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Chikara Header for 88/89 = Code 1?

931 views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Lucifer Caitiff 
#1 ·
Hey everyone. Well long story short, read the title. Thing is, ever since I bought the white car, the 88 SI, it's been throwing a code 1. I've replaced the o2 sensor and that fixed it for a while, but it came back.

Then I put the header on my blue car, again, brand fucking new o2 sensors. I did some searching here on good old PP.com and noticed that I'm not alone in my problem with the Chikara header.

I tried everything, I tried fucking with wires, I tried new sensors AGAIN, I tried switching the plugs around, NOTHING could clear the damn code 1. I took the car to my mechanic to take a quick gander. He said that it could be spark plugs, or the header itself. So I changed the spark plugs, (the plug wires were not arcing, so I left the wires alone), STILL no result.

So I'm on to my last resort...I got a stock 90/91 header, thanks to Butterthegreat, and a downpipe and o2 sensor thanks to pick your shit, all I need is the EGR tube which I'll borrow from the white car, and I'll see if THAT fixes my problem.

I've already done the wiring, and bolted up the new header. All I need to do naow is put on the EGR tube, which I'll do tomorrow when I'm good and rested. It was dark and my girlfriend and I got too tired (I ended up having to take the damn alternator off to get the 90/91 header on). BTW, you all need to get girlfriends that can work on cars...she was SO much help, fucking shit I got a lot done real fast with her help.

Basically the point to all this is...If the 90/91 header fixes the problem, then the problem was with the Chikara header itself, and where the o2 sensors were positioned (WAY lower than original).

Another really strange thing I noticed...in the downpipe, where it goes from 4-2, at the very top of the downpipe, there's a fucking hole in between the pipes! One pipe goes into the other! I'll post pics of this tomorrow when there's light, it was the strangest fucking thing...I can't IMAGINE that being good for the exhaust flow!
 
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#5 ·
could be a heat issue. the single wire o2 sensors are unheated and rely on high exhaust temps to keep them at operating temp. if they get too cold, they wont read correctly. and because they use varying exhaust temps, the readings they give varies as well. which is why honda switched to the single 4-wire electronically heat controlled sensors to maintain an exact temp at all times.

the other thing is that single wire o2 sensors ground through the header/manifold. if they header is not grounded well enough to the head, it'll cause bad or no readings at all. and with ceramic coated headers, the coating covers all the metal, so theres nothing for electricity to flow through, aka very very bad ground lol.
you usually dont have to worry about the ground from the sensor to the header, as when you thread it in it'l usually chew through the coating and make great contact. but the head flange isnt threaded lol.
this is also another reason honda switched to the 4-wire sensor, they aren't grounded through the header/manifold, they have an actual ground wire in the sensor, one of the 4 wires

i wish i knew of your problem previously lucy, i bet all you would have needed to do was sand some coating off the chikara header at a few of the head stud holes so it could ground the head flange to the head properly through a few studs/nuts
 
#6 ·
All good ideas, moto. To me, it's not worth putting it back together to investigate, especially since I found that big fucking hole.

BTW, The hole is at the top of the downpipe, where it's two pipes. The hole goes between the two pipes. I havent gone out there yet this morning for a pic, but I'll get it when I go out to finish the job.

The writeup says to run the wire that heats the o2 sensor up to a swiched 12 volt. Does that mean I should run it to an actual switch? or just to something that's only on when the car is running?
 
#7 ·
just to something that is only on when the car is running.
you can run it to a switch, but i wouldnt, cuz it's only a matter of time before you forget to turn it on or off and burn the sensor out

hint: fuel pump power wire
hint #2: buy a chipped ecu and a conversion harness from me, the conversion harness has a harness attached to it to wire directly to the o2 sensor for proper ecu controlled heater circuit :)
 
#10 ·
here ya go.






I have no idea why its like that. But after putting on the 90/91 header it runs much more smoothly, the chikara header was making it backfire and sputter sometimes, and the best part of all is no code 1. Thank fuck.

now i have to wait till monday to get it to pass smog, finally.
 
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