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AEM wideband issue

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Old May 9, 2009 | 10:07 PM
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AEM wideband issue

Hi all! Just recently install an AEM wideband, and it's not giving me any readings, or rather a constant 14.7AFR., what can be wrong? I'm using a new universal Bosch sensor #17014. Has anyone had this problem? I've contacted AEM, just waiting for them to get back to me. Any input would be appreciated, thanks in advance!
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Old May 9, 2009 | 10:24 PM
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is the wideband sensor heater working?

are you using a good 12v source for power, and a good ground?
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Old May 10, 2009 | 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Grip
is the wideband sensor heater working?

are you using a good 12v source for power, and a good ground?
I'm not familiar with the wideband sensor heater, what is that? And yes I'm using a good power source, and good ground. Any more ideas?
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Old May 10, 2009 | 08:51 AM
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on those widebands it's pretty much just power and ground, and then you connect the wideband harness plug to the back.

wait for AEM to get back to you. They will probably dick you around for a while, or at least that's what they did to me. I had a really bad experience with the AEM wideband and I think they are pieces of **** personally.
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Old May 10, 2009 | 09:24 AM
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same.

i had an aem wideband....it was the worst piece of equipment i ever purchased, it never read right, and aem couldnt find a problem with it.

when you turn the ket to the ON position (without the car running) what does the meter say at first? what does it say after 30 second's?

with the car cold, take the sensor out of the pipe, and put it somehwere where you can touch it, leave the sensor plugged into the wideband harness, and turn the key to the on position....wait about 30 seconds then touch the end of the sensor that is normally inside the pipe...it should be warm.

its possible the new sensor you installed is no good, if you have the old sensor, use that one for the same test's (outside of the pipe)
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Old May 10, 2009 | 03:11 PM
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mine did the same thing when I first got it. Check the connection on the back of the guage. When I pushed mine into the A-pillar pod, the plug came out just enough to still light up the guage but not get a good signal from the sensor. Had no problems since.
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Old May 10, 2009 | 10:55 PM
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When I first turn the key into the ON position, for a few second it seems like it's cycling through or warming up, and afterwards it just stays at 14.7.

I took the sensor out to see if it warmed up like you said, and it did! While I still had the sensor out I went back into the car to look at the gauge, and it looked like it was reading the air. So I turned the car off and screwed the sensor back into the bung and turn the key into the ON position again, and it was still reading, not like it was cycling again. I thought all is well, until tonight when I took the car out, it wasn't reading anything at all again, all I was getting was (---). I noticed that when I was decelerating, it was trying to read something, and then nothing again. Could it be that the car is running so rich at WOT, that it's off the chart passing 17? Also to note that I had install the sensor about 18" from the exhaust side of the turbo. Any ideas?
Originally Posted by Grip
same.

i had an aem wideband....it was the worst piece of equipment i ever purchased, it never read right, and aem couldnt find a problem with it.

when you turn the ket to the ON position (without the car running) what does the meter say at first? what does it say after 30 second's?

with the car cold, take the sensor out of the pipe, and put it somehwere where you can touch it, leave the sensor plugged into the wideband harness, and turn the key to the on position....wait about 30 seconds then touch the end of the sensor that is normally inside the pipe...it should be warm.

its possible the new sensor you installed is no good, if you have the old sensor, use that one for the same test's (outside of the pipe)
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Old May 13, 2009 | 09:07 PM
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the booklet that comes with the wideband suggests installing the bung AT LEAST 36" from the exhaust port on a turbo application to prevent premature sensor damage. or 18" on an N/A application. Also what angle is your bung? toward the top of the pipe so the condensation doesn't collect in the sensor? could be too rich and caked inside the sensor is the end of it black?
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Old May 13, 2009 | 10:07 PM
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i would move it further back, but you should still be getting a reading at 18".

even if you were running way to rich, or way to lean...the gauge would give a reading, not just "---"

i would check for an exhaust leak, even if you can't hear one, does not mean there isn't a leak.

have you contacted AEM at all?

its possible the gauge is not calibrated properly from the factory...i had that problem with a PLX M-300 wideband that would never read right.

also, if you can try to borrow someone elses wideband, or maybe purchase a used one to see what happen's....worst case, the used one works and you have to deal with AEM about sending you a new wideband...which you can then sell.
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Old May 14, 2009 | 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by VividMP5
Could it be that the car is running so rich at WOT, that it's off the chart passing 17? Also to note that I had install the sensor about 18" from the exhaust side of the turbo. Any ideas?
Er, just to help you out..... 17 is LEAN, not rich. The lower the AFR, the RICHER you are running, the higher the AFR the LEANER you are running. Sure you are using a wideband 02 SENSOR?
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Old May 19, 2009 | 10:24 PM
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I've contacted AEM, and was told when the gauge reads (14.7), it means there's a break in the line somewhere, so to check for continuity in the harness. I haven't got around to it yet, been raining alot here, so will update later.

texFCturboII, Thanks for showing me the way.

An interesting video sent from AEM to check to see if your sensor is working right...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mb4VmDd0ao

Originally Posted by Grip
i would move it further back, but you should still be getting a reading at 18".

even if you were running way to rich, or way to lean...the gauge would give a reading, not just "---"

i would check for an exhaust leak, even if you can't hear one, does not mean there isn't a leak.

have you contacted AEM at all?

its possible the gauge is not calibrated properly from the factory...i had that problem with a PLX M-300 wideband that would never read right.

also, if you can try to borrow someone elses wideband, or maybe purchase a used one to see what happen's....worst case, the used one works and you have to deal with AEM about sending you a new wideband...which you can then sell.
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