I have an Innovate Motorsports LC-1 wideband controller that I bought about 5 years ago for my project that is just now running. I am planning to use it to send lambda data to my Megasquirt 2. I have it wired up per the instructions and it seems to power up, as the LED illuminates, but I can't get it to enter calibration more by powering it up with the O2 sensor unplugged. No matter what the LED just glows solid, and does not blink as it should when the sensor is not detected.
I contacted Innovate Motorsports and they suggested updating the firmware of the controller, but I the computer will not detect the controller. I have tried a USB to serial adapter, as well as an old computer with a serial port.
These controllers are obsolete now, and this one is out of warranty, despite being never used.
Does anyone have a suggestion on other things I should try to get it calibrated and set up?
Thanks!
I have an LC-1 hooked up to my MSI, and had it running on MSII previously as well.
There is the heater calibration, if I remember correctly, and then there is the sensor calibration with the sensor connected, but OUT of the exhaust.
The sensor itself is a Bosch VW item. I've replaced mine once already in about ten years.
Yeah, I recall calibrating my LC-2 was done with the O2 sensor plugged in but in free air, unscrewed from the exhaust bung.
IIRC the heater cal will happen if you leave the sensor unplugged for some time (60 sec?) and then cycle power with the sensor installed. That is what forces the calibration for both heater, and then free air. It's possible you have the LED hooked up wrong, and the cal output is pulsing and you aren't seeing it. Once it runs through the cal you should see near 5v from the 0-5v output, indicating free air 22 AFR.
FWIW, OEM's don't "calibrate" every O2 sensor they use. Especially since the open air setting is the fully O2 saturated setting, which really isn't all that useful- since we never run there in a controlled manner.
Plug it in, see if it works, and go for it.
Thanks guys. I can't seem to get mine to enter calibration mode. Today I decided to forget about calibration and see what kind of data it would give in tunerstudio with the engine running. I set up my tune to recognize the controller and fired up the engine, but it just stayed fixed on an AFR of above 22. Based on the exhaust smell it's running pig rich, so I think the LC-1 is dead, and Innovate has stopped replying to me.
You could gamble on a new sensor, but if the controller is dead, it might be better to just buy new. The LC-1's don't have a reputation for being super reliable (though mine has been).
If you are getting massive misfires it will read full lean, the exhaust will also stink of fuel. The fact that it's putting out 5v is probably a good sign.
If the computer won't detect the controller, then I wouldn't bother with a new sensor.
I'd go back and double-check the installation to make sure all the wires are connected properly, and if the PC still can't talk to it then it's dead, time for a new one.
A few years ago I bought an LC-1 for my Megasquirt. The first LC-1 controller I had was DOA when I installed it. I don't recall exactly what was wrong but I know it didn't work right out of the box. By chance I was going to be in Irvine, CA the following week on business which is where Innovate was located so I took the dead controller in to them while in town. The guy helping me was very helpful but he admitted that "at that price point we get these made in China" and that there are a certain number of these that fail right out of the box. He swapped mine out without any complaint.
Thanks all. I've double checked the wiring, and think I just got a bad unit. Too bad it's past warranty now, but it seems like the best option is to replace it.
I have one laying around if you want to try another one. Not sure if it works, but it might be worth it.
Thanks Stefan, I may take you up on that if I can't get a replacement from Innovate. Their support staff contacted me again today.
I actually have 2, but one I used in the 924 and the other I bought as a backup. The wiring for the 924 is in a bin so I could grab that one since it was a known working unit.
At the very least, if Innovative doesn't come through we can verify your laptop, etc. works and that it really is the controller's fault.
I wonder if there's a way to pop one open and see if there's something obvious to fix? Often bad solder joints cause a lot of problems, but that gets hard to sort with SMD parts.
Certainly makes 14point7 products look a bit better from a self-supporting standpoint.
Anyway, let me know and good luck!
Stefan (Forum Supporter) said:
I wonder if there's a way to pop one open and see if there's something obvious to fix? Often bad solder joints cause a lot of problems, but that gets hard to sort with SMD parts.
If it's like the controller on my LC-2 it's all sealed up in a block of plastic, nothing you can take apart non-destructively.
LC-1 is sealed too. I guess I might as well try slicing it open ...
