anybody have any experience with wideband O2 sensors?, is so step inside
I am tuning my newly supercharged 93 corvette. I am using tunerpro, and the proper definition file, to tweak my WOT air/fuel ratios.
Anyways, I want to get a wideband O2 sensor to monitor A/F ratios in real-time while driving.
I plan on just welding in another bung for it behind my existing narrowband O2 sensors - which will still be used by the stock ECU for part-throttle trims.
My questions are:
1. Does any manufacturer make a better gauge than the other?
2. Is it worth the expense to get a guage with 'playback capability' or is eyeballing it during WOT runs usually good enough?
3. I see kits with Bosch 4.2 and a Bosch 4.9 wideband exhaust sensor. The only difference I can ascertain is that the Bosch 4.9 measures 10 to 20:1 AFR vs. 11 to 16:1 AFR.
4. Are wideband O2 sensors 'heated'?
5. Where should I weld the bung in at on my exhaust system? Does it need to be close to the header collector where it is real hot, or can it be downstream farther?
6. Whats better, a digital wideband gage or analog one?
7. Which bank should I monitor, left (Drivers side) or right bank? Note: its not clear whether an LT1 exhaust has significant cross-over.
Its rather just a 'true-dual' type setup. (Im leaning towards monitoring the driver's side bank since thats the bank that is at most risk of leaning out due to 2 adjacent cylinders firing one right after the other.)
The gauge Im looking at, due to cost and function, is made by AEMpower. I like the combination of digital and analog readout. The red readout goes best with 'orange' backlights on my 93 and the combination of analog and digital make it real clear if Im leaning out.
Well, I didn't respond to your other thread because you required extensive experience with Corvette's as well, which I don't have. I do have, on the other hand, experience tuning engine management systems for a very good number of years. I've tuned forced induction, as well as N/A cars...if I had to guess I'd say roughly 80-100 cars over the past 7 years.
1. Every manufacturer has their differences, but some are very proven and used frequently by the "tuning" community, so that's what I go with.
2. You need some type of datalogging ability vs rpm at minimum. If your management system offers datalogging vs load and rpm that'd be ideal to aid in tuning. At minimum though, you need some type of log vs rpm, so that when you do a WOT pull you can look back and tweak the tune where needed.
3. I'm not aware of any difference in terms of quality, they just provide a different scale like you've pointed out.
4. Yes, all wideband O2's are heated. Heating a sensor provides better accuracy and gets a sensor up to temperature without having to rely on exhaust heat. This allows the O2 to better clean itself and protect itself from condensation.
5. The bung should be wherever all your cylinders merge into one, and it should be pre-cat so the air-fuel isn't altered. If your system is truly seperated, I'd place it on whatever bank carries the known leanest cylinder in the system. I've read on Corvettes that that is generally cyl 7, but I'm not sure on the accuracy of that claim.
6. I would assume it comes down to what you prefer to read. Personally a digital gauge, in my opinion is simpler and more readily accurate to look at. If your datalogging through the unit itself, I'd personally want a digital readout versus a needle.
The AEM Uego works well. I've tuned cars with my own LM2 Innovate unit and the AEM side by side. Both are accurate of course. The AEM still runs in the customers car I tuned with no issues for some time now.
Look at the zeitronix web site. www.zeitronix.com I have their wide band and the software is user friendly with a laptop. They have extensive experience with turbos and blowers for tuning with boost. The price is hard to beat also. Pay attention driving during your wide open runs . Look at the data log later, not while driving wide open. Good luck, MSTRS 2
If I could jump in and ask a question. Will these wide band o2 units record rich or lean for all rpm points in one pass? Reason I ask I have a electronic egt gauge with a hold feature but you have to chose where you want the temp reading at.It might take multiple times to get all rpms. Also my buddy's o2 unit jumped around so much It was hard to tell what it was reading.Any of these have this problem? Thanks Tim
The Zeitronix software will record real time data from a run or normal drive and you can play it back and watch the actual AFR graph go up and down based on the engine rpm. you will need to connect to the tach/distributor with the RPM signal wire. Very handy when tuning an engine.
Quote: Will these wide band o2 units record rich or lean for all rpm points in one pass? Reason I ask I have a electronic egt gauge with a hold feature but you have to chose where you want the temp reading at.
I use Innovate. The software will record the entire pass. The data is held in controller and downloaded to a file with laptop. I think you can log directly to laptop as well. I remove controller from car and download at kitchen table. In fact I believe it will go 20 minutes if I care to. The log shows A/F or lamda, RPM, TPS and MAP values. I believe there is a way to capture a specfic event if you use a laptop along with. space key?
I also ran EGT years ago and I remember a push button that would mark an event as optional access.
I will suggest from my own experience it is best to have bung 10-20 inches behind collector flange. At flange I overheated sensor and failed. I would opt for the sensor extendo bung as well.
Excellent questions Dizwizz24, i've been pondering many of the same. Until now I thought the wideband O2 sat in situ of the stock one and just had an extra narrow band signal for the PCM.
Good luck
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anybody have any experience with wideband O2 sensors?, is so step inside
