A/F ratio Gauge
11-02-2007, 05:22 PM
#1
Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 97
A/F ratio Gauge
So stupidly i bought a narrow band a/f ratio gauge and im not qutie sure what to do about it. I really don't have 350 to spend on the aem, cuz i just ordered my turbonetics kit like 3 days ago 
and i want to make sure i have enough money saved incase i run into any problems with the install. So anyone got any ideas on what to do about makin this gauge work?
and i want to make sure i have enough money saved incase i run into any problems with the install. So anyone got any ideas on what to do about makin this gauge work?
11-02-2007, 05:27 PM
#2
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wheatridge,Colorado
Posts: 148
I used one just to have an idea were the car was at A/F wise. Have it tuned at a shop and keep the gauge and if it goes really lean you will know. IMO the only thing people use wide bands for is to tune it on there own.
11-02-2007, 06:48 PM
#5
Senior Member
SL Member
Scion Evolution
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Andersen AFB, Guam
Posts: 5,277
Here, read for yourself:
Wideband O2 Sensors -- What is the difference from narrowband O2 sensors?
Narrowband O2 sensors are designed only to measure the stoichiometric air-fuel-ratio (AFR) for gasoline, i.e. 14.7:1. Wideband O2 sensors have a broader effective range of sensing. The effective ranges of narrowband (upper image) and wideband O2 sensors (lower image) are represented in the two graphs to the right . The voltage range between the two black bars indicates the greater range of the AFR in which a wideband O2 sensor can operate. Narrowband sensors can only tell you when the AFR is 14.7:1. Although it can also tell you when you are richer or leaner, it cannot tell you by how much. A wideband O2 sensor can.
Narrowband O2 sensors are designed only to measure the stoichiometric air-fuel-ratio (AFR) for gasoline, i.e. 14.7:1. Wideband O2 sensors have a broader effective range of sensing. The effective ranges of narrowband (upper image) and wideband O2 sensors (lower image) are represented in the two graphs to the right . The voltage range between the two black bars indicates the greater range of the AFR in which a wideband O2 sensor can operate. Narrowband sensors can only tell you when the AFR is 14.7:1. Although it can also tell you when you are richer or leaner, it cannot tell you by how much. A wideband O2 sensor can.
11-02-2007, 06:51 PM
#6
Senior Member
SL Member
Scion Evolution
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Andersen AFB, Guam
Posts: 5,277
So, pretty much said, a narrowband will tell you when your car is stoich, 14,7. It will also tell you when it is lean/ rich.
BUT, WHAT EXACTLY IS LEAN RICH?? exactly, the gauge wont tell you.
Is what the guage considers lean/rich outside of the limits of what a Scion tC can sustain? Since a narrowband cant tell you what number it is reading, you have no idea of knowing. So how does that help?
Just my opinion tho. dont want a ____ing match like I got into on another thread about this same subject.
pretty much do research, and trust who you choose to.
BUT, WHAT EXACTLY IS LEAN RICH?? exactly, the gauge wont tell you.
Is what the guage considers lean/rich outside of the limits of what a Scion tC can sustain? Since a narrowband cant tell you what number it is reading, you have no idea of knowing. So how does that help?
Just my opinion tho. dont want a ____ing match like I got into on another thread about this same subject.
pretty much do research, and trust who you choose to.
11-02-2007, 06:57 PM
#7
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: VEGAS BABY!
Posts: 9,061
Well, if you go to a tuner, they are going to plug their own wideband in anyway for logging, so they will have correct readings.
You can then use your narrowband to keep tabs on it going extreem rich or lean (I guess) which it shouldn't do since you had a tune shop tune your car.
If you are street tuning, or not tuning at all, then you need the wideband, and the money you are trying to save in case you run into problems will be used very quickly because you WILL run into problems.
You can then use your narrowband to keep tabs on it going extreem rich or lean (I guess) which it shouldn't do since you had a tune shop tune your car.
If you are street tuning, or not tuning at all, then you need the wideband, and the money you are trying to save in case you run into problems will be used very quickly because you WILL run into problems.
11-02-2007, 09:11 PM
#8
Senior Member
SoCal tC Club
SL Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Posts: 3,003
In short, the narrowband will pretty much be a useless gauge but not completely non-functinal. It will tell you around where you're running (lean, rich, stoich), but not to point, and not exactly where. If it make you feel better, you can keep it for now just as a precaution, and when u get the cash, get the wideband with o2 sensor, and swap them out.
11-03-2007, 06:06 AM
#9
Member
SL Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 97
Thanks for the imput guys i think i am gonna do that, keep this one for a precaution untill i get everything else done, and im using a unichip piggyback which comes pretuend at 8 psi so i SHOULDN'T run into any problems, but we all know how that goes
11-03-2007, 06:19 AM
#10
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: 909 CA
Posts: 748
if you want, i have a friend who is selling his wideband kit... its a zeitronix zt2... comes with wideband sensor, software, brain, wires, instructions. basically everything you need... check it out at zeitronix.com for further info... he is selling his for 250 shipped i think... i can double check... if your interested, let me know... oh yeah, i use the same wideband too. works great.
11-03-2007, 10:10 PM
#12
Senior Member
SL Member
Scinergy
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Fontana, CA
Posts: 651
So if you are going boosted, A/FR gauge is highly recommended?
I have one, haven't had time to install my gauges, but never got into the background of the wideband, narrowband O2 sensor. Our cars runs narrowband and it;s 250+ to get a wideband?
I have one, haven't had time to install my gauges, but never got into the background of the wideband, narrowband O2 sensor. Our cars runs narrowband and it;s 250+ to get a wideband?
11-04-2007, 01:15 AM
#13
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 29
If your going boosted a wb gauge is not just recomended, it is a neccesity. All tuner's use a wb to tune your car.
And the narrowband that the factory ecu uses, only sees it as a value, mainly to go from open loop to closed loop. They don't really have alot of adjustability in them. They go off pre set maps. Remember this is a comuter car with a sporty image. The car is mainly designed to start and drive everyday w/ as little problems as possible.
A used 1 may cost only $250.00 if you can find 1 for that price.
And the narrowband that the factory ecu uses, only sees it as a value, mainly to go from open loop to closed loop. They don't really have alot of adjustability in them. They go off pre set maps. Remember this is a comuter car with a sporty image. The car is mainly designed to start and drive everyday w/ as little problems as possible.
A used 1 may cost only $250.00 if you can find 1 for that price.
11-04-2007, 03:40 PM
#14
Senior Member
SL Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: 909 CA
Posts: 748
^^ heres a website for the wideband i use
www.zeitronix.com
and here is the one that my friend is selling for 250 shipped
its the first one...
http://www.zeitronix.com/order/order.htm
the price on their website does not come with shipping and handling and if your in CA, you need to add tax on that price too... my friends is brand new, never used. LMK.
www.zeitronix.com
and here is the one that my friend is selling for 250 shipped
its the first one...
http://www.zeitronix.com/order/order.htm
the price on their website does not come with shipping and handling and if your in CA, you need to add tax on that price too... my friends is brand new, never used. LMK.
11-07-2007, 03:35 AM
#15
I thought the o2 sensor in the header was already a wideband sensor.So in theory,couldn't you just tap into that with a gauge like so?:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Holle...ayphotohosting
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Holle...ayphotohosting