O2 Sensor Wire Location: LOW voltage meets HIGH voltage.

[slo356]

Trying to neaten-up my '87 Syncro's engine compartment along with improving the brown wire grounds, a new oil-tower and a few new clamps. As long as I was at it I'm installing new O2 Sensor and water temp (blue) for the ECU as well. Traditional Vanagon Syndrome is when you can't go, this is the other type of Syndrome when you can't seem to stop!

The three O2 Sensor wires from the sensor/catalytic converter just sort of dangle in and over the AC-compressor, held in place by a zip tie...pretty sloppy imho. So I want to reroute the sensor wires, bundled with a shield, to their connection point with the harness connecters just above Cylinder #3.

Question 1: Because of possible signal tampering from HIGH VOLTAGE wires (spark or coil wires) you are not suppose to run the sensor's wire in parallel with these high voltage wires? Can anyone help with what that minimum separation distance is to be safe? Is the coil itself something that should be avoided as well?

Question 2: If the wires have a perpendicular relation, then there is no distance of separation required?

Question 3: Does anyone have a preferred routing of these O2 wires?

Thanks, slo356 (David)
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'65 T1 Sedan
'87 T3 Syncro

[DanHoug]

there's really no scenario in the engine compartment where you'll be running the O2 wires, heater or sensor, in parallel with the high voltage coil or plug wires... those AFTER the ignition coil high voltage lead.

in general, and applies to the vanagon, the coil wires should travel in free air (coil to dist) or be elevated slightly off the rest of the block or wires ideally suspended by plastic wire clips but they can also just lie on top of the engine, being the very top most layer of stuff when at all possible.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[khughes]

You are unlikely to have an issue with running the sensor heater wires near the plug/coil wires, but it's possible, and best to avoid.

The O2 sensor cable (shielded) should be as far away from the HT wires as practicable, neat looking or not. As to your #2, if you MUST cross neat the HT wires, yes doing so at 90 degrees will minimize the interference, but not eliminate it.
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'86 Westy FAS GenV Turbo (Marvin)