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O2 Sensors and Race Gas

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theshadowrider

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2010
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I have a question for all you turbo dragon guys. I have a 2008 dragon 800 and I am looking to turbo it. From what I have read some guys like to use the A/F ratio gauge to help tuning instead of an egt. But I was told they don't last very long (aprox. 600 mile) because of the race gas. I am assuming that is because it has lead in it. So do you have to replace the O2 sensor for the efi also? Do they go bad? When they go bad what happens, do you burn up our motor? Seem like if a a/f ratio gauge goes out why wouldn't the o2 sensor, aren't they the same thing?

Next question. Why doesn't someone make a gauge that just piggy backs the stock o2 senor and make a display of what the stock one is doing for the efi?

Thanks
 
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Kestrel2126

Well-known member
Nov 17, 2009
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Grand Jct, CO
I think you have a little bit of your info mixed up. First, I don't believe the Polaris has a stock O2 sensor. I think you are talking about the sensor that screws into the middle of the expansion chamber (pipe). This is actually a stock EGT probe that is linked to the ECU to add fuel in emergency situations so you don't burn down, a fail safe if you will. You can't actually view any data from this probe, it goes directly to the computer.
Second, O2 snesors don't hold up well on 2-strokes regardless of whether you run race gas or not. It is the oil that will plug them up and cause them to fail (race gas probably won't do it any favors due to the lead). A lot of guys run them only when tuning, and then pull them and replace with a plug when actually riding.
Also I think the Air Fuel guage and O2 sensors you speak of are actually essentially 1 and the same. If you are running an O2 sensor, you then read the data on a Air/Fuel guage. It would be like having EGT probes, and no Digatron, Koso, Racepak, etc.
I hope this helps, good luck
 
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theshadowrider

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Jan 27, 2010
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So you are saying that the senor/probe located in the middle of the pipe is a egt and only used for emergency situations? How does the efi tune/adjust the engine then? I thought the dragon had a closed loop system running an o2 sensor?
 

mountainhorse

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So you are saying that the senor/probe located in the middle of the pipe is a egt and only used for emergency situations? How does the efi tune/adjust the engine then? I thought the dragon had a closed loop system running an o2 sensor?

Nope...

It runs an open loop, speed/density setup with TPS, Det, coolant temp, air temp, and exhaust temp inputs plus a built in Baro pressure sensor in the ECU itself.
 
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theshadowrider

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2010
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Makes a lot more sense

This makes sense. I thought the O2 sensor makes the adjustments but couldn't figure out how the o2 don't go bad with the oil and leaded fuel. Where on the sled is the outside temp sensor, and pressure located?
 

snow_knight

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Nov 26, 2007
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run a heat sink bung for your bosch sensor on the afr gauge, have 3k miles on the same sensor running everything from 100ll to 117 vp fuel with it. Have checked it with my spare sensor couple times a season. still running strong :D
 
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POLARIS600cc

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Nov 27, 2007
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run a heat sink bung for your bosch sensor on the afr gauge, have 3k miles on the same sensor running everything from 100ll to 117 vp fuel with it. Have checked it with my spare sensor couple times a season. still running strong :D

Can you post a link to someplace to get this bung you use please?
 
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whittaker727

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Nov 26, 2007
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Naples, Id
run a heat sink bung for your bosch sensor on the afr gauge, have 3k miles on the same sensor running everything from 100ll to 117 vp fuel with it. Have checked it with my spare sensor couple times a season. still running strong :D

Does this run a gauge? Do you have any pics of this?
 
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