C6 Corvette Wideband Install (& When do you NEED One?)

[@soybeanrice]

Great stuff! Not sure how this fell off my radar, but I'm glad I found your videos again. Totally agree that the wideband should only be used for power enrichment tables and that the trim tables are sufficient for closed loop.

[@Toys4Life]

Welcome back!

[@brucejohnson1712]

This was the subject of my research this week. Thank you. I am still trying to figure the plan of attack on my 06 Corvette.

[@Sandy-oy2lr]

I've elected to leave my LS7 completely stock. I even stick with the OE Donaldson filter element. It's the same one used with the LS9, which is 130+ bhp more. So going with anything else doesn't seem to make any sense. I think in the case of a C6Z, the factory engineers really did their homework. And spared almost nothing. And made it affordable.

[@Toys4Life]

I can't disagree, with the exception perhaps of the valve issue, that car is magnificent 😄

[@Sandy-oy2lr]

@@Toys4Life I've got just under 125,000 miles. Could happen at anytime, I guess. Heard/read this happens from about 35K-90Kmiles. Engine is a real gem so tho. Insignificant oil usage. No misfire codes. No oddball noises. Fingers very crossed! 🤞

[@hunterstraus843]

With respect to headers -- I put on the Z06 exhaust manifolds, cats and H-pipe -- the Z06 manifolds are more like a shorty header as they have a collector at the base and flow a bit better (pretty easy to find on ebay/FB marketplace). The same system supports over 600 hp on the ZR1, so I don't think its much of a restriction versus long tube headers (although im sure theres a bit left on the table). Its a direct bolt-in, save for the mufflers, which required a 3" to a 2.5" adapter and some clamps.

[@Toys4Life]

You're referring to the C6 Z06 exhaust manifolds? Definitely interesting, I should reevaluate them, thank you!!

[@hunterstraus843]

Yes those along with the cats; they’re different than on the base car.

[@Toys4Life]

Sorry - I'm not tracking?

[@shadowopsairman1583]

A Good Intake is the Gen 3 and Gen 4 SBC Truck Intakes (LS). I'm doing an engine swap to an Iron LS1 (Yes 5.7L) with 243/799 heads, truck norris cam, keeping the Gen 3 intake (2007 Classic Silverado, with a dead 4.8) will be using the stock pcm which i believe is a P59, will need a tune for sure, and no this will be a truck for towing and hauling, not a race vehicle I will eventually get a Banks Ramair Box, True Dual exhaust 3" from the manifolds (not sure if I want to go through the trouble of headers due to sparkplug clearances)

[@Ls_corvette]

That’s why u got a vented hood for my headers lol

[@Toys4Life]

Indeed!!

[@AtlantaTactical]

I would be interested in seeing your high octane table on the c6? Nice vid.

[@Toys4Life]

I will try to insert it into a future video!

[@V8sareslow1]

Not sure who this helps, but I power my wideband off the fuel pump relay. These AEM sensors are extremely sensitive and hitting the key to run and having it power up, then starting the car and powering up again tends to shock the sensor. If you have it wired to the fuel pump relay, it'll only power up when the car is running. Not everytime you hit the key (example, doing electrical test, just listening to your radio in the car, etc). Keep in mind that if you're doing any calibration test, etc. You'll need the fuel pump to see power from the relay whether the car is running or not.

[@Toys4Life]

Good tip!

[@salvadormonella8953]

How about wrapping the headers with insulating tape to help limit the heat dump in the engine bay? I think the C6 engine bay is notorious for not having tons of air-flow. At least that's what my C5 & C6 racer friends claim. Why do LS3 without cat's smell bad? Is the regular O2 sensor for the Corvette narrowband? $50-$100 is expensive for an O2 sensor? When you do a tune, is it normal to pull the voltages directly from the sensor? I'm assuming what you're showing, sensor wiring-wise, is essentially a bridge-tap, where you're monitoring the voltages, but are still sending them to the ECM. Why measure the voltages directly from the sensor as opposed to getting the data from the OBD2 port? So, if you gained HP from gas with higher octane, then you're getting pre-detonation with the concurrent timing retardation/advance-limiting. I'm no mechanic, but doesn't mounting O2 sensors after the cats affect the readings? It seems to me that the oxygen level in the exhaust will change because the catalytic matrix is burning stuff in the exhaust, and burning stuff needs oxygen, thus I would expect oxygen levels to be higher before the cats. I know little about tuning, any such activity is strengstens verboten, or should I say estrictamente prohibido, here in the PRC. We are only allowed to tune our cars after the car owner has passed away and the car has been scrapped or destroyed & recycled. Can you even feel 15 hp gains? You people and your "winters." We don't "do" winters here. Oh, BTW, whatever equipment you're using to do your video recording is too GOOD. Your microphones picked up some kind of subsonic background noise about half way through the video. I'm sensitive to low frequencies (thus I can hear them well), and the combination of your good recording equipment and my audiophile-level 7.1 sound amplification and speakers made me think the noise happening at your house was happening at mine! I pay attention to noise (I kinda halfta) because the zombie apocalypse could start any day now. Given the current government officials and professional agitators roaming our nation, it may have started already. Thanks for the video, even though from a practical standpoint I can do 0 (zero) of the modifications you're talking about (other than axle-backs, which are allowed and I have).

