Lambda Sensor

[BinoX]

This is probably a question that has been answered many times before, but I couldn\'t find it in the search.. Maybe because I\'m useless, maybe the answer isn\'t there...

Anyway...

I just got a new exhaust system through and I need a lambda sensor for it (an \'eBay special\' exhaust, but it was cheap, lol... got it for £160 (brand new), but it\'s still dual outlet which is something I am very particular about)... Am I ok to just get a cheap single wire lambda sensor or should I go for a more expensive one... If the more expensive one, which one would you recommend?

Thanks in advance

[Prof]

If you are using it with the standard ECU then the £17 specials on ebay will work - as it\'s just a narrow band sensor.
 
You could put a wideband in there, which will give you much better information about your state of tune on the engine, these use a controller device, a seperate gauge, but almost all the ones I\'ve seen can output a narrow band signal to emulate the funciton of a narrow band sensor - ideal if you are using a piggy back or standard ecu and don\'t have multiple o2 sensor bungs in the exhaust.

[BinoX]

Thanks,

It\'ll be running on an RE Amemiya ECU that I\'m in the process of buying from Adam_fc... which as far as I know is just a chipped standard ECU... so I assume a cheap one will be ok?

But I didn\'t know about the controllers that can output a narrowband signal from a wideband one... Any suggestions for that, or should I just look and get one that I like the look of?

[Prof]

I use the Innovate LC-1, but I\'ve heard from others that AEM, UEGO and PLX all provide that funtionallity and are good controllers.
 
A good wideband is not a bad idea if you\'re starting to play with exhaust and chipped ECU, at least you\'ll know the air fuel ratio.
 
These things aren\'t cheap new - anything from £120 - £300, but it could help you keep an engine

[m1tch]

Wideband O2 sensor and gauge = £120 - £300 (I got my Stack setup for £185)
Engine rebuild = £1200 - £3000

I know what I would rather spend my money buying

[BinoX]

Very true... The engine wasn\'t rebuilt that long ago, so I don\'t want it to blow this soon...

Until this thread I had no idea that you could even get something that let you use a wideband sensor with a narrowband system...

£120 - £300 isn\'t too bad... I can probably afford it in a month or 2 (I generally allow £100 a month for this project, sometimes less depending on bills/house repairs)

I probably won\'t be fitting the new exhaust until August anyway, so I have a bit of time to save / sell stuff / fix people\'s computers

Thanks for the advice I\'ll be keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a wideband controller

[m1tch]

The narrow band sensor on the FC is only used for the cruise part of the map so isn\'t used that much, the wideband is a good safety measure to have, some of them alarm when it goes over a set AFR when its on wide open throttle (mine came with a microswitch to log what the AFR was on wide open).

Key thing is to get a setup with a Bosch sensor

This is what I have:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Search.do?method=delegate&n=1322&p=249506&s=Stack+Wideband+Lambda+Gauge

Comes with the gauge and the wideband sensor, its all plug and play, just need to provide it with power and it also has a wideband O2 signal out as well (which is plugged into my e-manage ultimate).

[BinoX]

Thanks I\'ll keep that one in mind

I\'m gunna have to look around and see what I can find over the next couple of months... I\'m gunna be looking for something that matches the design for the interior that I have in my head....

I\'m mainly building it up to be a show car, but one that I can have fun driving as well

[m1tch]

My stack gauge has pretty flashing lights

[BinoX]

Haha, always a bonus

It\'s not far off the look I have in my head, so I may well end up with it... but since I have a bit of time to spare before purchasing it\'s worth keeping my eyes open

[BinoX]

What do you guys think of this one: http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=WDBDM300TE ?

Will that be OK?

[m1tch]

Its got a Bosch sensor, but its also more expensive than what I got by quite a bit, the reason why I got mine is that it had visual lights around the gauge to show you exactly what the AFR was at a glance without having to work out if 13.7:1 was too lean lol

Just found this nice Innovate setup, all plug and play

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INNOVATE-MTX-L-AFR-Wideband-Air-Fuel-Ratio-Gauge-3844-/300506017816?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45f78df018

Or indeed an AEM one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AEM-DIGITAL-WIDEBAND-UEGO-CONTROLLER-FREE-SHIP-UK-/270660136399?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f0499edcf

[BinoX]

I was interested in the PLX one because it ISN\'T actually a gauge... I want to be able to pick and choose what it actually looks like because I have a particular gauge look in mind...

Although I have just found this: http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=SEMOSMAFRV2 Which seems to be the same one without the display on the front, but it still have the "passthrough" so I can buy the gauge that I want... Because annoyingly the gauge that I want doesn\'t have the wideband -> narrowband in it... although I suppose I could just drill and weld in another threaded bit for a second sensor if I\'m gunna go that far

It\'s not a matter of price, it\'s a matter of aesthetics, lol... Just need to know if I\'m selecting the right kind of thing, lol

[m1tch]

I was interested in the PLX one because it ISN\'T actually a gauge... I want to be able to pick and choose what it actually looks like because I have a particular gauge look in mind...

Although I have just found this: http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=SEMOSMAFRV2 Which seems to be the same one without the display on the front, but it still have the "passthrough" so I can buy the gauge that I want... Because annoyingly the gauge that I want doesn\'t have the wideband -> narrowband in it... although I suppose I could just drill and weld in another threaded bit for a second sensor if I\'m gunna go that far

It\'s not a matter of price, it\'s a matter of aesthetics, lol... Just need to know if I\'m selecting the right kind of thing, lol

Why would you want a narrowband setting on it? Its useless to have on a gauge

Here is the Innovate setup prof has (he has used his own gauge for it)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INNOVATE-LC-1-LC1-LAMBDA-CABLE-O2-WIDEBAND-SENSOR-3769-/370521485756?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item5644cd31bc

[BinoX]

I meant that I want the narrowband output to feed back into the ECU...

I assumed that the circuitry would be housed in the back of the gauge when it comes as a "complete kit"..

Although looking through the LC-1 Manual, it seems that assumption is incorrect...

From what I can gather from the LC-1 Manual (If I understand it correctly) there seems to be a narrowband output, that could be used for the ECU, and a wideband output for whatever gauge I want to connect... Is that correct?