How To Install A Air/fuel Ratio Gauge

[twoquik]

hey i just want to hook up my air/fuel ratio guage just need some helpful tips. such as where to wire it up.

thanks

[Duncan]

is it a narrow band o2 sensor? if so you tap into the oxygen sensor wire, but be aware that the standard o2 sensor is basically useless as it only reports 14:1, rich or lean.

If its a wideband o2 sensor its much more useful but you will need to bolt the sensor into the dump or front pipes

[mook1]

sorry to hi jack... but i was gonna do mine a/f guage also... so duncan your saying that i should replace the stock o2 sensor thats allready in the dump pipe.. with a new wide band one.. or is the stock o2 one in the cat.? hermmm

[Duncan]

The o2 sensor that runs most AFR gauges is designed to help the computer when it is closed loop (cruise) mode.

All it does is tell the ECU if it is rich, lean or just right. The ECU quickly adjusts to the input keeping the AFR around 14:1.

With a turbo car on full boost you want an AFR more like 12 or 12.5:1, ie on boost your gauge should always read "Rich". If it runs "Lean" on full boost you have already blown your motor so don't worry. Even at 13 or 13.5:1 (waaaay too lean) it would still read Rich.

If you really want to know your AFRs you need what they call a fast and wide o2 sensor. Generally these read accurately from about 10:1 to 15:1. You can use this to check your tune and even adjust the tune if you have a programmable ecu like Powerfc. But they cost upwards of $500 and cannot just run the standard o2 sensor

[Peter]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to bring this old thread out from the dead, but........

I just purchsed an Innovate LC-1 with a DB Gauge Wideband Oxygen Sensor. I am going to run the Innovate to output three signals for me. The first will be to the gauge and will be displaying the A/F Ratio in real time. The second will be to an EMU for tuning purposes. The third will be to the factory ECU - the Innovate can wire into, and simulate a narrow band sensor,rom what I have read....

What I am wondering is whether I can simply unscrew the factory narrowband sensor from the dump pipe and replace it with the Innovate Wideband? I am wondering if this is ok, as the Innovate says that the "maximum temperature at the bung (the sensor hexagon) should not exceed 500 C (900 F)". Would the temperature at the dump pipe exceed this, or is it safe to assume that because the factory narrow band is located there, the wideband would be fine?

Apologies for long explanation.

Thanks in advance,

Pete

[GeeTR]

Your close, though narrow and wide bands sensors work in fundamentally different ways leaving WB's, far more sensitive.

Exhaust temp at the stock NB location would exceed 500 on even a stockish car often. Id mount it further down the dump pipe (theres been a recent thread on SAU re: this, have a look)

That said, I think Sydneykid runs his WB in the stock NB location with no issues.

Worst case, the LC1 (as with most controllers) will warn you if the sensors going over its temperature limit. Rem too, you can use commonly available sensor heatsinks.

Edited May 31, 2008 by GeeTR

[Peter]

Thanks GeeTR,

I had a look at the mounting options down the dump pipe and it seems quite easy to do - that's one option.

But, if I were to pursue the stock mounting location, and put a heatsink in, do you think this would be ok, as in would the heatsink be able to keep the sensor cool enough? Also, do I need to buy the heatsink from Innovate, or where can I grab cheaper "commonly available heatsinks"?

Thanks,

Peter

[GeeTR]

Np,

I for the life of me cannot find any others bar the Innovative ones. Theres a Supra tuning mob in Colorado Springs, one of Titan Motorsport's competitors, that used to cut their own heatsinks. There was also a Honda place in Canada, Vteck Sports or something, that i swear used to hock them. Commonly available... as in from the US, not cheap from kmart

I cant tell you if a heatsink would dissipate enough heat, as it depends a lot on your driving style and use for the car. Only recently i was reading a story bout a guy who had the sensor in a heatsink just before the CAT, and he was still killing them, so...

[r33cruiser]

i ran mine from the 02, not ecu.

u should have 2 black wires and 1 white wire or atleast 1 wire that is a different color to the rest. this is the signal wire. simply splice into this wire with the sensor/sender wire from the gauge.

and your done.

then do the earth and power and your laughing

Edited June 3, 2008 by r33cruiser

[Peter]

OK...cool....thanks GeeTR. I think that mounting the sensor in the factory position wont be feasible then, as there is lack of airlfow around that area to adequately cool the heatsink....whereas in the exhaust under the car (or something) there would be alot more airflow...so I might install it there, with a heatsink as well.

r33cruiser, I am wanting to eliminate the stock narrow band completely by installing the wideband. The factory narrow band is not accurate as it only reports 14:1, rich or lean. A wideband sensor tells you exactly what the ratio is. The Innovate Wideband can simulate a narrow band (for factory ECU purposes), output to a A/F Guage (wideband accuracy), as well as output to an E-Manage Ultimate, which can use this output to attempt to reach a target A/F Ratio (from what I understand).

Thanks for the information on the wiring however, as this will make it easy for me to tap into, as the Innovate will put it's "narrow band signal" through these wires.

Peter