bouncing air fuel gauge

[mathew82284]

I just intalled my boost gauge which works great, vac is at 20 at idle, The problem im having is i intalled the air fuel ratio gauge and it just keeps bouncing arround it goes from poor to avarage to rich within seconds just at idle it also does this wile driving. I fallowed the instruction on the page below just for the 02 wire connection the power and ground i found else where

http://www.roadraceengineering.com/instructions/afmeterinstallinstructions.htm

 

[1993eclipseGS]

Congratulations, This is what you will be seeing the whole time the a/f gauge is installed. Unless it's a wideband, You bought yourself a blinking light show.

 

[mathew82284]

Congratulations, This is what you will be seeing the whole time the a/f gauge is installed. Unless it's a wideband, You bought yourself a blinking light show.

Im verry new to these cars and gauges, what do you mean by wideband? Also why would my meter do this? Shouldnt it work like its supposed to?

 

[1993eclipseGS]

Matt,

That's the thing. The gauge is doing exactly what it is suppose to. It doesn't do much, And is not accurate to actually tune off of. If you use the search feature, And search for a/f gauges, And then wideband , You would get all the answers you needed.

 

[Jeff822]

What 1993eclipseGS means is that narrowband A/F gauges dont work for crap they are just basically a light show, if you need a A/F gauge for tuning go with a wide band such as the aem wideband o2 gauge, the one you have on now is probably not a wideband gauge and is worthless for you so dont worry about it going back and fourth it is not accurate.

 

[UnderPrssureDSM]

www.gadgetseller.com to modify your A/F gauge and make it useful.

 

[Slippi84]

if this is so easy why hasn't someone else figured this out by now and autometer just sell their gauges liek this from the get go. I am definately sending my a/f gauge away. I just had mine installed for shits and giggles but I figure if I do this then it will be a better tool. I still wouldn't use it primarily to tune as I don't need to anyway cause I have the link but still it's better than it is now.

 

[Talesin]

Short version, a wideband O2 uses a seperate sensor that has to be installed in front of your catalytic converter (if so equipped), but gives you a stable, accurate measurement of your air to fuel ratio, usually from 0v-5v, allowing a much finer degree of resolution.

An A/F Gauge taps into the stock narrowband O2 sensor, which as a function of its stock operation, generally only goes between 0v-1v. In addition, it cycles between a low and high value, though the high is the 'actual' read. It doesn't give a very accurate picture of what's actually going on, even watching it on a logger and ignoring the drop-cycling.
The narrowband AFR gauge, even in modified form, will continue to tell you one thing. That your narrowband O2 sensor is still working.
From the modification listed on that link, it'll just get more erratic... you just won't see all the way to the bottom of the cycling, essentially 'zooming in' on the 'acceptable' WOT O2 range.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Narrowband O2 AFR gauges are junk. They're a lightshow. Leave them to the Hondas, save up a little, and buy a proper Wideband O2 if you're serious about tuning.

 

[Slippi84]

Short version, a wideband O2 uses a seperate sensor that has to be installed in front of your catalytic converter (if so equipped), but gives you a stable, accurate measurement of your air to fuel ratio, usually from 0v-5v, allowing a much finer degree of resolution.

An A/F Gauge taps into the stock narrowband O2 sensor, which as a function of its stock operation, generally only goes between 0v-1v. In addition, it cycles between a low and high value, though the high is the 'actual' read. It doesn't give a very accurate picture of what's actually going on, even watching it on a logger and ignoring the drop-cycling.
The narrowband AFR gauge, even in modified form, will continue to tell you one thing. That your narrowband O2 sensor is still working.
From the modification listed on that link, it'll just get more erratic... you just won't see all the way to the bottom of the cycling, essentially 'zooming in' on the 'acceptable' WOT O2 range.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Narrowband O2 AFR gauges are junk. They're a lightshow. Leave them to the Hondas, save up a little, and buy a proper Wideband O2 if you're serious about tuning.

Yeah I agree but if you have one might as well get this done cause everyone keeps saying they're junk how the hell am I gonna sell it

 

[andymoraitis]

Yeah I agree but if you have one might as well get this done cause everyone keeps saying they're junk how the hell am I gonna sell it

Put it up for sale on ebay. You'll have it sold in no time.

 

[Slippi84]

Put it up for sale on ebay. You'll have it sold in no time.

Naw it's not even worth the trouble I bout it for like 75 bucs shipped and it came with oil pressure guage boost gauge and a 3 pod pillar. It's worth it for the boost guage I got alone so i'm good.

 

[MyBeatGSX]

We just had like a 10 page debate on this. If you want to know more then you'll ever need. Go back a page or two and find the topic titled "is a/f gauge worth it" or something like that.

 

[Slippi84]

We just had like a 10 page debate on this. If you want to know more then you'll ever need. Go back a page or two and find the topic titled "is a/f gauge worth it" or something like that.

I read anbd posted in that thread I know which one your talkin about. To be honest in a month or so i'll get a wideband hooked up to my link and i'll be good anyway so it's not worth doing really. It does look cool the whole light show thing I know people say it's rice but no more than decals on your car.

 

[Talesin]

Which is why the only decal on my car is for my mechanic, as he knocks 50% off the labor if I toss business cards at people during meets. Then again, I'm big on being sleeper, to the point of removing the X from my rear bumper, along with the 'DOHC 16V TURBO' stripe. Only bit that gives me away from normal walking/driving height is the 'trimless' body style with the aero package.. not even sure if those were offered on the actual NA 90 GS. Managed to get a number of local DSMers to fall for it, until they heard the turbo spool.

As a suggestion, just toss the A/F gauge up on a Honda forum sell list, your local Recycler/craigslist, or sell it to a smaller aftermarket shop. It'll get snapped up quick by someone who doesn't know any better.

 

[Slippi84]

Which is why the only decal on my car is for my mechanic, as he knocks 50% off the labor if I toss business cards at people during meets. Then again, I'm big on being sleeper, to the point of removing the X from my rear bumper, along with the 'DOHC 16V TURBO' stripe. Only bit that gives me away from normal walking/driving height is the 'trimless' body style with the aero package.. not even sure if those were offered on the actual NA 90 GS. Managed to get a number of local DSMers to fall for it, until they heard the turbo spool.

As a suggestion, just toss the A/F gauge up on a Honda forum sell list, your local Recycler/craigslist, or sell it to a smaller aftermarket shop. It'll get snapped up quick by someone who doesn't know any better.

I feel bad though . Even ricer honda owners need to be educated and deserve a right to quit rice. They should make like rice patches like when your trying to quit smokin

 

[Talesin]

So... cure a ricer by adding MORE stickers?

 

[Slippi84]

So... cure a ricer by adding MORE stickers?

I never said put stickers on I just said they are as rice as a a/f guage.

 

[UnderPrssureDSM]

From the modification listed on that link, it'll just get more erratic... you just won't see all the way to the bottom of the cycling, essentially 'zooming in' on the 'acceptable' WOT O2 range.

Exactly why it's done. No one needs to see the cycling at part-throttle. WOT is exactly where you need to see what's going on.

 

[dave99gst]

it does provide some function -
It will show the signs of a healthy o2 sensor - (cycling )
and will alert you to a exteamly lean condition.

 

[nightspeed87]

yea i was just about to say thatr, so while you have it just make sure that its not running lean when your accelerating, i have one that i got for free so i hooked it up for the hell of it, and mines is green while i accelerate, but dont pay it no attention during cruising and idle ### its inaccurate, but it will give an idea of how ## doing as far as leaness....