CEL came back AGAIN

[Infantryman11C]

So I had been reading a lot about what mods need tunes and which ones don't. I thought I could get away with deleting cats with cat delete mid pipes without getting a tune. Maybe I was wrong. I replaced cats with JBA midpipes and knew that I would throw a code which after 3 engine cycles I did. Ordered extenders from BDG and was able to only install one because the other cross threaded. Got a CEL again because I still had one not installed. bought a tap/die set fixed the midpipe bung had to buy another 02 sensor. Replaced that and added the 2nd extender. Had been running fine for the last 400 miles or so and then I get another CEL this morning on the way to work. Not sure what the problem is. IS anyone else running the BDG extenders with JBA noncat midpipe had the same issue as me or should I replace the other o2 sensor? I'm not the worlds best mechanic but I know everything is installed properly with no leaks

[2014CamaroSSRS]

you removed cats.. you're going to get trouble codes and CEL no matter what.. you need a tune to disable the codes..

[acammer]

Let's start with what trouble codes are setting, that'll give us some direction into what the root issue may be.

[Infantryman11C]

see and from what other people were saying on here they there are the JBA midpipes and another brand(cant remember). everyone that bought the JBA said they were doing fine after installing O2 extenders from BDG. The ones that installed the other brand had to tune even with the extenders. UGH

[Infantryman11C]

Originally Posted by acammer

Let's start with what trouble codes are setting, that'll give us some direction into what the root issue may be.

Im going after work to figure out what codes are actually being thrown. At this point I'm just assuming that it has something to do with my O2 sensors because that's what its been the last couple times

[acammer]

Originally Posted by Infantryman11C

Im going after work to figure out what codes are actually being thrown. At this point I'm just assuming that it has something to do with my O2 sensors because that's what its been the last couple times

I agree, I have no doubt it's O2 related, but which ones might give us a clue if this is your typical O2 sensor/header problems, or if it could be a damaged sensor, wire, etc.

[ChibiBlackSheep]

The extenders don't ALWAYS work, they are moving the o2 sensor so that the reading fools the computer.

Your honest best bet is a tune. Is there a reason why you are avoiding it?

[MA2010SS]

Your car will need to be tuned like dyno Steve said
Rear O2's need to be within a certain temperature and without the cats they will not get to that certain temperature and throw a code

[Infantryman11C]

So this is what the reader said

[Infantryman11C]

Originally Posted by ChibiBlackSheep

The extenders don't ALWAYS work, they are moving the o2 sensor so that the reading fools the computer.

Your honest best bet is a tune. Is there a reason why you are avoiding it?

Not trying to tune my car a bazillion times. That and the closet one that is reputable is 2 hrs away in Atlanta

[acammer]

That will need a tune to compensate for - standard issue you get with headers and or hi-flow/no-cat. A tuner can essentially over-ride the readiness test so that you won't get the CEL.

[Infantryman11C]

Originally Posted by acammer

That will need a tune to compensate for - standard issue you get with headers and or hi-flow/no-cat. A tuner can essentially over-ride the readiness test so that you won't get the CEL.

Understand I'm running stock headers. Just have CAI, ported TB, JBA midpipes, and ATAK exhaust.

[acammer]

Originally Posted by Infantryman11C

Understand I'm running stock headers. Just have CAI, ported TB, JBA midpipes, and ATAK exhaust.

Right, I get that. It's the cat-less mid pipes.

That will need a tune to compensate for - standard issue you get with headers and or hi-flow/no-cat. A tuner can essentially over-ride the readiness test so that you won't get the CEL.

Unfortunately supposed to work without a tune isn't always the case. Could be as simple as something about the way you drive on top of the now marginal O2 sensors brings it far enough out of spec to throw the code. I know with my car I get insufficient switching codes (P1133 and P1153) on the front O2 sensors if I putt putt around (ie. 6th gear under 60mph), especially after a warm/hot restart. The combination of long tube headers, low rpm, and light throttle creates a "perfect storm" to create (relatively, compared to stock) slow moving, cool exhaust, that takes the sensor out of normal range.

Once we start taking the system away from stock we change the response of everything, and the "in-spec" range in fairly narrow to begin with. A tune can compensate for these things in a number of ways. With rear O2 sensors, they are usually just tuned "out" so that they are never a problem.

[ChibiBlackSheep]

Originally Posted by Infantryman11C

Not trying to tune my car a bazillion times. That and the closet one that is reputable is 2 hrs away in Atlanta

You don't have to go crazy with timing and adjustments, a simple mail-order canned tune to turn off some codes would work wonders.

Honestly, I feel like you would be fighting a losing battle by modifying without a tune.

How much more do you have on your mod wish-list that would require a retune?