Air Fuel Ratio Gauge

[majik2k5]

Getting ready to run out the door, I have very limited time so I couldn't search for this one. But here it goes, anyways.

I got an Autometer Air/Fuel ratio gauge a few months back and I remember someone telling me that without something that gauge was basically useless. Can someone re-jog my memory on this one? I couldn't seem to remember for the life of me.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[robs90tsi]

Well, as far as tuning goes, ya, its useless, and you shouldnt tune based on what the little blinky light does.

 

[clipse0001]

Ok,
Narrowband gauges are useless altogether. I honestly think that they were created to cut down on the civic population in this country. Ricers just cant keep their eyes off of them.

The narrowband gauge is not accurate enough to show anything important because the change from one bar to the next can be the difference of good and blowing up. If you want something that will work well get a wideband. If you can not afford that get a volt display and hook it up to read the O2 voltage which will do you much better then the gauge. If you get a datalogger you will be able to see the O2 gauge.

-Anton-

 

[91boost]

Getting ready to run out the door, I have very limited time so I couldn't search for this one. But here it goes, anyways.

I got an Autometer Air/Fuel ratio gauge a few months back and I remember someone telling me that without something that gauge was basically useless. Can someone re-jog my memory on this one? I couldn't seem to remember for the life of me.

Any help is appreciated.

They are not completely useless. They give you a general idea of how rich/lean your car is running. Not at all good enough to tune with, but definitely not useless.

And of course there is always the light show!!!

 

[majik2k5]

Well, my A/F ration gauge is almost pinned at rich when I run WOT, so I was going to lean it out some with my MAFT for now, but I wasn't 100% about it.

 

[91gsx_turbo]

make sure if you do lean your fuel curve out that its a safe mixutre of air/fuel or you will destory your engine.

 

[kspharris]

Yeah I agree with the population on this one it is not a good tuning device. I have one but just to fill a spot in my gauge pod. That is about all it is good for other than to get the honduh guys to gawk at it.

 

[GOT EVO]

narowband is useless. The only thing worthwile is a wideband 02. You can get a PLX wideband for under $300

 

[boostedinaz]

Getting ready to run out the door, I have very limited time so I couldn't search for this one. But here it goes, anyways.

This is the first problem. We all have busy lives and you could have easily just searched when you got home.


There are so many threads about this is isn't even funny. If you feel the need to use it as a tunning device then anything that happens to your motor is deserved.

This all may sounds harsh, but again this has been covered at least once a week for years, please save everyone time and search.

 

[Black94DSM]

It was my understanding that these gauges monitor at a different Air/Fuel than our cars run at. So they are usless. Unless you get the modded version of them. Cant remember who does the modded ones, but they are out there.

But yeah narrow band tunning sucks.

 

[1GawdJunkie]

Just to help,

The stock mixture is rich anyway. You have already leaned it out slightly with your hacked/GM maf??. Leave it alone and find something better to tune with

 

[boostedinaz]

Unless you get the modded version of them. Cant remember who does the modded ones, but they are out there.

But yeah narrow band tunning sucks.

As in everyother thread about this.

It has NOTHING to do with the gauge. The sensor is the problem as it is a narrow band and not accurate for anything but drivabilty. The modified gauges just read a different voltage range than the stock gauge. Insted of reading 0 to 1 volt they will read from say .75 to 1 volt.

 

[Black94DSM]

I agree with you, but i was saying the modded gauge would be the better one to get because it would be closer to our o2 sensors operating range.

 

[boostedinaz]

I agree with you, but i was saying the modded gauge would be the better one to get because it would be closer to our o2 sensors operating range.

It would be even less accurate. Our stock operating range is 0 to 1 volt. The normal gauge displays this as it should. The modified gauges that I have seen narrow this range down to say .80 to 1 volt and use the entire display for that small range. This means any thing under that range is not bein displayed at all. Basically you have no visual cue to tell you if you are running lean. The thinking behind this is that since the smaller voltage range is displayed over a larger visual range the reading will be more accurate. This is false becasue the stock sensor that is telling ANY gauge what to display is still a POS for tunning.

Not bustin your chops just putting out facts.