O2 sensors turning on and off
6/8/17, 10:07 AM
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O2 sensors turning on and off
New here glad to find a forum that appears pretty active. Let me start with mods to the car incase one may be causing the issue. 08 4.6L N/a motor Airraid intake, Ford racing 62mm throttle body. Steeda charge motion delete plates, Ford racing hot rod cams, MSD coils, Kooks long tube headers, kooks midpipe high flow cats, unknown pypes muffler. And I'm using a x4 tuner with bama tunes. The issue started somewhere between me adding the headers and swapping a GmS throttle body with the ford racing. 3:73 gears
The problem is with the Front o2 sensors turning on and off sporadically I only know this from what bama told me after sending in a datalog. The 87 tune runs ok.... still noticeable that it happens every now and then however the 93 is undrivable. What I can tell is it's the front sensors seeing as how with the 93 tune the rear are turned off. I replaced both front sensors and wire extensions. That hasn't solved the issue. Any ideas of what else I can try?
The problem is with the Front o2 sensors turning on and off sporadically I only know this from what bama told me after sending in a datalog. The 87 tune runs ok.... still noticeable that it happens every now and then however the 93 is undrivable. What I can tell is it's the front sensors seeing as how with the 93 tune the rear are turned off. I replaced both front sensors and wire extensions. That hasn't solved the issue. Any ideas of what else I can try?
Last edited by Thomas Reynolds; 6/8/17 at 10:09 AM.
6/8/17, 10:32 AM
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Have you contacted Bama ? If not, I would start out with them 
6/8/17, 10:44 AM
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Yes I have, I was told what the issue was o2s and that I needed to fix it before they could update my tune. I'll try again tho I've noticed with them customer service is a shot in the dark either it's great or I wouldn't say horrible but not the best.
6/8/17, 06:45 PM
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I haven't dealt with anyone else so I couldn't say that but I have little doubt your comment holds some value. I've tried getting into the few dynos around here and either they want we'll over a grand, you have to tune yourself or you can't schedule anything because they're busy. So untill I can get to VA beach or out of state -which I don't plan on doing untill I super charge it- I'm stuck using a handheld. After messing around with it more I'm starting to think it is the tune causing it. Any suggestions on someone that knows what they're doing with tunes for a handheld?
6/8/17, 09:46 PM
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THE RED FLASH ------Moderator
Bama is most definitely the worst when it comes to their tunes and especially their customer service dept.. I know this thru personal experience, as I went thru 3 different tune revisions due to my air/fuel being off..
For example, my car would always sputter and bog on cold starts and wouldn't stop until 15 min later when it finally reached normal operating temps.. Needless to say when I switched to Brenspeed, I was told the reason was due to the fuel trims or whatever it's called wasn't calibrated correctly.. All I know is when I uploaded the Brenspeed tune it got rid of my cold start issues and they haven't come back in over 2 years later..
Anyhow Bama performance used to be second to none when they were formally known as Bamachips owned by original founder and tuner Doug Studdard.. Unfortunately after he sold Bama to American Muscle, the quality in their tunes have never been the same in which Bama pretty much uses a generic SCT tuning file and adds your car's PCM calibration code along with which ever mod upgrades you've done to your car and calls it a custom mail order tune
When Doug still owned Bama, he personally wrote each individual tune file based from that car's specific PCM in addition to any other mod upgrades that were added by the customer..
At any rate, I would stay as far away from Bama as you possibly can and would recommend either Steeda, Brenspeed, JDM engineering, Lund Racing or VMP performance.. As each all have over 20 years experience in the performance/tuning industry and IMHO are considered as very reputable
For example, my car would always sputter and bog on cold starts and wouldn't stop until 15 min later when it finally reached normal operating temps.. Needless to say when I switched to Brenspeed, I was told the reason was due to the fuel trims or whatever it's called wasn't calibrated correctly.. All I know is when I uploaded the Brenspeed tune it got rid of my cold start issues and they haven't come back in over 2 years later..
Anyhow Bama performance used to be second to none when they were formally known as Bamachips owned by original founder and tuner Doug Studdard.. Unfortunately after he sold Bama to American Muscle, the quality in their tunes have never been the same in which Bama pretty much uses a generic SCT tuning file and adds your car's PCM calibration code along with which ever mod upgrades you've done to your car and calls it a custom mail order tune
When Doug still owned Bama, he personally wrote each individual tune file based from that car's specific PCM in addition to any other mod upgrades that were added by the customer..At any rate, I would stay as far away from Bama as you possibly can and would recommend either Steeda, Brenspeed, JDM engineering, Lund Racing or VMP performance.. As each all have over 20 years experience in the performance/tuning industry and IMHO are considered as very reputable
Last edited by m05fastbackGT; 6/12/17 at 10:58 AM.
