Air/Fuel gauges

[83Shelby]

This may sound ignorant,but what exactly is the difference between a regular a/f and wideband a/f gauge?

[minigts]

I think the narrow band will only measure values within a certain range, like 13-14. It's like stretching values for 13-14 (for example) around the entire gauge. So if you go outside the range, it will just sit at one side or the other until it falls back within the gauge range. That's why when you use a narrow band gauge, it will typically peg to rich or lean pretty quick at WOT or no throttle, whereas a wide band has more values to report at WOT and no throttle. That is how I understand it.

I guess to add, say you are running 13.1 and the gauge can measure that, anything below 13.0 it cannot so the gauge will just light up the last rich indicator until you get above that value.

[turbovanman²]

Narrow band use's the cars factory oxygen sensor and only reads at WOT-for 99% of the population, this is a very safe way of monitoring AF at WOT. Now if you start tweaking the calibration on your own or want more piece of mind, then you get a wideband, that use's its own sensor and reads AF from 9:1 which is pig rich to 20:1 which is pig lean and inbetween. Years ago, WB's were stupid expensive so not many owned one but now, you can get kit's for under $200 and the sensors are now around $70 to replace. Hope this helps.

[Aries_Turbo]

narrowband range



wideband range



wideband is far more accurate than a narrowband gauge.

brian

[tsiconquest88]

^ well that obvious brian haha

[Aries_Turbo]

^ well that obvious brian haha

i was just trying to head simon off at the pass when he says something about his Dawes being "bang on"

brian

[turbovanman²]

i was just trying to head simon off at the pass when he says something about his Dawes being "bang on"

brian

Because it is,

Yellow is safe, not sure what more you want it to say?

[GLHNSLHT2]

Narrow band use's the cars factory oxygen sensor and only reads at WOT-for 99% of the population,

BZZT! Wrong. Factory Narrowband ONLY READS AT STOICH!

this is a very safe way of monitoring AF at WOT.

BZZT AGAIN! It's a very dangerous way of monitoring a/f as you really have ZERO clue to what a/f you really have. Do you have a safe 11-12:1 ratio or a dangerous 13.5-14:1 a/f ratio?? You don't know.

Now if you start tweaking the calibration on your own or want more piece of mind, then you get a wideband, that use's its own sensor and reads AF from 9:1 which is pig rich to 20:1 which is pig lean and inbetween. Years ago, WB's were stupid expensive so not many owned one but now, you can get kit's for under $200 and the sensors are now around $70 to replace. Hope this helps.

You want to know if you're in the safe 11-12:1 zone at WOT and a Wideband is the only way you can do it.

[tsiconquest88]

ohhhh boy, one extreme to the other lol.

[83Shelby]

Dude........I'm pretty sure I'm more confused than before I asked.So unless I start changing cals,a narrow band should be alright? I've got an 88 CSX-T with a 2.5 out of an 89 Daytona Shelby.I wanted to change the Mitsu to a Garrett T2,with the swingvalve and using an intercooler out of a Conquest.What do you guys think?

[tsiconquest88]

i used an Ic from one of my starquests on my mini, so yea i say go for it lol. As for the rest idk haha. if your going that extent with the rest i would say go with the WB setup. Narrowband is adequent for stock with some minor upgrades like raising boost a little when upgrading the fuel pump/reg, etc. But going your route might as well go WB.... IMO

[GLHNSLHT2]

Yo didn't tell us your setup. You just asked what the difference is. Which Aries tried to do but one of his charts is missing. And I corrected simon's post.

A gauge to read your narrowband stock sensor really only tells you if the sensor is working properly or not by switching quickly at stoich. If it's lazy then the sensor is on it's way out. It should bounce like this.


See how all it's telling you is if you're switching around stoich? You have no idea where you are. The Dawes doesn't even tell you that. It just tells you if you're richer than 13.5:1 Here's the graph Aries needed in his post for the narrowband.


The only time you have even the slightest clue as to the a/f is between 14:1 and 15:1. other than that the senor just outputs almost a straight voltage. Oh, and EGT will move that curve up and down in the Y plane too. Here's a good read on how everything works.

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/resources/news3.php

[83Shelby]

Thanks everybody,it's becoming more clear now.I'm just trying to avoid hearing things go BANG under the hood!

[Aries_Turbo]

Here's the graph Aries needed in his post for the narrowband.

well thats wierd. the image was working fine when i posted it up yesterday.

Brian

[GLHNSLHT2]

well when I looked yesterday it wasn't there I was just too lazy to say or do anything.

[GLHNSLHT2]

I like this one showing how EGT which affects sensor temp changes the narrowband output.

[tsiconquest88]

to add to this all, this might kind of throw some confusion in the mix but here is a gauge for narrowband but gives numbered details.... so this must be accurate i would think? its setup like a WB gauge...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

[83Shelby]

Yeah.............it did!

[tsiconquest88]

is that resonse to what i just asked? or something else? confused cus ur response doesnt help me at all with the link and my question haha.

[GLHNSLHT2]

The problem is not the gauge. It's the sensor itself. Just look at the graphs and read the article I posted. The guage might be accurate to state a certain a/f at a certain voltage. But the voltage changes with a/f or just puts out a certain flat voltage reading above a certain a/f ratio.