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7 minute read
Wideband Install (NGK AFX)
Compliments of Wannago @ ctsvowners.com
5-19-2013
Well, after 2 days, I finally got my NGK AFX wideband installed. I was originally planning to use it just for tuning then remove it, but after seeing Snzuloz's glovebox install, I decided to do the same and mount it permanently.
The NTK sensor is mounted in the passenger's side exhaust, between the header and the first cat.
The wiring then goes up, over the transmission and comes out behind the supercharger towards the driver's side fender. From there, it enters the cabin via the big rubber wiring grommet behind the brake pedal, and then is routed behind the centre console over to the passenger's side footwell. I know the user manual says to not "modify" the AFX's wiring, but I saw on a Corvette forum that a user there had cut the plug off to make it easier to route the wires, so I decided to do the same. After it was run over to the passenger's side, it is routed up behind the dash and out the glovebox opening (glove box removed) where I re-attached the connector. I then cut a hole in the back of the glovebox with my Dremel, and ran the wiring into the glovebox.
I have it placed in the small, lower shelf in the glovebox, and rather than have it mounted square and flush with the opening, I swing it to the side and tuck it completely in the lower shelf to close the glovebox. When I want to view it, I swing it out and velcro it to the open door - angled towards the driver's seat. It would have looked nice mounted nice and square in the lower shelf, but I had a hard time getting the wiring to cooperate and allow me to push the wiring back far enough into the dash so the display box was properly positioned, while at the same time being able to slide it out so I could reach the plug and the calibration knob.
Note: I originally tried running the wiring through the smaller grommet on the passenger's side - close to the hood hinge where it would come in somewhere up behind the glovebox, but after a couple hours trying to feed the coathanger through the firewall, I couldn't get it to work and I gave up.
Pictures:
Sensor bung in the passenger's side exhaust:
(You can see the white Romex (home electrical wiring) to the right that I used to snake the AFX wiring up into the engine bay)
NTK sensor installed
Wiring coming up behind the engine towards driver's side fender
White coathanger "snake" shoved through the big rubber grommet behind the brake pedal
(I put a cut in it with a utility knife to make it easier)
Connector to AFX module cut-off
Wiring snaked through the big rubber grommet
Wiring zip-tied to bottom panel, driver's side footwell
I drilled a couple holes in the plastic cover and ran a zip-tie through the holes to secure the wiring up and out of the way
Romex snake over to passenger's side
Romex snake coming out on passenger's side
Glovebox removed
(4 small bolts beneath the dash and 3 phillips-head screws inside the glovebox along the top. Might need to use a screwdriver to pry the top of the glovebox down slightly, and it will pop right out)
Wiring routed through the glovebox opening
Soldering the wires and reconnecting the plug
(Don't forget to slide the heatshrink on first)
Heatshrink in place
(After the heatshrink was shrunk, I slid the protective sheath back over the connections and secured it with a zip-tie
About to cut the hole in the back of the glovebox
Hole cut
Electrical connections
(Thanks to Snzuloz. Used an Add-a-Circuit to a switched open slot on the fusebox. I cut a hole in the side of the sheath and pulled the ground wires out the side to ground, so that I could keep the protection of the sheath for the power wire when it ran into the fusebox. I used my Dremel to cut a little notch in the side of the fusebox to run the power wire in.)
First power-up
Calibrated
I did a free-air calibration for about 45 minutes
First readings
That's basically the process. It wasn't that bad of a job after-all, I spent most of the time planning what I was going to do and how I was going to do it.
Hopefully this helps someone out.