Air/Fuel Gauge Recommendations

[Bob Childress]

I need a bit of advice from those of you who have been around the block a couple of times.

I am in the middle of finishing off the rear end of my car. An odd angle header tube and the muffler are being replaced. The carburetor is also being re-jetted. I want to install a wide band air/fuel gauge at the same time as I do this other work. What brand and model wide band air/fuel gauge should I use? The car has a Roush 342 with a Holley 770 and a MSD ignition, but no other electronics.

Thanks for your recommendations.

Bob

 

[Gary Gibbs]

I would lean towards one of the couple of data logging ~~$350 wideband O2 units that are available.

 

[Alain Vanhollebeke]

web page
have you looked at the SDS unit?

 

[Pat Buckley]

I am also looking for a recommendation on a Wide Band AF ratio meter.

Bob -

What did you end up doing and do you like it?

Where did you locate the O2 sensor?

Thanks,

Pat

 

[JohnC]

I have an FJO unit:
http://www.fjoracing.com/products/WBAFR/index.php Quality is excellent, and FJO have been in the business longer than most. The FJO has all the bells & whistles that one would want, however their only drawback, and it's common to most others, is that it only reads from 10:1 to 18:1 AFR.

When you're tuning a motor for the first time, invariably it's going to be pig rich, so the AFR meter will be pegged on 10:1 and it's a bit frustrating when your super duper, brand new AFR meter won't tell you "how" rich you are.

The only WB AFR unit I've seen that goes below 10:1 reliably is one made by NGK here: http://www.ngksparkplugs.com//products/air-fuel/index.asp?nav=19000&country=US, however this is a basic unit that doesn't offer data logging or any of the other bells and whistles that the FJO (and others) have.

PLX Devices have a family of units that offer all the bells & whistles of the FJO, but at lower prices. They too have the 10:1 limitation.

John

 

[Lynn Larsen]

The world of Lambda meters has seen the most change in the last few years of any of the engine management components. Since I have not kept up with the competing products, I will not make a recomendation on that.

Edit:Like John, I have an FJO system.

As to placement, the rule has always been: as close to the heads as you can get while placing the sensor in a mixed stream of exhaust gases. Ideally, for the GT40, you would place a sensor in each collector. This would allow you to detect (possible) imbalances between the two banks. With a carburetor, however, there is not a heck of a lot you can do about this, short of changing manifolds- assuming the problem is air/fuel and not something else. For tuning, you can move the sensor to the other collector to check the other bank. Be sure to weld bungs in before any coating is done to the exhaust system.

With many EFI systems, you can play with the maps on an individual cylinder basis or bank-to-bank to balance things out. For better monitoring of individual cylinders, EGT probles can be placed in each header as close to the head as practical. For economy you can put a probe in the leanest/hotest cylinder in each bank, keeping in mind that this can change dependant on the manifold in use. In an aircraft a proper mixture (for cruise) is generally considered as 100º-200º on the rich side of peak EGT.

Regards,
Lynn

 

[Charlie M]

I recently bought the Innovate LM-1 kit. I haven't tried it yet but people on the FF Cobra forum were impressed with it.

Charlie

 

[Ron Earp]

Been using this one, along with lots of boost crazy Lightning people:

http://www.aempower.com/ViewCategory.aspx?CategoryID=67

$250 on Ebay all day long. Works very well, also can be changed for EtOH, MeOH, Propane, etc.

Haven't blown up the Lightning yet and it is safely rich....knock on wood.....slicks, a little blower port, and we might see some 11s!

Ron

 

[Jim Cowden]

www.autronic.com
excellent quality.

Bob did you get that adhesive I sent.
PM if problem

Jim

 

[JayPSC]

Got an Innovate LM-1 on my Volvo & wil be sticking an LC-1 in my RCR, brilliant bit of kit invaluable for tuning.
Jay