Ok I really need an air/fuel gauge in my car so I can get my weber tuned right. I have a bung for a o2 sensor in my header so thats not a problem. However I see most people that run this type of guage use just a normal O2 sensor. Wouldnt you want to use a wideband for tuning instead??

 

A wideband would be more accurate and sensitive, but a narrowband is still useable. Look at what a wideband setup costs. If your tuning a very sensitive engine (like a boosted engine) then the wideband would help you from not grenading the engine.

 

But I think the narrow band is mainly a light show, that says Hey your running lean. Specially with a rotary. Since it is looking for a 14.7 air/fuel ratio and your car is looking for a 11~12 ish ratio. But the wideband is cost prohibiting.

 

Even if the guage merely tells you it's starting to run lean then it's done it's job right. The other benefit is that you can use it to tune for decent highway fuel milage. I'm certainly going to get a simple narrowband put in my car before I start to tune it, that said I may go wideband when I go turbo, but where I'm at now that cost is too high. I know quite a few people who use narrowband ones in boosted applications, take from that what you will.
Grant

 

Well,i`am using a heated narrow band AFR meter.(The o2 sensor has 4 wires for those who are interested)

I will say one thing:It is the best thing since sliced bread,for a Rotary owner.It has made the tunning of my Bridgeport with the highly modified Nikki much easier.

I`am looking to convert it to a digital readout in the near future,to make it even easier/more user friendly.

hornbm :You wont regret fitting one.You obviously have to use unleaded fuel.

Karis

 

Just remember that even a heated NB will only measure between 15:1 and 14.3:1 anything outside that is 'lean' or 'rich'. So if you are targeting 13:1 for best power on your NA, you don't stand a hope of knowing how far off you are.

 

That`s true Bill!
Well,i`am not sure if its a wideband sensor,(i`am working of memory when i last saw the sensor underneath the car!):-)

I`ll have a look at it tonight.

 

My understanding is that its only accurate in that range. But it will give you a direction to go in. Better than nothing, especially as cheap as they are.

 

Does anyone have a recommendation on a trusted A/F meter? I sorta had my eye on this Edelbrock model from Summit. I planned to mount the meter in the glove box. Summit claims accurate from 12 to 15:1..




Thanks- Tom

 

For the penny-pinching crowd, there's this:

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_0217/...popularArticle

$27AUS, shipped to US. Not sure exactly what the conversion is, but I think it works out to about $20USD.

 

I have an Autometer one. This is an invalueble tool for tuning (especially when boosting). This has saved my motor many times. As soon as I see it start to lean out and back of the throttle. Sure it's not as accurate as a WB, but it does it's job. I wish I had these 10 years ago running a carb. The only I had to go by was the sound, exh smell and pull the plug out to see how it's running.

 

Exactly.

The narrow band is good for keeping the engine from running lean and for tuning for cruise. To tune for power, you'll need a wide band. A narrow band would just read rich at 13:1.

I don't know if it's true but I've read that wide bands aren't long-lived sensors and need to be replaced much more often than narrow bands if used in the car for long term. Mine requires recalibration every 250 hours so it would be a pain to try to use it perminently.

My suggestion would be to get (or better yet borrow) a wide band for a couple of weeks of tuning and use a narrow band perminently attached to a gauge to make sure nothing ever goes out of whack.

By the way, I got my wide band, sensor and all, off ebay for $200. So there are good deals out there.

 

I use the Autometer one for a general idea that I am running rich or lean. When first playing with it, it did help me save my engine, by knowing the moment it would get lean. With the Holley, it would originally run fine, except with tipping in the throttle.

Now, for fine tuning (on a dyno only), I use this:


I wish they had an Output that would work with the Automete gauge - that would be perfect!