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Old 06-10-2005, 11:39 AM   #1
Jon [in CT]
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Default TurboXS Tuner/Tuner Pro/Tuna Owners: Ever Replace Your Bosch/VW Sensor?

I've noticed some posts in the forums here where Tuna owners have had to replace the Tuna's wideband sensor. This poll is an attempt to guage whether this is a widespread phenomenon, or merely isolated to a few unlucky owners.

If you've ever replaced your Tuna's sensor for any reason, pleases vote. Also, it'd be useful if you would also post here and describe why you got a new sensor and how many miles or how long you used the old sensor. One symptom of sensor failure seems to be that the sensor will seem to work fine until you get on the boost. Then the sensor will inexplicably start reporting higher and higher A/F ratios until it exceeds 25:1, at which point the Tuna display will show --.- and a UTEC log will show >25:1. If you experienced that symptom, you need only say "The usual problem."

If you've never had to replace your Tuna's sensor, please feel free to vote, too, and to also describe in a post how long your Tuna's sensor has been working trouble-free.

Oops. Thought I creating a Poll. Guess I screwed up.
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Old 06-10-2005, 12:08 PM   #2
serendipity
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I had a VW sensor in there for around 15,000 miles of hard abuse (lots of backfires in the exhaust and crap like that). When I switched downpipes, the threads on the O2 sensor bung were a little screwy and trying to re-install the O2 sensor screwed up the threads on it as well. So I bought another sensor. At the time of its death, it was still working fine.

So I don't think mine counts, but free bump

FWIW, I killed the factory front O2 sensor during that time. The failure symptoms were kinda like the "usual problem" above, but a little different. After I got on boost for a while (and had high exhaust backpressure, which I believe was the cause of the failure or at least the symptoms), the sensor would read full lean until I let off the gas for 5-10 seconds. So I would cruise with my fuel trims pegged and AFRs in the 10s until I coasted down. I'm guessing cooling the sensor off helped somehow. Then it would read fine again until the next time I spooled the turbo.
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Old 06-10-2005, 02:22 PM   #3
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ive had my tuna for 14k miles. was working (seemingly) fine until maybe 2k miles ago. jorge suggested that i recalibrate it since he saw his was off, but it wouldnt calibrate because it couldnt get up to operating temp. soooo...i need to get a new one but just havent gotten around to it. i really havent done any major tuning in 4k miles or so, so its not a big deal right now.
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Old 06-10-2005, 03:20 PM   #4
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Mine had trouble getting up to temp for the free air as well... I had to drive a little with it in the free mod and then it would recalibrate..

edit: I only have around 3k on it.

Last edited by wrex03; 06-10-2005 at 04:28 PM.
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Old 06-10-2005, 04:01 PM   #5
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Mine was a little more then a year old, with maybe fifteen thousand miles on it. At first I noticed the a/f ratio at idle wasn't so close to 14.7 to 1. It was more like 16.5 or 13. Then I noticed the boost was off while on boost. I tried to do a free air test, and it wouldn't heat up. Got the error function at that point. I was kinda wonderin why it seemed to be heating up and what not b4 I tried to do the test..... Anyways, replaced the expensive bosch sensor with the less expensive vw/bosch sensor. Works fine, but I had to splice in the connector from the old sensor to the wires of the new sensor(since the more expensive one diesn't have the same connector as the less expensive one).....
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Old 06-11-2005, 08:44 AM   #6
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Bosch/VW, 4k, no issues to date.
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Old 06-11-2005, 10:58 AM   #7
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We have had 6 different tuners with probably 6-8 sensors replaced. In my personal car I have 15K miles on the sensor and it works fine. Tim's car has gone through a couple sensors now, even faster than our dedicated tuning units. Since Tim typically does not run leaded fuel this was of concern to us. After looking at the location of his sensor we noticed that it does not point down at an angle greater than 10 degrees. When you cold start the car water can condense in the sensor causing the heater to fail. We believe this is the reason why he killed 2 sensors in a few thousand miles.

It is common for the sensor to report normal AFRs at idle, and then under boost go off scale lean when they fail. We usually see that in our dedicated tuning units. It is unfair to use our tuning units to determine the life span of these sensors since they get installed 4-5 times a week into a car, and commonly see cars that run in the low 10:1 AFRs. I do not believe Jeff or Mick have had to replace their sensors yet, but I do not know how many miles they have either.

We all have the Bosch sensors.

Basically our experience is if you install them correctly, and treat them right we have not had one fail yet. If you abuse them they die.

Personally I am a little concerned with mounting the sensor to close to the turbo. They have a heater in them to get them up to the correct temperature, but they have no way to lower the temp of the probe. Putting the sensor right up against the turbo just seems like a poor choice. I like to have them 18" downstream of the turbo, cat location permitting.

