Air/Fuel Ratio Meter. Anyone tried this?

[ausgezeichnet]

Has any one tried a A/F ratio meter like this that ties into your 02 sensor? It's only $60.

http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsCat.aspx?CategoryID=1460&NodeID=4990&RootID=629

[Wil Ferch]

Would need a wide band 02 sensor to work properly throughout the listed range...but is likely hooked up to a narrow-band ( normal...as seen on cars for emission control equipment) unit.

Basically...it'll tell you if you're really rich or eally lean...and not much resolution in between.

- Wil

[kuehl]

Look at these:
http://www.wmsracing.com/pgi-CustomListProducts?Air/Fuel%20Ratio%20Gauges,2,160,=,airfuel
http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=16164&cat=252&page=1

You want, as Wil pointed out, a wide band 02 sensor and a "box".

The box takes the signal from the wide band 02 sensor and displays it in either numeric display or an array of LED's. Though lights are quicker to see you need to know the value assigned to them. With a numeric display you usually want to see how much below or above "near perfect AFR of 14.7" (or what ever boggy you set up for your engine's character); a range of say 10.0 (rich) to 20.0 (lean) for example. The box does all the work and it can be as small as a credit card (such as the WMS model) or it can be built into a traditional round gauge.

If your engine currently uses an O2 sensor that talks to the ECU (your engine computer) you'll want a model or brand that also provides the standard "narrow band" signal you provide to your ECU so you don't need to have two 02 sensors.

If you don't have an 02 sensor you'll need to simply weld a fitting into the correct location of your exhaust to screw in the 02 sensor. If you plan ahead you'll figure out how many linear feet of cable coming off the 02 sensor you'll need to reach the display in the cockpit. Assume many designs are for "front engine" cars so ask if you can cut and splice.

There are a few more manufacturers out there today as compared to years ago and prices are now getting competitive. I installed one in my 3.2 lit and what I liked about the brand I chose was: a) the simple data output cable and software that came with it so I can record to my laptop (in this case RPM's and the AFR), b) the lenth of the cable from the 02 sensor to the "box", c) good tech support. Nice added features, but you pay for more goodies, are a set point or range warning light or beeper (which can drive you crazy), a given storage of data to download or real time data output (typically through a USB).

I'm sure you'll hear about how this brand or that brand is superior than another so best to shop the features first and see how responsive they are on the tech support side (especially instructions written for the layman).

Most brands today use a common Bosch brand wide band sensor. Prices are typically $400.00 give or take for a reasonable unit. Anything half the price today may not be "wide band" but rather "narrow band" which as Wil noted will simply tell you that you are "rich" or "lean" and nothing in between..... so if detonation from a lean mixture is a potential problem with your engine or engine mod's you'll want to know how lean before it's too late.

[Jack Olsen]

Yeah, if you do a search, you'll find lots of info on wide band sensors. Without one, that gauge is just sixty wasted bucks.

[911pcars]

Yep. Lots of wide band single sensor kits on the market. What would be ideal for opposed cylinder arrangements is a dual wide band sensor setup to monitor each bank (better yet, each cylinder) and processed by one box (gotta have the proper electronics to support multiple WB sensors). There's a few companies that provide this type product, so it's not as competitive in this area yet.

Sherwood

[Joe Bob]

Check out Innovate....
http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/

I just bought one for my turbo Speedster.