Innovate LC1 failures

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Your Innovate LC1 experience

1. Failures with LC1
44
50%
2. No problems with LC1
36
41%
3. I do not have an LC1
8
9%
 
Total votes: 88

racingmini_mtl
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by racingmini_mtl »

jsmcortina wrote:Name a list of brands and maybe the poll can be modified to list them all with fail/ok against each one?
AEM, PLX, 14point7, TechEdge, NGK, Zeitronix
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JAM
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by JAM »

I have an LC1 and have not had a problem so far, but i am glad i read this because if an issue arises i will not be surprised if it is a bad LC1.

The unit has been in more than 1 car, but i do find it a cumbersome unit to wire up, too much junk to wire in, would like to have a MTX
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by kjones6039 »

jsmcortina wrote:Name a list of brands and maybe the poll can be modified to list them all with fail/ok against each one?

James
PS. I have three broken LC1s here.
Another good point, James!

As I mentioned above I, like you, bricked 3 out of 3. Not a good average, for sure! I even went to the extent of phoning Innovate to confirm the correct wiring scheme and was assured that I was wiring the units correctly.

A similar poll, of different brands, might be quite revealing!

Ken
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JAM
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by JAM »

I would like to know if there is a similar issue with the mtx or if this got sorted out (same brand different model). I will be buying a new one soon and want to make a good decision regardless of brand
wes kiser
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by wes kiser »

I have had the LC1 installed in my rx7/2.3 turbo swapped car for 3 years, and 30k miles. Only failure was the sensor itself (after the turbine bounced off of it following a turbo failure).
86 Rx-7, swapped to 2.3 ford turbo (BW EFR 6758), ms3/ms3x sequential fuel /waste spark, ls2 coils
88 Tbird 2.3t, Microsquirt Module (PIMP), TFI ignition
Quagmire
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by Quagmire »

My LC1 has been fine in everyday use for 2-3 years, one small hiccup when it started generating error 8 codes. Swapped sensor only to find it did the same. I updated firmware to the beta version which was 1.2 I think and all has been fine since.

Mine lives in the battery box of my Land-Rover defender and so its well away from the engine bay and is nice and safe under passenger seat. Is wired so that the sensor ground is connected to the ms and the heater ground is connected via a bus bar back to battery.

Can't find button for poll on my phone!
Fabius72
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by Fabius72 »

racingmini_mtl wrote:
jsmcortina wrote:Name a list of brands and maybe the poll can be modified to list them all with fail/ok against each one?
AEM, PLX, 14point7, TechEdge, NGK, Zeitronix
Good idea!
Are there other brands to put on this list?
Is it better to modify this poll, or create a new one?
May I do something? Please, let me know...

Fabio
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AllanMcD
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by AllanMcD »

I have had 4 LC1's fail and it makes me angry 1 was duff when i got it.
I didn't have time to sort any warranty on any and need a new one very soon What do I do ?
Allan
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by .boB »

I installed my LC-1 according to instructions. It worked right away, and interfaced with the ECU and Tuner Studio without any problems at all.

3 months later, the engine started doing screwy things on a track day. It steadily ran worse and worse, and I finally had to call it a day. The data log kept showing that it was going too rich at the top end. After some testing in the garage, I finally got the engine to run well again simply by turning off the WEGO control. I switched over to my LM-1, and all worked well again.

I sent the LC-1 back, since it was only a few months old. They fixed it by replacing the sensor. But they wouldn't say why the sensor died in only a few months.
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.boB
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gibbsey
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by gibbsey »

I originally set my Megasquirt with an Innovate LC1, worked fine for 12 months, then out of the blue, not working.
Contacted Innovate and after carrying out all the suggested tests and checks, it was returned to be repaired. Three months later it came back and worked fine for a short time. Then total failure again. Contacted Innovate again and after a few emails they stopped responding.
I then purchased a Techedge unit and couldn't be happier. It was very easy to set up and any questions I had were answered quickly. (sometimes in as little as five minutes)(email). These units are also repairable, which I don't think the Innovate is as it is sealed.
The Innovate unit was wired up as per instructions.
I'm pretty sure I didn't have an earthing problem. Before I attempted to wire up anything I had a chat to an auto electrician, and he made it clear that the earth is the most important connection. EVERYTHING IS WELL EARTHED.
One thing I tried was to replace the O2 sensor as I had a brand new spare, but it made no difference.
coyoteboy
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by coyoteboy »

My LC1 has been running on a daily driver for 2 years, laid up to rest for 4 years, and now functions again just fine for 2 years.
.boB
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by .boB »

I put a new engine in my car this winter. Earlier this week I took it to a dyno shop for a good tune. I've been using a LM-1 with a new Bosch sensor mounted in the head pipe. Compared to the dyno (same Bosch sensor), the AFR's are definatly different. That's why I had such poor luck getting it tuned at home. Once done with the dyno, the car runs better than ever. I'm not impressed with Innovate products.
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.boB
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JAM
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by JAM »

