Wideband O2 for Microsquirt

Shoulda posted this a couple of weeks ago, but...

Finally getting everything in line to tackle my MB 190E / Microsquirt project.  Last major item, a wideband O2 sensor.  First, from everything I've read, short of having free access to a dyno, sounds like wideband is the way to go, particularly now that prices have fallen quite a bit compared to 5+ years ago.  

So, I made use of DIYAutoTune's Black Friday sale and picked up the Innovate LC-2 setup, with sensor and controller, no gauge.  Got home yesterday evening to find it had arrived.  Opened it up to check things and discovered a couple of mangled pins on the extension cable from the sensor to the controller.  The connector will not physically mate with the connector coming off the controller.  Obviously I'll be on the email Monday morning and sending this back, but after a little looking seems the LC-2 is not exactly universally loved.  First impressions are everything, and this being the first time I've had my hands on one, I'm fairly disillusioned with it if they can't even get the pins right.  

A little looking around and I discovered the 14point7 Spartan 2.  This looks like it has only what I want, nothing I don't, is physically smaller, $40 or so cheaper ($125 including Bosch 4.9 sensor), and seemingly higher quality.  Any reason not to go with the Spartan 2?  Any other options out there I've missed?

This is 2 parts for 2 projects in one week that have arrived DOA in some fashion.  

I have nothing to add except that I'm also doing a 190e MS2 and I am planning to get the 14point7 spartan too.

I'm using an AEM Uego and have been very happy with it.

For about the same price as the Innovate, you also get a gauge which is pretty handy when you don't have the laptop connected.

Rocambolesque said:

I have nothing to add except that I'm also doing a 190e MS2 and I am planning to get the 14point7 spartan too.

I'm "frantically" (ok, not really) hoping to get something done on this before you do!  I don't want to talk about how long this has been on the back burner.

I have got stuff from them years ago and all worked as it should.  

I think the the owners name is Allan. At the time he was very nice and helpful. 

I've got a 14point7 Spartan2. My auto electrician said maybe I should've gone with an Innovate LC2 instead because they had better customer support in his experience. Later that Spartan2 failed under somewhat mysterious circumstances, so to get everything working quickly I bought another and planned to warranty the first. After 4 months of trying to get an email reply from 14point7 about that, I think the auto electrician had a point...

I've had an innovate LM-2 in the Jeep for years.  It's had a couple of weird issues with locking up on startup occasionally when it's really cold out, but it always comes up after a power cycle.  And since upgrading to newer firmware and an LSU 4.9 sensor, it's been rock solid outside of the occasional startup glitch (which never happens if it's above 40* at startup). 

Anyone ever dealt with these guys:

https://www.ecotrons.com/accurate_lambda_meter/alm-inline/

It would appear this is yet another option.  Never heard of the company, but seems like they do a lot of controls stuff in the automotive realm and are maybe a lot closer to OEM-level stuff, rather than a couple guys in their basement/garage building stuff (which seems like 14point7 is).   Their documentation is orders of magnitude more serious and thorough, and they say they use the same chipset as the Bosch controller used by OEMs. 

And another option for a more DIY approach:

http://www.wide-band.com/category-s/100.htm

You can pry my LC1 from my cold, dead hands.

Way better than the LC2 IMO.

And finally, delving ever deeper down the rabbit hole, I found a thread on Speeduino (thread here, http://speeduino.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=132&start=40) that mentions a Bosch controller out of '10-'12 Ram 2500/3500, part number 68055582AG.  

Sounds like that doesn't have an analog out, only CAN. 

After multiple Innovate failures, and a swap to an AEM that netted me 120 horsepower after adjusting the fueling that the LC1 was messing up, I'll only use the AEM when I need a gauge, and the Spartan 2 when I don't. Both are so much better. Far less gimmicky.

Thanks for all the feedback.  I think I'm going to go with the Spartan, but once I get things working I may revisit this Ram part.  I really like the idea of an OEM-level part, just have no idea if I can get it to work.  A little hunting showed a similar-looking thing on a the other heavy duty diesels - some of those appear to sell the sensor and a controller together as one part.