6/9/17, 10:23 AM
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Thanks for the advice, I may have someone that can tune for me at a dyno pretty close to the house. If that doesn't work I'm going to try one of the companies you listed probably Brenspeed as I've heard nothing but good things about them. I'll update once I get a re tune
6/10/17, 12:26 PM
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Look forward to your updates Thomas.. Rocky 
6/12/17, 04:31 AM
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It does not sound like a tune issue to me; I have never heard of a tune turning the O2's on and off -- they are either on, or off and they stay that way. Also have never heard of a tune turning off the FRONT O2's; usually it is the rears.
I guess it could be a totally screwed up tune, but it sounds to me like the suggestion that Bama gave you is correct.
I guess it could be a totally screwed up tune, but it sounds to me like the suggestion that Bama gave you is correct.
6/12/17, 06:59 AM
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It does not sound like a tune issue to me; I have never heard of a tune turning the O2's on and off -- they are either on, or off and they stay that way. Also have never heard of a tune turning off the FRONT O2's; usually it is the rears.
I guess it could be a totally screwed up tune, but it sounds to me like the suggestion that Bama gave you is correct.
I guess it could be a totally screwed up tune, but it sounds to me like the suggestion that Bama gave you is correct.
6/12/17, 11:05 AM
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Well I still say it's in the tune, especially if your 02 sensors weren't turning off an on when you had your prior tune with the stock throttle body.. Therefore I would still have it checked out anyhow !
Last edited by m05fastbackGT; 6/12/17 at 11:06 AM.
6/15/17, 04:59 PM
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Hope the dyno guy can get it straightened out.
6/17/17, 02:43 PM
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Fixed. Went to the dyno today. I can't remember what all was changed I want to say +4 to global spark and Air/ Fuel ,runs great now and gained 10-15 rwhp. Ran 329hp and fixed the horrible idle issue.
6/17/17, 09:19 PM
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Glad you found a good tuner that corrected your air/fuel and global spark issues 
6/19/17, 10:44 AM
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I guess the dyno tuner started with the original factory tune so that got rid of any weirdness coming from the Bama tune?
6/19/17, 02:31 PM
#16
The original Bama Chips used to be the bomb when it came to tuning. Doug was a genius and was able to do what few tuners could when it came to custom tuning. Even got my car passed obd smog testing without any sensors even in the car. Anyways, since AM bought it from Doug when he was going through some issues with his personal life it has gone to the gutter. You may be able to get a pre-written tune for your car that might work, but if it doesn't they never seem to be able to make the adjustments necessary to make it work. Everybody that I know that has had an issue with a Bama tune has had to go with another tuner to solve the issues. I wouldn't waste my time with them tuning anything but a CAI and that is still a maybe.
Don't use BAMA for your tuning!!!
Don't use BAMA for your tuning!!!
6/19/17, 06:23 PM
#17
THE RED FLASH ------Moderator
The original Bama Chips used to be the bomb when it came to tuning. Doug was a genius and was able to do what few tuners could when it came to custom tuning. Even got my car passed obd smog testing without any sensors even in the car. Anyways, since AM bought it from Doug when he was going through some issues with his personal life it has gone to the gutter. You may be able to get a pre-written tune for your car that might work, but if it doesn't they never seem to be able to make the adjustments necessary to make it work. Everybody that I know that has had an issue with a Bama tune has had to go with another tuner to solve the issues. I wouldn't waste my time with them tuning anything but a CAI and that is still a maybe.
Don't use BAMA for your tuning!!!
Don't use BAMA for your tuning!!!
6/19/17, 06:35 PM
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No we went off the tune I had. The fuel adjustment was a point I believe I think that's where the problem was I could be wrong. Everything from the bucking and rough idle went away so I'm not going to question it
6/19/17, 08:03 PM
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Did you ever find out what was causing your 02 sensors to turn off and on by themselves ?
6/20/17, 08:34 AM
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Air/Fuel adjustment makes sense; But O2 sensor is a completely different thing, so like m05 I am just wondering what was up with that