Low end sputter, hesitation

Chapomis_imp said:
I received my 02 eliminator yesterday. So this morning before I went to meet ACKCB, I pulled the right-hand side-cover and found a 4 pin connector that matched it elim. Started the bike and rode to meet ACK. The sputtering seemed to still be there. What I didn't notice right away was that the spedo wasn't working and the ABS light was on..... We stopped in Sconset and "Thank Honda" for the right allen wrench in the "Tool Kit" and I pulled the cover to remove the Elim and ACK noticed that there were two 4 pin connectors, so we swapped it out. Same result ! No spedo and didn't go far enough to see if the sputtering had stopped. Removed the elim and all was back to normal. Does anyone have a repair manual for the DLX. Is it possible that there is another 4 pin somewhere ? Or maybe this just dosn't work on a DLX ?
Since you have two O2 Sensors, I would think that you need two Eliminator Plugs. Can you borrow a plug from someone to test?
 
Chapomis_imp said:
I thought of that, but why would the spedo and abs go off ?
Bike electronics can do strange things when there is an open circuit or if conflicting data is received from one of two circuits that should both be receiving similar data.

According to the parts chart, the DLX is supposed to use the identical O2 Lambda Sensor, but in two places. In theory, doubling up the Eliminators should work...but the DLX may be an exception.
 
It would seem to me that as long as the circuit sees what it believes to be a lambda sensor, all should be okay. Could the sensor eliminator be defective? Should be easy to check with a Triplet meter. Could you compare the ohms resistance across the leads on the Lambda sensor with the new plug? I've not looked at the Lambda connector, but some types can get the contact pins pushed back inside the connector plug. Has this been checked?
 
Not sure i'm qualified to do that, I have a meter. I'd like to see an electrical schematic. Or see what a service manual says. At this point i'm just happy I didn't screw anything up.
 
redbirds_imp said:
It would seem to me that as long as the circuit sees what it believes to be a lambda sensor, all should be okay. Could the sensor eliminator be defective? Should be easy to check with a Triplet meter. Could you compare the ohms resistance across the leads on the Lambda sensor with the new plug? I've not looked at the Lambda connector, but some types can get the contact pins pushed back inside the connector plug. Has this been checked?
Chapomis_imp said:
Not sure i'm qualified to do that, I have a meter. I'd like to see an electrical schematic. Or see what a service manual says. At this point i'm just happy I didn't screw anything up.
Next time your downtown I have a Fluke meter here, we can check it.
 
My sensor eliminator came in the mail during this discussion so I immediately installed it and took the bike out for a 20 mile test run. Everything normal and the motor does fuel better at low rpm's now. I always thought the CB had good fueling properties for a FI bike but now even better-more like my Guzzi that was smooth as a carb motor at any speed. I also noted that the speedometer sensor and the O2 sensor plugs are side by side inside the same clear plastic cover on my 2013 but slightly different looking. Is this the case on the 2014 DLX?
 
Thread starter
Chapomis, did you chase the wire from the o2 to the plug? My plug was black, right next to a blue one. I assume you need 2 eliminators anyway but I just don't understand why your gauge was messed up.

Also my bike should be on the dyno sunday so we'll see how it is fueling with the eliminator.
 
Thread starter
So had my bike on the dyno. With the o2 sensor at low speed it was lean, around 15.5:1. It surged and hesitated on the dyno and standing next to the bike when he was running it I could see it. With the o2 eliminator installed it ran smooth as I stated before, but because I had it flashed and richened twice it was running pretty rich, as much as 11.2:1. So I want send the ecu back to guhl and have it leaned to where he originally had it. But what I dont know is will the eliminator always keep it that rich? Any thoughts?
 
NHCB_imp said:
So had my bike on the dyno. With the o2 sensor at low speed it was lean, around 15.5:1. It surged and hesitated on the dyno and standing next to the bike when he was running it I could see it. With the o2 eliminator installed it ran smooth as I stated before, but because I had it flashed and richened twice it was running pretty rich, as much as 11.2:1. So I want send the ecu back to guhl and have it leaned to where he originally had it. But what I dont know is will the eliminator always keep it that rich? Any thoughts?
That's what I was lead to believe. It makes the ECU run like the bikes cold all the time, full rich. That was the reward I got from mine.
 
Thread starter
So you think its ok at 11.2:1? Im new to getting into these ratio numbers so dont know what is ok or extreme. It runs great and smooth so im happy about that. I havn't gone on a long ride yet so wonder how mileage will be. I'm not looking to get the best mileage. But don't want to be stopping for fuel excessively.
 
Good info here on the 02 sensor eliminator. I ordered one today to see if it makes a difference on my "13". The bike runs great, but I do have a Staintune slip-on exhaust and K&N air filter installed on it. I'll report back on how it all worked out. :thanks:
 
Zombie post: I removed my O2 eliminator (resistor) and plugged the O2 sensor cable back in to the ECU. I found that (1) the PAIR valve mod gave me the tractability gains I wanted; and (2) that, combined with the O2 eliminator made the throttle's responsiveness too soft. Not snatchy enough, for lack of better words. I'll still hold on to the eliminator -- when the O2 sensor fails (and it will), I'll probably just plug in the resistor rather than dig out and replace the expensive O2 sensor.

I'd made the mistake of doing both mods -- PAIR valve and O2 eliminator -- at the same time. Once I realized I wanted more responsiveness from the throttle, I had to choose which mod to undo. The PAIR valve is [modified after comments below and reading the service manual] causing secondary combustion in the exhaust port, which makes for a hotter engine and headers, so I'd rather leave it plugged. The only benefit I can see to taking it back to stock (unplugged) is if I lived in a really cold place and only rode 3 miles at a time -- stock, the engine would warm up quicker. [Also, less chance of fouled plugs, especially on #2 and #3. Probably not a problem with this bike, but it sure was with my '79 CB650! In short, the exhaust port and headers will heat up quicker and be hotter with the PAIR valve stock -- because it's causing secondary combustion there. If plugged, no secondary combustion, less heat].
 