.boB wrote:I put a new engine in my car this winter. Earlier this week I took it to a dyno shop for a good tune. I've been using a LM-1 with a new Bosch sensor mounted in the head pipe. Compared to the dyno (same Bosch sensor), the AFR's are definatly different. That's why I had such poor luck getting it tuned at home. Once done with the dyno, the car runs better than ever. I'm not impressed with Innovate products.
boB,

what are you going to use going forward? what was used at the dyno?
racingmini_mtl
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by racingmini_mtl »

For those who have had issues with the LC1 or other WBO2 controllers, you might be interested to see what Alan To (from 14point7) has posted in the extra pits section: http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 72&t=49152.

Jean
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.boB
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by .boB »

JAM wrote: boB,

what are you going to use going forward? what was used at the dyno?
I don't know. Now that the car is tuned, I don't really need a wide band controller. I'm not even sure I'm going to bother connecting the narrow band sensor.

The Dynojet dyno uses the same Bosch sensor that the LM and LC uses. But it has it's own hardware after that.
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.boB
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m3ltd0wn
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by m3ltd0wn »

I have a LC-1 wideband controller, installed on my car according to their wiring instructions, it worked ok for a couple of kilometers (i was tuning my car) and then it gave error 8, stopped the car, restarted it and it worked ok for another couple of kilometers then error 8 again. Went home and searched the forums for solutions, and I found out that LC-1 with 1.10a firmware has some issues and throws error 8 from time to time, and there was a solution: downgrade to firmware 1.00a and then upgrade to firmware 1.20rc4. I've read the manual, installed the terminator plug and started the lmprogrammer software, I've downgraded to 1.00a, the firmware was send successfully to the controller and verified successfully, turned off the LC-1 waited a few minutes and then restarted again, the gauge just blinks with 7.4AFR, the calibration/heater led doesn't blink at all ... i've connected again with the lmprogrammer to the LC-1, the connection was ok, I could read the parameters of analog 1 and analog 2 and I can change them and program them to the controller, but the gauge still blinks and the led is dead, tried to connect with logworks but it fails, tried to upgrade to firmware 1.20rc4, lmprogrammer connects to the controller but when i try to upgrade it says it doesn't communicate with it.
So I'm done with innovate products... 14point7 will be the next wideband controller, period!
Nick Jones
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by Nick Jones »

I have two. One about 5 years old, one about 2.5 years. Both on original sensors and both working fine.

Nick
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by Breastfed »

I've had my LC1 sitting on the shelf for several years and finally hooked it up and had it calibrated and working in TS
This LC1 is connected to a separate relay and fuse.
1 week later both Analog outputs are showing 0V, connected via the LM Programmer all looks good > still no analog output.
Reflashed the FW several times > still no analog output ... WTF
The LC1is still working OK on the MTS serial chain so I guess I may be connecting this up using the TinyIOX using the CANBUS.

I have three SSI-4's & one TC-4 so I'd hate to just park these up as i have enough DAQ HW sitting in the retired hardly used box!

Speaking of quality issues, I also had 1 of the 3 SSI-4's that stopped working while still under warranty, contacted Innovate and this would need to be sent back for repairs or replacement, all things considered and the shipping cost plus fluffing around with RMA paper work etc its almost not worth it !!

Curious, I decided a quick probe with the MM revealed that there was no 5V output available at the Header.
I opened the SSI-4 and could see nothing burnt out, powered it up and checked the 5V regulator (LM1086) which was working OK.
Proceeded to check with the data sheet for 5V at several of the other IC's on the PCB and there's no +5V showing (GND is OK) so it appears there maybe a burnt out trace on the PCB (looks like a 4 layer PCB so who knows whats going on in there !) I soldered a jumper wire from the LM1086 over to the Header for the +5V output and it all works just fine.

I'm sort of looking at the LC2 or possibly Megaspartan, I can't find a whole great deal of info regarding any failures with the LC2, given the crappy quality issues with the LC1 I hope the LC2 has had all previous issues resolved.

Breastfed :)
benckj
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by benckj »

Been running a LC1 with Innovate MXL controller and MSPNP v 3.57 for the last year with no real issues. Found that I needed to set lower cal value to 6.35 so TS reading would match gauge. Appears to be a common issue.

Jim
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Breastfed
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Re: Innovate LC1 failures

Post by Breastfed »

For those who are interested
so with no analog output if figured what the hell ...
I cut around the rubber molding, scoped the serial inputs to the AD5312 and found there was a clock and serial data, so I was confident the AD5312 was at fault.
The new AD5312 arrived today, out with the old and in with the new... just tested and everything now works.


Breastfed
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