wideband air/fuel meter
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Joined: April 30, 2005
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Ok someone please educate me on this.
Wideband air/fuel meter measures air fuel ratio right?
Are these used in conjunction with say a diablo tuner to get your a/f ratio correct?
would this be as good as using a dyno or better?
If all above is correct couldn't you just hook a voltmeter up to one of your stock O2 sensors and get the same results?
Wideband air/fuel meter measures air fuel ratio right?
Are these used in conjunction with say a diablo tuner to get your a/f ratio correct?
would this be as good as using a dyno or better?
If all above is correct couldn't you just hook a voltmeter up to one of your stock O2 sensors and get the same results?
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Joined: February 20, 2005
Posts: 116
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[quote=rakkassan34,July 5, 2005, 11:32 AM]
Wideband air/fuel meter measures air fuel ratio right?
If all above is correct couldn't you just hook a voltmeter up to one of your stock O2 sensors and get the same results?
If you hook up a voltmeter to your existing O2 output you pull some current from the circuit giving you an erroneous reading and your fuel control goes wacky further compounding the problem. A separate sensor and wideband controller ( like AEM's) works perfectly. Since it also has a 0-5 Vdc output you can attach that signal to the new X2 data logging input. If you are going for max power at WOT then a dyno is the only way to go. For setting idle A/F and cruise A/F the separate O2 sensor can help. You need to put in another 'bung' in your exhaust system to facilitate.
Wideband air/fuel meter measures air fuel ratio right?
If all above is correct couldn't you just hook a voltmeter up to one of your stock O2 sensors and get the same results?
If you hook up a voltmeter to your existing O2 output you pull some current from the circuit giving you an erroneous reading and your fuel control goes wacky further compounding the problem. A separate sensor and wideband controller ( like AEM's) works perfectly. Since it also has a 0-5 Vdc output you can attach that signal to the new X2 data logging input. If you are going for max power at WOT then a dyno is the only way to go. For setting idle A/F and cruise A/F the separate O2 sensor can help. You need to put in another 'bung' in your exhaust system to facilitate.
Cobra Member
Joined: November 27, 2004
Posts: 1,303
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From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
MJC302,
There is a HUGE difference between a wideband O2 sensor and a "regular" O2 sensor. The short answer: regular O2 sensor is like a light switch. It either lean or rich. Period (and all those A/F meters that use a regular O2 sensor are feeding you a line of BS). Wide band O2 sensor is like a light dimmer.
the long answer. The cell in a regular O2 sensor is only sensitive to excess O2. Once there IS no excess O2, it's output changes dramatically. The curve from rich to lean is a UGLY stair step type of thing. The output is high, then it drops off VERY quickly in only a few tenths of A/F.
On the other hand, a wideband O2 sensor has two different types of cells. It can read O2 as well as CO2 (if my memory is correct). It's output is very linear from very lean down through very rich. Which means you can get an ACCURATE reading of your actual A/F ratio from one.
Ok, so why don't all cars come with one (or two or four)? Simple: Cost. The wide band sensor itself is a LOT more expensive to make than a regular sensor because it is a lot more complex. Also, for the thing to work right, it has to have a VERY constant electrical current fed to it. Slight variations in this current can cause dramatic changes in the cells output. The only solution to this problem is a very expensive controller that handles all the startup->cell preheat->current regulation steps. While there might be a factor of 3 or 4 difference in sensor cost (coming down thankfully), there is an even greater difference in controller cost.
Because OEMs really only care about stociometric operation while going down the highway, the take the cheap way out. (except in a few cases of lean burning engines. They came with wide band O2s from the factory)
Us performance guys would like to have an accurate indication of our A/F ratio at all throttle settings, so we have to pony up the cash for a true wide band unit.
Oh, and because of the differences in the sensor, controller and even output voltages, you can't just buy a wideband sensor and bolt it up to your exhaust and plug it into your ECU. You have to buy the whole, stand alone package.
There is a HUGE difference between a wideband O2 sensor and a "regular" O2 sensor. The short answer: regular O2 sensor is like a light switch. It either lean or rich. Period (and all those A/F meters that use a regular O2 sensor are feeding you a line of BS). Wide band O2 sensor is like a light dimmer.
the long answer. The cell in a regular O2 sensor is only sensitive to excess O2. Once there IS no excess O2, it's output changes dramatically. The curve from rich to lean is a UGLY stair step type of thing. The output is high, then it drops off VERY quickly in only a few tenths of A/F.
On the other hand, a wideband O2 sensor has two different types of cells. It can read O2 as well as CO2 (if my memory is correct). It's output is very linear from very lean down through very rich. Which means you can get an ACCURATE reading of your actual A/F ratio from one.
Ok, so why don't all cars come with one (or two or four)? Simple: Cost. The wide band sensor itself is a LOT more expensive to make than a regular sensor because it is a lot more complex. Also, for the thing to work right, it has to have a VERY constant electrical current fed to it. Slight variations in this current can cause dramatic changes in the cells output. The only solution to this problem is a very expensive controller that handles all the startup->cell preheat->current regulation steps. While there might be a factor of 3 or 4 difference in sensor cost (coming down thankfully), there is an even greater difference in controller cost.
Because OEMs really only care about stociometric operation while going down the highway, the take the cheap way out. (except in a few cases of lean burning engines. They came with wide band O2s from the factory)
Us performance guys would like to have an accurate indication of our A/F ratio at all throttle settings, so we have to pony up the cash for a true wide band unit.
Oh, and because of the differences in the sensor, controller and even output voltages, you can't just buy a wideband sensor and bolt it up to your exhaust and plug it into your ECU. You have to buy the whole, stand alone package.
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