Air Fuel Ratio Meters...who makes a cheap one that works well?
07-12-2013, 06:56 AM
#12
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iTrader: (3)
Id at least get a wideband in your hands for initial setup. On a marine blown application, you most definitely want to be sure you're not lean. You want to be in the low 11 AFR range under boost. I think everyone has this imaginary thought in their heads that running low 11's under boost is extremely rich, no good for power, diluting oil, etc. It really isn't. Set up a blower engine with those afr's, install some fresh plugs, do a wot pass, and take a look at them. They wont be nearly as fat looking as you think. The fuel's we get nowadays is garbage.
Mike Tkach and I have dynoed several forced induction BBC's with the 02's and EGT's hooked up on the dyno. Going from 11.0 at 6000 to 11.8 at 6000, netted about a 10hp gain on a dyno pull. This is on a 1200HP engine. 10HP isn't $hit at that point. I'd rather keep the pistons in good shape. And that's on a quick dyno pull. On the lake, when your WFO open for miles, the little extra fuel also helps cool the blower, and intake charge. It also may aid in making more power on a lake wot run, because of this.
Depending on the application, bank to bank afr's can be off quite a bit. My blowers have straight lobe rotors. Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but my banks are almost dead nuts even with each other. Some setups can be off as much as .5 from each other.
Mike Tkach and I have dynoed several forced induction BBC's with the 02's and EGT's hooked up on the dyno. Going from 11.0 at 6000 to 11.8 at 6000, netted about a 10hp gain on a dyno pull. This is on a 1200HP engine. 10HP isn't $hit at that point. I'd rather keep the pistons in good shape. And that's on a quick dyno pull. On the lake, when your WFO open for miles, the little extra fuel also helps cool the blower, and intake charge. It also may aid in making more power on a lake wot run, because of this.
Depending on the application, bank to bank afr's can be off quite a bit. My blowers have straight lobe rotors. Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but my banks are almost dead nuts even with each other. Some setups can be off as much as .5 from each other.
07-12-2013, 07:52 AM
#13
Registered
AFX wide band. Hands down the best in my book. Used them for years when tuning before getting into boats.
07-12-2013, 09:07 AM
#14
Had frustrating experiences with the Innovate LC-1. Might have been just a bad unit, but I returned it for refund after a month of messing with it. It kept auto calibrating itself at the weirdest times.
Been using AEM Uego units with Bosch widebands since then. Zero problems. Cheaper than the Innovate also.
I agree that you can get by with one sensor on one gauge.
Bungs in the odd bank tailpipe (well ahead of water).
Tune one motor, make the same changes on the other motor and swap the sensor to it to verify and/or tweak.
Then pull out the sensors and keep them for whenever you make another change that affects your mix.
MC
Been using AEM Uego units with Bosch widebands since then. Zero problems. Cheaper than the Innovate also.
I agree that you can get by with one sensor on one gauge.
Bungs in the odd bank tailpipe (well ahead of water).
Tune one motor, make the same changes on the other motor and swap the sensor to it to verify and/or tweak.
Then pull out the sensors and keep them for whenever you make another change that affects your mix.
MC
07-12-2013, 09:48 AM
#16
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=271218293777
Looks like it even comes with a bung...although it may not be stainless.
Here is the stainless bungs I ordered, they are the ones by stainless works because of the ship date...also ordered the stainless plugs.
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...bung+stainless
Looks like it even comes with a bung...although it may not be stainless.
Here is the stainless bungs I ordered, they are the ones by stainless works because of the ship date...also ordered the stainless plugs.
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...bung+stainless
Last edited by JRider; 07-12-2013 at 09:52 AM.
Gold Member
07-12-2013, 07:56 PM
#20
Registered
iTrader: (4)
Nice, I love my handheld Innovate LM-1 and I'm going to get a pair of these to monitor at all times.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/INNOVATE-384...c33822&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/INNOVATE-384...c33822&vxp=mtr
