Well, I'd have to say that the soldering job on the harness side of the connector was done properly. It it sealed with heat shrink and has visible adhesive glue sticking out of each end of the shrink wrap. The electrical tape was just acting as loom, which I can't say is any better or worse than the plastic loom which is usually slit down it's length anyways. Of course, I didn't cut the shrink off to check the actual solder joints, but I'm slowly starting to think that the wiring isn't the issue, even with the goop that's in the harness. (I'll try again to get pictures of it, but I don't have our GOOD camera with me here in Ohio.)
Dave/Chuck/Anyone else, can you answer a couple questions for me?
What is the general consensus regarding the location of the O2 sensor in regards to "in" or "out" of the exhaust stream, and distance from the engine for optimal heating?
Here's why I'm asking. Despite the possibly-less-than-perfect wiring/looming job on the O2 sensors, I'm not getting any codes from the O2 sensor signal itself - just the heating circuit. The original owner thinks the sensors are getting too hot. Chuck on the other hand suggests that the sensors are too COLD, being that they're located all the way out into the side-skirts. I also read some other discussions on this same forum regarding the downstream O2's proximity to the cats and how being too far away can throw codes for being too cold.
When I reset the computer, the light will stay off until the car is cold-started. When I cold-start the car, it'll usually trigger the light within seconds - long before the engine is actually pumping serious heat into the exhaust. This tends to make me think - after what I've been reading - that the O2 sensor is too far away from the heat source, and isn't warming up as quickly as the computer thinks it should.
Chuck's suggestion for this - besides possibly relocating the O2 - is to wrap the exhaust from the collector to the O2 (and slightly past) with header wrap to trap the heat until it gets to the O2. I honestly don't know how easy it will be to relocate the O2 (obviously realizing that I'll have to take it somewhere to have this done) because the collector itself sits pretty close to the sideskirts already, and I think the most I'd get is maybe 6 inches or so.
I also read about someone using the Spark-Plug no-foulers to move the O2 sensor out of the exhaust stream. I'm not exactly sure what the benefit of this would be except maybe keeping the sensor screen clean and prolonging life. But I also think that - if the sensor is already too "cold," pulling it out of the exhaust stream could make it worse.
Also, can someone PLEASE tell me precisely where G103 is - the ground connection where the O2's ground to the block? Since I'm getting identical codes from both O2's, I can't dismiss the possibility that it is an issue in the harness which feeds both sensors simultaneously. I also considered that the ASD relay isn't sending enough voltage to the heater circuits, though my tech said that he checked out all the voltages and resistances and everything was OK.
Sorry to make this so long. Thanks for the help. dave6666, where's the best place to get that heat wrap for the wires? I'm willing to give that a shot, in case the heat from the exhaust is increasing resistance in the wires and causing bogus readings - another possibility, though again probably not in the first few seconds of operation...
Jeff
As far as the location of the sensors, as close to the engine as you can while picking up all 5 tubes. That may or may not be tricky depending on what your collector looks like. The sensor tip obviously needs to be in the gas stream. Here's an inside look at mine:
left.
