Finally Got Around To Install My Gauges... quick question.

[CarTrader29]

I finally installed my gauges today. Boost gauge is fine but I have a question. I know the a/f guage is getting power but is it normal for the gauge to go way past lean and not light up any LEDs? Cuz when I drive it runs rich but when I let off the throttle sometimes it goes all the way lean and the LED doesnt light for about a second or two. Then it comes back on and its fine. Is this normal?

 

[dsmayhem]

A/F gauges are notorious for not being accurate when hooked up to our narrowband O2 sensors, so I wouldn't worry about it either way because unless you have a wideband O2 setup its nothing more than a flashy light.

 

[Staytuned]

When you let off the throttle the ECU shuts off the injectors shortly after....very normal not to see any LED's at this point.

 

[CarTrader29]

I dont know if I even installed it correctly. I have a feeling the constant power source I used has something wrong. When I start it up the LEDs light up one by one slowly now say the LEDs are lit up on the 4th bar and I turn on my headlights it goes down 2 bars. When I press my brakes and the gauge is like 3 bars lean it goes down 2 bars... once the car is fully warm I have no issues with the gauge. Goes back and forth from Lean to stoich. Doesnt matter what constant 12v source is used right? All that needs to be applied is a 12v source, ground, and o2 voltage right? It works but I dont know if its working correctly. I think I installed it wrong? Maybe i should be using another 12v source? I know there inaccurate but i'm only going to use it for a few months since it was a gift. I dont want to seem like a deuche bag and not use it.

 

[CarTrader29]

does the voltage drop because I turn on accessories? It only happens when cold.

 

[justin_5585]

IIRC we have a heated o2 sensor, so until it reaches x degrees, it will read lean on the sensor, I know mine reads one bar in the lean first, then two after a bit of warming up, then after about three minutes of idling it reads normally (and by normally i mean like a damned christmas light show). Just my experiences though.

-justin

 

[dave99gst]

did you ground it at the ECU ?

 

[CarTrader29]

IIRC we have a heated o2 sensor, so until it reaches x degrees, it will read lean on the sensor, I know mine reads one bar in the lean first, then two after a bit of warming up, then after about three minutes of idling it reads normally (and by normally i mean like a damned christmas light show). Just my experiences though.

-justin

Yea thats how it starts up but I was thinking since I apply the brake or turn on the headlights it lowers voltage which is why I go back down 1 or 2 bars. After it warms up its a light show.

did you ground it at the ECU ?

I have a 1G so the only way I did my ecu signal is with the wire on the passenger kick panel. Power wire to a 12v source and ground to the chasis.

It works great after it warms up but like I said before I think it drops a bar or two because I turn on the headlights or apply the brakes. Other than that its working great.

 

[CarTrader29]

I think where I tapped for power source is a bad spot. Can anyone tell me which wire I can tap on a 1G for my gauge?

 

[vmcinc2004]

I was going to do my guages this weekend and had thought the a/f guage went to the 02 sensor wire??

 

[CarTrader29]

On a 1 G theres a clip on the passengerside kick panel for the o2 voltage. I hooked it up there. I figured out why my gauge would lose voltage. It was a bad ground. I grounded it to the ground wire on the dimmer instead of the chasis. One I grounded on the chasis everything was good.