I'm installing my headers on my 87 350 TPI I got a new GM Delco O'2 sensor and for some reason the wire seems shorter? The wire on the O2 now sits against the header, before It seemed like Ii had it routed around the header. But can I add about 5-6" of wire to the connector that goes to the O2? Not the O2 wire itself. So I can route it around the headers. Thanks, Jason

 

i heard once the resistance in the splice would not give accurate reading but for my A/F gauge i had to splice it.

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

my edelbrock headers came with a short extension wire

 

I also have Edelbrock TES headers on my 82-305 which came with a nice short extention wire with factory connectors.
You might check and see if Edelbrock sells the extension wire as a separate line item in their catalog.
-Skip

 

Splice away! It won't hurt a thing. A suggestion would be to cut the connector off your old O2 at the base of the sensor then cut the connector off of your new O2; leaving the most wire possible on the new sensor. This way you have more than enough wire (be sure it's not too long... shorten the old connector wire as needed) and you only need to splice the wire(s) together once.

BTW - A few of the major tune-up chains used to (for all I know they may still do), use a generic O2 that doesn't have a connector on the end. The tech. had to splice the original connector to the new O2. How do I know??? Used to work for a major tune-up chain back in the 80's and did this to literally thousands of vehicles. There was never a problem with the voltage reading after splicing the old connector to the new O2.

 

The problem is not so much the length of the wire, but the number and type of connections. Soldered connections can add resistance and some galvanic generation of voltages at varying temperatures. Crimped connectors between dissimilar metals can do the same thing. Since the lead on the sensor is not standard copper wire, I'd suggest making the splice in the lead on the wiring harness instead to reduce the possibility for the galvanic action.

The problems don't often surface immediately, but some time later, after the connections have had a chance to degrade a bit. The signal level of the O2 sensor is already so small that a biasing voltage is applied by the ECM just to raise the voltage to a level that assures conduction through the sensor element. Adding some resistance from a marginal connection only kills some of the signal, resulting in an increasingly rich mixture over time.

You can probably splice with good success if you make a solid mechanical connection, then solder and seal against moisture to prevent the degradation. Just don't do the "twist-and-tape" connections like we see on so many stereo speaker installations.

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Later,
Vader
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"What a Day..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Thanks, For the help I'm gona see if Edelbrock services that extension if not I'll splice in about 5" in on the connector going to the O2 sensor

 

offroader, I had to do that for my first oxy sensor. Bought the thing at Strauss, and it had no connector, but included an uninsulated butt connector with it, and crimping directions!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
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