Road Tuning: Wideband AFR Meter
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Wideband AFR Meter
02.57
| 00:00 | Since we need to be able to see exactly what the air fuel ratio is doing at any time, a high speed, accurate AFR meter is the first essential tool in your toolbox. |
| 00:11 | I personally use Innovate's LM-2 wideband meter, which offers dual sensor inputs. |
| 00:17 | This is ideal for V-configuration engines, where you can check both banks at the same time. |
| 00:23 | While I use the LM-2, there are a number of brands available that will do the job. |
| 00:28 | The important aspect for me is that I've checked the output of the LM-2 against my dyno, and I know the LM-2 reads the same as the MoTeC Professional lambda meters in my dyno. |
| 00:40 | This means I'm not going to be chasing my tail on the road because I have two meters that read different values, and I can trust the results. |
| 00:49 | It's common practice by many tuners to use a tail pipe extension, which allows the wideband sensor to be fitted at the exhaust tip. |
| 00:57 | While this is quick and easy, not requiring the exhaust to be modified, the accuracy does suffer and the sensor can be affected by ambient air entering the exhaust tip. |
| 01:08 | This is more prevalent at low exhaust gas flow volumes, which we might expect to see at idle or light throttle cruise. |
| 01:16 | For best accuracy, I recommend taking the time to weld a fitting into the exhaust system for the wideband sensor. |
| 01:23 | The two common sensors used for wideband meters are the Bosch LSU sensor and the NTK Uego sensor. |
| 01:31 | The Bosch LSU sensor is the more common option, and the sensors are cheaper. |
| 01:36 | I've found that LSU sensors are less tolerant of leaded fuels, and they don't last as long as the NTK sensors though. |
| 01:44 | Wideband sensors don't really like excessive heat or moisture, and you can improve the sensor life by careful placement in the exhaust. |
| 01:52 | Never mount the sensor on the underside of the exhaust pipe where moisture tends to pool. |
| 01:57 | Instead I prefer to mount the sensor to the side of the exhaust or at the top like this. |
| 02:04 | With a naturally aspirated engine I usually mount the sensor in the exhaust collector, where it can sample all the cylinders. |
| 02:12 | On a turbocharged engine, the sensor should be mounted around 500 millimetres from the turbine outlet. |
| 02:18 | While these are the ideal locations, sometimes you need to make do with where you can actually fit the sensor. |
| 02:25 | While I've said we need a wideband AFR meter, that's only one way of getting the data we need. |
| 02:32 | With wideband AFR gauge kits becoming so affordable, this is a nice alternative and it can be mounted permanently somewhere on the dash so you can check AFR at a glance. |
| 02:43 | If you're only looking at tuning one car, perhaps your own, this option makes the most sense and these gauge kits can save you a bunch of cash over buying a portable wideband meter. |
