[V8] Took the '93 V8 on a little trip yesterday.

[CavalloGT]

Brandon,

Regarding the O2 sensor circuit, be careful when reconnecting the new sensor as the wires are typically pretty fragile due to age and heat concentration in that area.
The signal wire is similar to a coax cable with the inner signal wire which is covered with a hard plastic casing, which is then wrapped with stainless steel braid wire which is grounded. This takes any EMI/RFI to ground so it does not interfere with the relatively weak signal the O2 generates.
The problem is that over time with poking, prodding, road salt, age and general mishandling, the shield wire can fray and wind up shorting the signal wire to ground. When this happens the ECU will interpret the low voltage as LEAN, and pour on the fuel! 
You are obviously not experiencing this as you stated that your dash computer is reporting 23 MPG on the highway. 
My 5-speed experienced this issue last year, and the OBC reported MPG which dropped severely (7-8 MPG IIRC).
As engineering communities learn over time improvements are made, and one such example has been the switch from the SS braided shield to a foil wrap. The foil doesn't work harden with continued flexing, so it doesn't break and wind up poking through the insulation to short the signal wire, as the braided steel sometimes does. The foil is cheaper, more flexible and lighter (every little bit adds up), so we all win. Oh, and in spite of that, of course they have to charge us more to pay for that R&D, so nothing is "free". LOL!

Enjoy the bliss of a properly running V8 while you can, that is in between all the niggling issues that invariably show their ugly heads. Regardless, it's still one very sweet ride!

I switched to driving my MB 300D as my 5-speed is on its way to a new owner, and I'm hating myself!
The 300D doesn't handle (it's worse than an old GM boat, lumbering through turns like a beached whale), it's extremely loud on the highway (I have to turn the stereo up so loud in order to hear it that it literally hurts, and I do enjoy loud music), and oh yea, that whale can also out accelerate it too! Ugh!
Well, that's my ride, until I can start on my next project: Creating a V8 Avant out of a 91 Avant 20v, nose swap and all. And just to be different, and more convenient, an Automatic V8 Avant at that. None were ever produced with automatics in any variant, so it definitely will be one of a kind.

Thanks,

ProfessorGT
(Sent from my iPhone4)

> On Oct 9, 2014, at 10:06 AM, Brandon Hoag <qu4ttro87 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I was able to get the transmission line brazed for $15 by the same shop
> that made my fuel lines. They do beautiful work. After that, I put her
> together (making sure to make a little shield for the line out of an old
> planter and electrical tape until I see why it's touching the subframe) and
> sprayed the engine/exhaust down with Jungle Jake (cheap version of Simple
> Green) and hosed off all the fluids. Drained the tranny pan again, added 4
> quarts, and took her for a spin. No smoke shows, no smells, no drama. Used
> up about $25 gas and with a mix of city/freeway she's averaging almost
> 18mpg. At 75 the computer puts  her right around 23mpg. For a test today,
> I'm taking her on my 236 mile commute. She still has codes for the O2
> sensor (that's sitting in my trunk...) but now that she's not leaking fuel,
> I can take her back to the shop and have them break free the old one so I
> can install the new one when I get home.
> 
> Man, what a car. She shifts so smoothly, power is effortless. Speeding is
> not too difficult with this one. All the pain? Worth it.
> _______________________________________________
> Audifans V8 mailing list
> Send posts to: mailto:V8 at audifans.com
> Manage your list connection: http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/v8
> 
> You can help keep the audifans site running by shopping at http://audifans.com/shop/
>