a/f gauges any one using one?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
I have an Edlebrock A/F meter and it is between reading plugs and wide band, gives you more info than reading plugs but not the accuracy of a w/b
I have it hooked up to my Formula right now and it has given me some good info for tuning (cold weather start up adjustments especially) but most likely will buy a wide band and use for both my hot rods
I have it hooked up to my Formula right now and it has given me some good info for tuning (cold weather start up adjustments especially) but most likely will buy a wide band and use for both my hot rods
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
A properly tuned carb can have all the benefits of a fuel injected motor, idles and runs good and gets good gas mileage, you need the wideband to set it up properly.
It is amazing what I found, with a 1/4 turn on the idle mixture screws you can change you gas mileage 5 MPG. I am not kidding when I say this. The carb is running partly on the idle circuit and partly on the main circuit at cruise.
You change your idle mixture in your driveway and you have no idea where the A/F is at. That little tweek could have cost you big time in gas mileage and you would have no idea why all of a sudden you are getting crappy mileage, so now you change you primary jets smaller.....and on and on it goes, shooting in the dark
It is amazing what I found, with a 1/4 turn on the idle mixture screws you can change you gas mileage 5 MPG. I am not kidding when I say this. The carb is running partly on the idle circuit and partly on the main circuit at cruise.
You change your idle mixture in your driveway and you have no idea where the A/F is at. That little tweek could have cost you big time in gas mileage and you would have no idea why all of a sudden you are getting crappy mileage, so now you change you primary jets smaller.....and on and on it goes, shooting in the dark
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by MotorHead
A properly tuned carb can have all the benefits of a fuel injected motor, idles and runs good and gets good gas mileage, you need the wideband to set it up properly.
It is amazing what I found, with a 1/4 turn on the idle mixture screws you can change you gas mileage 5 MPG. I am not kidding when I say this. The carb is running partly on the idle circuit and partly on the main circuit at cruise.
You change your idle mixture in your driveway and you have no idea where the A/F is at. That little tweek could have cost you big time in gas mileage and you would have no idea why all of a sudden you are getting crappy mileage, so now you change you primary jets smaller.....and on and on it goes, shooting in the dark
It is amazing what I found, with a 1/4 turn on the idle mixture screws you can change you gas mileage 5 MPG. I am not kidding when I say this. The carb is running partly on the idle circuit and partly on the main circuit at cruise.
You change your idle mixture in your driveway and you have no idea where the A/F is at. That little tweek could have cost you big time in gas mileage and you would have no idea why all of a sudden you are getting crappy mileage, so now you change you primary jets smaller.....and on and on it goes, shooting in the dark
My step dad used to set his idle mixture screws by tightening them both 1/4 turn at a time each until the motor started to lose RPM and die. He would loosen each a 1/4, keeping them even, and then fire it back up. He always said that's the best way to set the idle mixture. Any thoughts?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
If I didn't have a A/F meter, then I would use a vacuum gauge and adjust idle mixture screws to get the best vacuum. I still do that but with the A/F meter you can set it a little more precisely, for example you could still be at or near best vacuum and set the A/F where you want within reason.
As stated above, your A/F at idle greatly affects your A/F at cruise. If you want to cruise a little leaner and get better gas mileage then you set yoiur idle mixture screws a little leaner. You cannot do this without a wideband, period
As stated above, your A/F at idle greatly affects your A/F at cruise. If you want to cruise a little leaner and get better gas mileage then you set yoiur idle mixture screws a little leaner. You cannot do this without a wideband, period
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,441
Likes: 0
I'm using the A/F meter as part of the software that comes with the Holley EFI product. Using an A/F meter to adjust a carb is analogous to using a torque wrench on a bolt. I'll be upgrading the system to a WB02 using Innovate's LC-1. If you've got access to a laptop you can monitor A/F ratios with this product, it's reasonably priced and you don't need to mount an extra gauge:
http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lc1.php
http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lc1.php
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i can see selling this one....Honey i've been thinking and you really do deserve that Laptop.......do you mind if i use it for a moment
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I use a wideband AEM uego for tuning and I've taken several tenths off my ET's with that gauge by tuning my A/F..
I do have a Autometer narrow band gauge and sensor for sale if anybody is interested... Brand new in box, never opened!!
I do have a Autometer narrow band gauge and sensor for sale if anybody is interested... Brand new in box, never opened!!
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,183
Likes: 1,178
From: out of nowhere
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I've taken several tenths off my ET's with that gauge by tuning my A/F
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
I bought and installed a LC-1 WB O2 when I put in my Holley Commander 950, but have yet to fire up the engine, just installed tank, fuel lines, and making finishing touches to my fuel maps, should have it running before they salt the roads.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 473
Likes: 2
From: Champlin Minnesota
The LC-1 is what monitors my exhaust, without it the only thing controlling fuel and air is my base fuel maps, which right now are probably all over the place until I get feedback from the LC-1. There are no other sensors reading exhaust, unless I were to leave the narrow band O2 in.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,056
Likes: 8
From: Redruth Cornwall
Would there be any difference in readings on the lm-1 using an exhaust clamp on the drive and a bung in the headers on a run?
I want to do some tuning and have been offered the use of the lm-1. It comes with an exhaust clamp but I have a bung that I was going to put in my headers anyway so wondered if I would get better results that way.
Have no cats to worry about.
I want to do some tuning and have been offered the use of the lm-1. It comes with an exhaust clamp but I have a bung that I was going to put in my headers anyway so wondered if I would get better results that way.
Have no cats to worry about.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Since I'd be putting fuel injection on my motor...does that change how a AF is installed or if one is even needed?
if anythng buy the wiring harness/FI setup that allows a laptop to be hooked up to monitor whats going on and adjust settings....see Accel/DFI or it may be Accel/DUI something like that
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
if anythng buy the wiring harness/FI setup that allows a laptop to be hooked up to monitor whats going on and adjust settings....see Accel/DFI or it may be Accel/DUI something like that
I'm using a stock '94 Impala Lt1 harness and computer. It's being modified to fit my Vette and engine...I wonder if that's a feature that can be added.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Plano TX
OEM GM computers are not compatible with wideband sensors. That doesn't mean you can't use one though. Most wideband controllers have a "simulated narrowband output". This output is used for your stock computer. On the plus side, you still get proper air/fuel at cruise. On the downside, the GM computer will disregard the wideband at WOT (just like it does with a narrowband sensor). You will have to log the wideband output from the controller to tune your WOT maps.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by zwede
OEM GM computers are not compatible with wideband sensors. That doesn't mean you can't use one though. Most wideband controllers have a "simulated narrowband output". This output is used for your stock computer. On the plus side, you still get proper air/fuel at cruise. On the downside, the GM computer will disregard the wideband at WOT (just like it does with a narrowband sensor). You will have to log the wideband output from the controller to tune your WOT maps.
So if someone were to install an A/F meter in a separate bung, and being that the engine is computer controlled...how would someone make the changes to OBD1 if you saw it was too rich or lean at either idle, or WOT? Would the chip have to be re-flashed for the changes or is there a way to alter it's mixture as it sits?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by MotorHead
Put a carb on it, you will get the same gas mileage or better than FI if you tune the carb with a wideband 
I know...I've been treated well by my carbed vehicles...but I have never built a FI engine and I thought it was about time.