band sensor, the bike even runs better at 14.7:1 than with the stock sensor. Each can find her/his own spot for performance and emissions. For me, I've found it interesting that the best operating spot (somewhere +/- 14:1) is right where the European 1100 bikes run with a CO Plug--makes you think about what they shipped here.
 
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For anyone who would like to install an LC-1 or Lambda shifting device but doesn't feel comfortable with the scope of the project, I would like to bring a possible source of this part to your attention.

Steven Mullen, a patent holder on lambda shifting devices, has a business adding these types of parts to twin-cylinder motorcycles. I got to know Steve when I came across his web site and Youtube video. Over the many months of my own Wideband project, Steve provided insight and a sounding board and I have good level of respect for him.

At present, he does not make lambda shifting devices for the BMW line of motorcycles but if you contact him and there is some demand, he might be interested. Here are his web sites:

Nightrider.com
Tuneyourharley
LC-1 Installation Video

I don't have a commercial or personal interest in Steven or his company but thought that someone who wanted to try this technology might want to contact him. He is a wealth of knowledge.
 
For anyone considering an LC-1 Wideband O2 upgrade, I noticed that the Amazon price for LC-1 Controller, Bosch Wideband O2 Sensor and AFR Display Gauge is now $145 US. Not only does it actually work to improve driveability and low end torque by letting you program a richer mixture (although a bit of a project to install) it is now less costly than a Powercommander, Techlusion or even a BoosterPlug.

Software for your PC that allows monitoring and graphing AFR is included at no charge.
 
If you're planning to install an LC-1 on an Oilhead, Innovate Motorsports provides detailed installation and setup instructions which should be used. Below is a diagram of the wiring on one page. It is as simple as bringing a few cables together in a box, twisting the ends of the wires, soldering them for connection (or crimp if you prefer) and insulating the ends if soldered.

Here is a PDF link for anyone who prefers that format: LC-1 Installation Diagrams (2 pages).

lc1wiringdiagram-001.jpg
 
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