help? c20xe do i need a lambda

[bikerboi]

got my nova few months ago and the engine came sitting in the boot waiting for a conversion.. dont have a clue what its out of. its a dizzy type c20xe but dont know if i need a lambda sensor or not. were is the plug located on the loom for the lambda. . . or is there any was of telling the differances between the 2 dizzy engines. Also got a 3 pin plug on the loom next to o/s strut top ( any ideas) any help would be appreciated. :)

[Jonlem]

The lambda plug is around that area although so is the crank sensor plug.

Crank sensor plug is rectangular

Lambda is oval

Not all early dizzy xe's didn't used lambdas

[bikerboi]

thanks for advice. i`ll have a look later

[dutch_c20xe]

If your engine is equipped with the motronic 2.5 ECU, you can run it without the lambda sensor connected. Locate the ECU plug and connect pin number 20 to ground. This tells the ECU it's in africa mode (africa spec calibras and such didn't have a lambda sensor nor cat.), and will switch to open-loop fueling instead of closed-loop fueling, eliminating lambda control. I did this on my nova when the lambda broke and it runs perfectly :thumb: My engine is a 1991 XE originally form a cat equipped calibra.

HOWEVER: if for what reason you are using a cat. on your car do not apply this. Because the engine has lost it's lambda it doesn't control fueling fine enough for a cat to work, causing it to fail.

[bikerboi]

very usefull information dutch alough running a cat as its a 1993 k reg and needs to pass its emmisions for mot. i had a look around the crank sesnor plug and found 3 cut wires. brown... brown with blue trace. . . and a violet/light blue. would these be my lamda wires?

[Sloth]

ithats the lambda wires. if the engine is pre aug 1992, you dont need a cat. if its dizzy id say it is. do pin 20 and youll be fine

[Benn]

Just get one and have it pluged in, it helps stop over fueling.

[bikerboi]

there is a few lambda wires on ebay for a couple of quid. i`ll get one of those to get it through its test as i have already got a cat and nut welded for the lamda. after the test it will be a de-cat pipe and pin 20 job i think. thanks for the help as above. :)

[Benn]

No xe should reeally need a cat.
My late xe (from a 93calibra) passed a non cat test fine as they all will.

[ck]

yes but legally if the car is registered after 1st aug 1992 then it has to have a cat fitted. unless you can prove the engine was removed from an earlier car via log book and engine numbers.

its not whether it will pass or not its whether the car/engine falls into the year where it legally needs a cat fitted..

[Benn]

You sure? I beileve its mid way thru 93. Not 92.

Most places will ask about the engine, tell them its a 91. They cant prove its not.

[belly257]

8/8/1992 is the date when a vehicle had to be fitted with a cat