Jarrad
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Old 06-13-2005, 02:08 PM   #8
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The usual problem. 1 year 15 thousand miles.
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Old 06-13-2005, 03:41 PM   #9
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15 Months
12k miles
Bosch sensor
v1.5 software
Sensor in TurboXS race pipe at approx 20degree angle facing downward.
Live in Canada with temps from -30f to +90f

NO issues
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Old 06-13-2005, 03:50 PM   #10
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concensus: put a WBO2 sensor in the bung behind the turbo in some downpipes (godspeed) or take out the stock narrowband O2 sensor, and plug it in there (and get a MIL eliminator or equivalent)?
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Old 06-13-2005, 04:53 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by happasaiyan
concensus: put a WBO2 sensor in the bung behind the turbo in some downpipes (godspeed) or take out the stock narrowband O2 sensor, and plug it in there (and get a MIL eliminator or equivalent)?
I put mine in the narrowband o2 bung. (im catless) I did this after watching the innovate videos about the LM1

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/resources/lm101.php
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Old 06-17-2005, 07:22 PM   #12
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I'm at about 15K miles with my Bosch that comes with the LM-1. I'm replacing soon because I constantly get "sensor timing" errors that are a result of the sensor going bad I believe.

Just to note, my sensor is installed 6" or so behind the turbo, so it is subject to lots of heat.

My brother works at VW and can get the sensor for ~$42, so I'm going to try the VW bosch next.

-jason
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Old 06-19-2005, 01:36 PM   #13
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.....is there a list of cars that have this sensor, stock......I'd like to jack one(several) out of a boneyard next time I go....
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Old 06-19-2005, 01:56 PM   #14
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Caddy Catera I believe still uses the Bosch, as for the V-dub one, I have it at work. I'll see if I remember to post about it, and if so I'll update the list for you.

Jorge (RiftsWRX)
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Old 06-19-2005, 02:52 PM   #15
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mine hasn't worked from day one. it will only read 14.7-14.5 or "ERR".

i was told by turboxs that the sensor was bad, and i ordered a vw harness and wb. i hope it works this time.
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Old 06-19-2005, 04:56 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty
.....is there a list of cars that have this sensor, stock......I'd like to jack one(several) out of a boneyard next time I go....
There's a list at:
http://www.wbo2.com/lsu/default.htm

I'm not sure why you'd want to buy a used wideband sensor when you can buy a new one for $38.29 plus S&H from here.

BTW, here's Bosch's USA site to look up Bosch USA partnumbers for a particular year/make/model/engine:
http://www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/Pa...PartFinder.asp
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Old 06-19-2005, 06:07 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon [in CT]
There's a list at:
http://www.wbo2.com/lsu/default.htm

I'm not sure why you'd want to buy a used wideband sensor when you can buy a new one for $38.29 plus S&H from here.

BTW, here's Bosch's USA site to look up Bosch USA partnumbers for a particular year/make/model/engine:
http://www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/Pa...PartFinder.asp

...Jon....I did say 'jack' one.....who said ANYTHING about buying one???
I just needed to know which one to 'jack'.

...thanks for saving me $40
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Old 06-19-2005, 07:04 PM   #18
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I've had mine pro tuna (Bosch i believe) in for just shy of 20K miles. It's plugged into the stock location on a helix DP (far back). It's in full time, readings are on point.
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Old 06-19-2005, 08:26 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hondaeater69
I've had mine pro tuna (Bosch i believe) in for just shy of 20K miles. It's plugged into the stock location on a helix DP (far back). It's in full time, readings are on point.
I guess "the stock location on a helix DP" is referring to its rear O2 sensor mounting point. How did you verify your sensor's "readings are on point?"
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Old 06-20-2005, 08:16 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by attitude
mine hasn't worked from day one. it will only read 14.7-14.5 or "ERR".

i was told by turboxs that the sensor was bad, and i ordered a vw harness and wb. i hope it works this time.
FWIW, I had this behavior when I replaced my VW sensor with another VW sensor and tried to calibrate it. I may have done something wrong, like turned the car off without saving the calibration, but I basically had a brick - it would do exactly what you said. I was running the old version of the firmware, though, and the newer version mentioned something about fixing a problem during calibration from the menu, so I reflashed it and it works fine. You had mentioned wanting to change to the VW sensor anyway, but I would give the firmware flash a shot, especially if you're still running the older version.
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Old 06-20-2005, 09:19 AM   #21
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UTEC or TUNER firmware? i just recieved a new UTEC because of some coilpack issues...so that should be ready to go.
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Old 06-20-2005, 11:03 AM   #22
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Tuner firmware.
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Old 06-23-2005, 08:29 AM   #23
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ok. so i replaced my bosch type, with a vw harness and sensor. still isn't working. is my tuner bad? it reads either 14.7-14.8 or Err. this is so friggin frustrating. how do you get a firmware reflash for the tuner? the turbo xs website?
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Old 06-23-2005, 11:21 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by attitude
ok. so i replaced my bosch type, with a vw harness and sensor. still isn't working. is my tuner bad? it reads either 14.7-14.8 or Err. this is so friggin frustrating. how do you get a firmware reflash for the tuner? the turbo xs website?
I told you it was your firmware

It's on the TXS web site. Just flip the dip switch (I think it's switch 4? Check the manual), then run turn the car (and tuner) on, then run the flash program on your laptop. TWhen finished, turn the car off, flip the switch back down, and restart the car. Should be fine.

Don't forget to perform a calibration also.
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Old 06-23-2005, 01:17 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon [in CT]
I guess "the stock location on a helix DP" is referring to its rear O2 sensor mounting point. How did you verify your sensor's "readings are on point?"
I was referring to the readings NOT going crazy like others have posted.
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