[@Toys4Life]

1. Header wrap helps but tons of debate as to if it will destroy your headers over time. 2. Any corvette without cats will stink vs one with functional cats. 3. 50-100 is expensive if you have to replace them often. If they last 5 years, then not bad at all. 4. The wideband connects to the gauge that can display the AFR usually in regular e-0 Pump gas AFR or Lambda. I use lambda as it works for any fuel, whereas e-0 and e-10 and e-85 all have different afr requirements... on most summer days my LS2 was knock limited by 91 pump gas from making full HP. 93 is much better, but there is no pump near my house so I just mix up e30 and I get full timing without being knock limited even on HOT days. Gotta go.

[@salvadormonella8953]

@@Toys4Life Here in the PRC, up to e20 can be mandatory without them telling you if you're getting e0 or e20 or something in between. I always figured regular gas with no ethanol was superior because of less water affinity. Zero gas stations near here have 93 octane. 91 octane is the generally the highest octane available, & I figure I'm losing some HP when pushing the engine hard, but thankfully I can get 100 octane pump gas near my house and so I mix that with the 91 octane to get something closer to 94 or 95 octane. I don't do it often, but if I"m in a situation I know I'll be putting my foot into it, or if I'm near that gas station, I'll throw a few gallons of that 100 octane gas in "just in case." Thanks for the response!

[@Toys4Life]

Just make sure that hundred octane doesn't have lead in it, unless your catalytic converters are MIA.

[@salvadormonella8953]

@@Toys4Life Lead? I hadn't considered that. I thought lead in gasoline was outlawed a long time ago. It's a regular 76 gas station. I know lead was used specifically to raise the octane of gasoline, but I thought, except for aviation fuel, leaded gas was outlawed in 1975 or '76. I've used the 100 octane gas, like i mentioned, and my cats are still okay. I'll check it out next time I go, but given the state of this State, I think if leaded gas were available somewhere that there would be violent protests from the '60's throwbacks & their allies.

[@haydenrichardp3712]

Where did you get 95 octane ? The most where I live is 93.

[@Toys4Life]

I blend it. Most would probably be fine on 93 octane but mine seems to appreciate a bit more Octane.

[@GregorioLonewolf]

What about on a 2003 C5 Z06 and a wideband? Any thoughts? Bone stock for now not even a cold air filter system. Yet.

[@Toys4Life]

IMO - Not a requirement unless you really really want to make sure the tune is 100% dialed in.

[@OffRoadRN]

Why remove it? I've got a heads/cam/blower LS3 in my '99. Longtubes, high flow cats, etc. I just got an aftermarket A-pillar cover and mounted the Wideband and boost gauges in it.

[@Toys4Life]

I used to keep it in years ago but once the car is tuned I don't look at it much anymore and it just burns through sensors quicker. I prefer the aeroforce scan gauge to monitor trims occasionally and have the warning light set to illuminate bright LED for any knock. Just what one prefers IMO...

[@Automotivevino]

Do you need the pro link to be able to log it on hp tuners

[@Toys4Life]

I believe you do to log a wide band. I have the older version of HP tuners, back then it was called HP tunerss pro.

[@richknudsen5781]

THE SATURDAY NIGHT JOKE The mother-in-law comes home and finds her son-in-law furious and packing his suitcase. "What happened?" "What happened? I'll tell you what happened! I sent an email to my wife saying that I was coming home from my trip today. I got home and guess what I found? My wife, yes my Rachel, with a naked guy in our marital bed! This is the end of our marriage, I will leave forever!" "Calm down!" says mother-in-law. "There is something odd about this story. Rachel would never do such a thing! Wait a minute while I check what happened." Moments later, mother-in-law comes back with a big smile. "You see, I said there must be a simple explanation. Rachel didn't receive your Email."

[@Toys4Life]

I heard Rachel is HOT!