"Proper" method of eliminating CEL (O/R)?

Drew0318 said:

I've got MILs, but I'm wondering if there's a better, more beneficial way of getting rid of the CEL.

IE, tuning it out with an SCT/similar. Are there performace/etc issues with just using the MILs, or is it better to properly disabled them within the computer.

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The rear O2 sensors are used only to determine if the catalytic converters are working properly. They are not used to trim fuel delivery and so there won't be any performance effect, one way or the other, from running with them disabled (tune method) or heavily filtered (MIL method.)

The tuner method is cleaner and doesn't involve crawling under the car etc. If you already have the tuner or are having a dyno tune done, it makes fiscal sense to have them taken care of then rather than also buying MILs. If you don't have a tuner and/or don't plan on having a dyno tune done but want to run an O/R pipe, then the MILs make sense.

Is there any compensation in regard to tuning that needs to be done for either method?

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No. As mentioned, the rear O2s are purely for catalyst-checking, not fuel trimming.

Is there more benefit to getting an SCT/etc over just using MILs?

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With the tuner you can "tune" the car -- add or remove timing etc -- whereas the MILs only filter the rear O2s.

These are the things I ponder when there's 2 feet of snow on the ground and having not seen the car for two months now....

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Heh. I hear you. I've got piles of snow either side of the driveway approaching 5 feet now and the bottom of the driveway has 6+-foot piles on either side. It's going to be a long couple of months...