Wideband Air/Fuel ratio gauge

[GNONYX]

Hi All,
What is the differences between a Wideband Air Fuel Ratio O2 Sensor to a Air Fuel Ratio Gauge which uses your factory O2?
Is there anyway of checking the engine for running lean or rich without using an Air/Fuel system? Would a ScanMaster also check for lean or rich? Thanks

 

[jasjamz]

Read these....

Basics sensor voltages for tuning wot performance

Scantool Readings

The lean, stoch, rich gauges are a waste of money. IMO

 

[GNONYX]

Thank you for this great information
So is it to my understanding that you prefer the Wideband Air Fuel Ratio O2 Sensor?
I will keep in touch in the future since now I found an crack in the passenger exhaust header. I will take both factory headers off repair and check all, glass bead ( I hope that is the right term) all and then spray ceramic on all exhaust pipes.

 

[toofastforyou]

I've had an air-fuel ratio gauge in my car for several years and although it looks nice all lit up, I think it's totally useless. It constantly goes up and down and that's it...nice but useless.

Claude.

 

[84BuickGNYorkPA]

I've had an air-fuel ratio gauge in my car for several years and although it looks nice all lit up, I think it's totally useless. It constantly goes up and down and that's it...nice but useless.

Claude.

Surprised to hear this, I watch mine all the time..... I look at my idle, cruise, wot... a/f ratio.

Chuck

 

[toofastforyou]

Surprised to hear this, I watch mine all the time..... I look at my idle, cruise, wot... a/f ratio.

Chuck

The little green, yellow and red led's constantly light up going up and then down and up again, endlessly....How's that supposed to help me to tune my car??

Claude

P.S: Pictured below is the gauge I have...

 

[jasjamz]

Thank you for this great information
So is it to my understanding that you prefer the Wideband Air Fuel Ratio O2 Sensor?
I will keep in touch in the future since now I found an crack in the passenger exhaust header. I will take both factory headers off repair and check all, glass bead ( I hope that is the right term) all and then spray ceramic on all exhaust pipes.

Glad to help, thats why we're here! Yes, I would suggest a Wideband a/f ratio gauge like the PLX, AEM, NGK powerdex or LM-1. You need to be able to read digits to see where you stand on A/F ratio. Buy one that is compatible with the Powerlogger scan tool or the Translater Pro. That way if you add on this stuff later it will be compatible and keep you from spending twice.

 

[84BuickGNYorkPA]

Claude,

Here is a link to the kit I have installed. It has the lights and the digital read out, I ignore the lights. This kit hooks up to the powerlogger, scanmaster and also is needed for fueling in the Turbo Tweak Speed Density chip. Some just get a wideband and no A/F ratio gage, the scanmaster also shows the a/f ratio.
FULL THROTTLE SPEED - Innovate XD-16 Standalone Kit w/LC-1

Chuck

 

[pacecarta]

Claude,

Here is a link to the kit I have installed. It has the lights and the digital read out, I ignore the lights. This kit hooks up to the powerlogger, scanmaster and also is needed for fueling in the Turbo Tweak Speed Density chip. Some just get a wideband and no A/F ratio gage, the scanmaster also shows the a/f ratio.
FULL THROTTLE SPEED - Innovate XD-16 Standalone Kit w/LC-1

Chuck

chuck,
claudes talking about a narrowband air fuel ratio gauge... a $50 item that is for the most part useless unless you're on a carb
yours is a wideband , two different animals and it was alreadedy started in post #2 the lean rich stioch gauges are useless , for our application i agree

wideband with an afr gauge is great. i run the xd lc1 in both my cars even with fast i like to be able to see the afr from a known accurate source during a run . narrowband (stock sensor) no matter how you look at it is still a guess at the tune ..but with the scanmaster even though its narrowband and the numbers dont relate to any actual afr they can be used to compare one run to another when tuning the fuel ..

 

[toofastforyou]

chuck,
claudes talking about a narrowband air fuel ratio gauge... a $50 item that is for the most part useless unless you're on a carb
yours is a wideband , two different animals and it was alreadedy started in post #2 the lean rich stioch gauges are useless , for our application i agree

wideband with an afr gauge is great. i run the xd lc1 in both my cars even with fast i like to be able to see the afr from a known accurate source during a run . narrowband (stock sensor) no matter how you look at it is still a guess at the tune ..but with the scanmaster even though its narrowband and the numbers dont relate to any actual afr they can be used to compare one run to another when tuning the fuel ..

Paul, I just went to post no. 2 and ...wow...even if it's very explanatory, it's still quite an exhaustive article to read!!
There are some terms in there that mean nothing to some of us (like me), unless you have a lot of knowledge...:frown:...I've never really understood the difference between a wideband and a narrowband air fuel ratio gauge, but after reading your previous post, it seems pretty clear that I have the wrong kind!... Thanks for clarifying a little..
Maybe I should talk to Jack about getting one to replace my $50. narrowband gadget?...Also speaking of gauges, I wonder if a Caspers's knock gauge is still needed and will work with the FAST ? I'm asking this because if I have some unnecessary gauges in my car, I'd rather remove them to make room for more usefull ones...

thnak you,

Claude.:smile:

 

[pacecarta]

casper led knock gauge (and the audible) work off the raw knock signal so unlike the scanmaster you dont need to be on stock ecm , they work with fast/xfi /bs3/dfi etc.. .. if you have a knock sensor i would keep it , i run the led knock on both of my cars

 

[TurboDave]

Surprised to hear this, I watch mine all the time..... I look at my idle, cruise, wot... a/f ratio.

Chuck

Ya'll are talking about two different things. Yours is a wideband air fuel ratio gauge.

His is a narrow band air fuel gauge. It's the narrow bander's that are useless.

 

[nonova0074]

I have the plx dm-5 from my tbss it is going in the gn but it will go in the new down pipe cause I don't see anyneed in doing the job twice

 

[it's just a six]

Syclone use.
I have used an ATR A/F ratio meter that hooks up to the orginal O2 sensor.

The only thing I could read was @ WOT,but the readings are slow/late.

For instance , I would be @ WOT 1st gear, AF meter would read full rich, then shift into second it would go full lean then gradually go richer to full rich,shift into 3rd,same thing, it would read full lean & gradually go to full rich.

That told me the stock fuel pump could not keep up w/the demand.
So I installed a Walbro 255HP pump,then the ATR meter would read full rich @ all times even after the shifts.
This was w/the old ATR street pitbul chip. A safe rich chip.

Right now I use an LM1 Innovate wide band. Much safer to use for tunning.

 

[toofastforyou]

casper led knock gauge (and the audible) work off the raw knock signal so unlike the scanmaster you dont need to be on stock ecm , they work with fast/xfi /bs3/dfi etc.. .. if you have a knock sensor i would keep it , i run the led knock on both of my cars

Thanks Paul for the info, I'll keep my Casper's knock gauge for now. As for the link to the ''Innovate'' gauge that ''84BuickGNYorkPA'' posted, I looked at it but nowhere it says that's a wideband unit...Is it?
Also, where is the idea place to install the sensor for a wideband ?

thanks,

Claude.

P.S: ''GNONYX'', yes the Scanmaster will tell you if you're running rich or lean...

 

[jasjamz]

Yes that is a wideband setup that he posted. I would advise you to mount the controller inside the car. Place the sensor in the lower part of the downpipe because the cord on the sensor is not very long. I had that one before and read it through the power logger and scanmaster.