My understanding of the PAIR valve is that it allows ambient air into the hot exhaust ducts, via reed valves, to assist in full burning of any unburnt fuel exhausted, particularly in the overrun. Another "green initiative", so to speak. Correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers
 
Pterodactyl_imp said:
My understanding of the PAIR valve is that it allows ambient air into the hot exhaust ducts, via reed valves, to assist in full burning of any unburnt fuel exhausted, particularly in the overrun. Another "green initiative", so to speak. Correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers
Correct! It injects filtered air into the exhaust in order to burn off noxious emissions that were not fully burned off in the combustion chamber. It does not, as Siggy suggested, inject anything into the combustion chamber, and, as a result, the PAIR mod does not impact performance in any way. The only benefit you will experience is less decel popping and a cooler running exhaust.
 
Siggy Javotnik_imp said:
Zombie post: I removed my O2 eliminator (resistor) and plugged the O2 sensor cable back in to the ECU. I found that (1) the PAIR valve mod gave me the tractability gains I wanted; and (2) that, combined with the O2 eliminator made the throttle's responsiveness too soft. Not snatchy enough, for lack of better words. I'll still hold on to the eliminator -- when the O2 sensor fails (and it will), I'll probably just plug in the resistor rather than dig out and replace the expensive O2 sensor.

I'd made the mistake of doing both mods -- PAIR valve and O2 eliminator -- at the same time. Once I realized I wanted more responsiveness from the throttle, I had to choose which mod to undo. The PAIR valve is [modified after comments below and reading the service manual] causing secondary combustion in the exhaust port, which makes for a hotter engine and headers, so I'd rather leave it plugged. The only benefit I can see to taking it back to stock (unplugged) is if I lived in a really cold place and only rode 3 miles at a time -- stock, the engine would warm up quicker. [Also, less chance of fouled plugs, especially on #2 and #3. Probably not a problem with this bike, but it sure was with my '79 CB650! In short, the exhaust port and headers will heat up quicker and be hotter with the PAIR valve stock -- because it's causing secondary combustion there. If plugged, no secondary combustion, less heat].
No problem, but I think what may have gotten you off course could have been confusing the PAIR system with the EGR (Exhaust Gas Re-circulation) systems that carbureted cars used to use.

If you check your service manual, you can see the plumbing required for the PAIR system to take filtered air from your air box (not super-heated exhaust), then inject it into the heads AFTER the exhaust valve. This clean, relatively cool, oxygenated air, when mixed with the heat of the exhaust, helps to burn off the noxious fumes the EPA is worried about. This burning (actually small explosions) takes place in the exhaust, which is the reason for decel popping.

After seeing how the PAIR system works, it should also be the case that doing the PAIR Valve Mod would have little to no effect on how fast your engine warms up (other than the exhaust system getting hotter with the PAIR system functioning). The use of the O2 Sensor Eliminator Plug, however, may affect warm-up time as it should richen the mix at idle and low end. Then, after the engine is running well, the richer mix should actually allow the engine to run cooler and more efficiently (but, not 'efficiently' according to the EPA!)
 
Thank you for walking me through that, and referring me to the service manual! Some kind soul posted the PAIR valve page on this site, here:
On the CB600 forum, I also found this explanation, which made sense and explained popping on decelleration: "The system only activates under negative load (throttle down). this would not [a]ffect throttle up operation, which is what dyno tuners tune to, sooooo........"
In other words, unless I mind the popping from the Yoshimura slip-on that came with the bike (I don't) or am concerned about engine heat it's fine to just leave the valve as-is. And, of course, my idea that blocking the PAIR valve affected throttle smoothness doesn't make sense. The one way I've found to do that is the O2 eliminator, which has the fueling effects outlined expertly by Gumby 1100. This forum is great for this kind of knowledge, thank you!

p.s. Gumby was right, I have dealt with 1980's era automotive EGR. Although modern Triumph classics have SAI (Secondary Air Injection) with a port directly into the head that is maybe closer to EGR than Honda's PAIR valve. Removing SAI on a Triumph makes the engine run noticeably cooler and (seat of the pants) smoother -- but I've been wrong on that before, see above.
 
lemontree_imp said:
So what was the conclusion of the OP?
1. Installing an O2 eliminator (a resistor) can soften snatchy throttle response, especially at small throttle openings or on/off throttle. It can also fix the hunting/surging that some folks experience at small throttle openings.

2. It is not necessary to physically remove the O2 sensor, and it's a royal PITA to do so unless you have the right slotted wrench. (This is somewhat controversial -- some people posit that physical removal is smart because the O2 sensor will "fail" if it's not connected to the ECU. I respectfully disagree, because I can't see why that would be true. The O2 sensor is not heated or cleaned by dint of being hooked up to the ECU).

3. Installing an O2 eliminator will make your bike run richer and therefore cooler and may slightly adversely affect fuel economy (I found it negligible or non-existent, but YMMV. In fact, I experienced a slight increase in fuel economy, but that makes zero sense and I can't explain it so I chalk it up to user error).

4. If your bike fuels nicely with the stock setup, don't bother with the O2 eliminator. If, on the other hand, you have fueling problems at low throttle, it's a cheap experiment to see if it fixes the problem (it seems like it usually does).

5. Many aftermarket or race exhaust systems require or include an O2 eliminator, and simply do not have a physical threaded hole for the O2 sensor.

I'd welcome disagreement on any of those ideas, but that's what I got from reading the thread and my own experiments! Ride safe and have fun.
 
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