Took the car for a brief drive down the road with new cam and open headers. It felt like the timing was out (gutless) and some vibration. All piugs are firing. After several minutes of easy driving as I pulled into my drive it set code 13 oxygen sensor. I had extended the wire and relocated the sensor near the end of the headers. Because the headers are open and the sensors only 2" away from the opening could this be the problem?
I guess I may not get to the bottom of this till I finish my paint job and get the Y pipe fitted so I can hear what the motors doing. I'm a bit hesitant to drive it to the muffler shop with the engine running like this.
At least now I can move the car in and out of the garage but I wish I new what was wrong.

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84 Trans Am HO L69 WS6
5 Speed manual
Vortech Cherrybomb no cat
JR Headers
Comp Cams XE262H-10
Removed all emisions except EGR and Charcoal Canister system
Removed Hdflap and gutted aircleaner
H/made tri cld air induction
K&N
Underdrive pulleys
All power options but removed AC and Cruise
Currently painting

 

Try advancing the timing, are you leaking coolant or anything? That could destroy an O2 sensor. Also the car may feel a bit less torquey with no backpressure from the open headers. I don't think running open headers would affect o2 sensor readings as long as the sensor is in the path of the exhaust.

 

Not leaking any coolant. I did yesterday but no where near the sensor. I'm going to have a look at advancing the timing like you suggest but I was worried because I wont be able to hear if its knocking with the open headers. Maybe its to advanced and the knock sensor is retarding the timing?
Still doesn't explain the code 13.
By the way, is anyones connection to this site really slow today like mine?

 

If the O2 is that close to the opening theres no doubt its affected. I've worked on stock rigs with cracked exhausts near the O2 like that and they will pick up the outside air. Between exhaust pulses there is a negative pressure pulse that will pull air back into the exhaust.

 

Hey thanks. Hopefully thats the problem then. Unfortunatly it will be awhile before I know for sure as I have alot of other work ahead of me before I can take the car to have a Y pipe made.

 

Just wizzing in the wind, but do you have a computer, still? Might the open headers cause a knock retard (false knock reading)? Just flinging ideas...

 

Yeah good call. I still have a computer and thats another reason I'm hesitant to play with the timing to much. I have advanced it slightly tonight but I think that until I have the exhaust sorted I really am just guessing. I should probably run the car as little as posible in this condition until I have to move it and then I'll try it out.
Thanks for your input.

 

When using headers, it's a good idea to install a heated O2 sensor. Most times the headers don't hold the heat like stock manifolds and the O2 does not read properly. Definately running open headers with a single wire O2 will throw a code.
www.geocities.com/dzperf

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D&Z Performance
"Putting Power to the Pavement"

 

What is a heated O2 sensor? Is it wired any differently ? Are they expensive? Do speed shops have them? How do I know if I need one?