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Narrow Band Air/Fuel Gauge

6

67TXStang

Member
I'm wondering if my air/fuel mixture is correct after upgrading to a new carburetor. I would go to a dyno/tune place but no one within an hour has one. Does anyone have a narrow band a/f gauge? Could it be used very easily for tuning?
 
NBs are dang near useless for tuning...they are good for mixture correction on EFI, but they don't give you enough data in terms of real #s to be useful when tuning a carb or doing a dyno tune on an EFI car.

You can build your own wideband for cheap too, I can't think of the guy's name that makes the kit, but it's way less than $150 and uses a stock VW Wideband 02, which is neat, not too many cars use widebands from the factory. A wideband gives you your A/F ratio, whereas a NB just reports rich or lean.
 
"gotstang" said:
NBs are dang near useless for tuning...they are good for mixture correction on EFI, but they don't give you enough data in terms of real #s to be useful when tuning a carb or doing a dyno tune on an EFI car.

You can build your own wideband for cheap too, I can't think of the guy's name that makes the kit, but it's way less than $150 and uses a stock VW Wideband 02, which is neat, not too many cars use widebands from the factory. A wideband gives you your A/F ratio, whereas a NB just reports rich or lean.
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+1

While I'm no expert, I've been told by a few different engine builders that a narrow band AF meter is a waste of money. Only a wide band sensor will give you the accuracy you need to tune an engine.
 
You can find Innovate Motorsports widebands on the net/ebay for ~150. Works great and has datalogging capability, but you'll need a laptop (even w/o doing the logging)
 
"apollard" said:
You can find Innovate Motorsports widebands on the net/ebay for ~150. Works great and has datalogging capability, but you'll need a laptop (even w/o doing the logging)
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That's what I'm running with my setup to try and get the @^%!#$ efi tuned. You don't necessarily need a laptop if you're not datalogging, unless you want to go in and adjust the settings. I haven't had to do that. I've got mine connected to the EGR wire and and datalogging the AFR through the Tweecer chip.
 
The Innovate Motorsports does seem to be the best deal. It definately beats the $350 many list for at Summit. I had not heard of them before so thanks for pointing me in that direction.
 
The JAW wideband was the one I was thinking of, I think it's $100 including the 02 sensor. If memory serves, the cheap Innovate LC1 doesn't do datalogging, and if the sensor dies, it's a fortune...unlike the JAW. :D
 
"gotstang" said:
the cheap Innovate LC1 doesn't do datalogging, and if the sensor dies, it's a fortune...unlike the JAW. :D
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The LC1 will datalog, but it uses the laptop to do it. So you hook it up to the laptop, drive around, and then you have the data. Works quite well. The replacement Bosch wideband sensor is around $50 . I'm not aware of one much cheaper.

The advantage Innovate has is the ability to ook up more sensors, etc to get more data. Any of thier units can be daisy chained, then all datalogged on the laptop. A buddy of mine has a LC1 and the LM3 - we datalogged three engine sensors (map, tps, and air temp) and the output of the LC1 quite easily. All for under the $350 many want for the wideband alone.
 
Question: When installing the O2 sensor into a dual exhaust system, where do you install the sensor?

Does it make a difference if the O2 sensor is installed on only one side of the exhaust system, which means you only read one side of the engine cylinders?

Or should the O2 sensor be installed in the center of the H-pipe or X-pipe (if the exhaust is so equipped)?
 
"garner67" said:
Question: When installing the O2 sensor into a dual exhaust system, where do you install the sensor?

Does it make a difference if the O2 sensor is installed on only one side of the exhaust system, which means you only read one side of the engine cylinders?

Or should the O2 sensor be installed in the center of the H-pipe or X-pipe (if the exhaust is so equipped)?
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Based on where the pre-OBD2 sensors are installed, I'd say the H or X pipe. That's where the OEMs put them when the could get by with only one.
 
Sorry, I guess that was kinda misleading, I have it on the car. They came in handy when they did the dyno tune, thats where they installed the sensors.
 
I welded in bungs on each exhaust pipe just aft/downstream of the header collector/exhaust pipe joint.

Spark plug "extenders", available at your local auto parts store work perfectly as O2 sensor bungs. Some minor trimming of the extenders is necessary, they weld right in and they're threaded to accept the O2 sensors.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
I welded in bungs on each exhaust pipe just aft/downstream of the header collector/exhaust pipe joint.

Spark plug "extenders", available at your local auto parts store work perfectly as O2 sensor bungs. Some minor trimming of the extenders is necessary, they weld right in and they're threaded to accept the O2 sensors.
Click to expand...

Do you have O2 sensors installed all the time, or do you use those bungs only when you're tuning?
 
When running an efi setup, you don't need to weld in an extra O2 bung just for the wide band. With the Innovative wide band O2, it has a lead that puts out the 0-5 volts signal to simulate a narrow band O2 sensor. When I'm done tuning, I'll just yank out the wideband and replace it with the stock narrow band and I don't have to worry about getting a plug for the extra hole.
 
Interesting...I didn't know the Innovate stuff was so cheap now and so easy to repair. I take back all my doom and gloom. :craz
 
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