Has anyone considered buying a wideband O2 sensor and controller for tuning. This would allow you to know whats going on with your motor. A complete setup can be had for $350. This includes the sensor, display, controller, and outputs for standalone and an output that keeps the factoy ecu happy.

You'd know exactly what your Air Fuel Ratio is and could make changes from there.


Darryl

I have wanted to do this for a while now. I've just been searching around for the best one at the right price. Are you getting the AEM one, Darryl? That one seems to be the best I can find. It just seems kind of expensive and I didn't see a display that comes with it.

Doesn't the new Uego (sp) unit have an encapsulated gauge/display?

I think it runs ~$450 or so. I've been thinking hard about picking one up real soon. Maybe we can start our own group buy and shave the price down too?

We have anyone else shopping?

I was going by RRE's pics and prices. Their listed at $346 there, but I don't see a display in any of the pics.

Scroll down:
http://www.roadraceengineering.com/ems.htm

I also found this one at machv for $349. Definitely a display on this one. I think this uses the Bosch sensor that Eric was talking about in the other thread. This one actually looks a little more up my alley. It also has a separate narrowband output for the ECU. What do you guys think?

http://store.yahoo.com/machv/wio2sekit.html

This is the one I'd been looking towards:

http://www.i-m-racing.com/aemaifuga.html

On 'sale' for $469

Any benefit over one of these over the others? Sure the all in one gauge is convenient but I'm tempted to go with the one in Nate's post and save the $100

I'm a little surprised though that MachV is cheaper there though. Most of their prices are way high.

The one I was thinking of is at Mach V Motorsports. We actually have one already. Its the AEM unit. It does not have a display. It does use the Bosch sensor the same as the one at Mach V. The Bosch is only about $100 to replace also. Yes I think thats the one to go with.

Darryl

Depending on how difficult tuning my car with an EGT and Datalogger, I may be investing in one of these too. I however would just drill a hole in the O2 housing and install it for the sole use of WB and allow the ECU to keep it's own O2s.

I'm pretty sure the AEM stuff uses the Bosch LSU-4 true 5-wire wideband sensor, which is apparently pretty cheap from what Darryl just posted. It does look like the Mach V uses the LSM-11 I mentioned previously, which tends to sell for $150-$190 from what I've seen. Units based on the LSU-4 will be more accurate, but the extra cost of these things is coming from the rather complex control hardware for the sensor. If the Mach V unit does use the LSU-4 sensor, that'd definately be the way to go.

For tuning the Formula engines, we just use an LSM-11 plugged into a computer running Labview. We put the transfer functions for the sensor into it, and it spits out an AFR.

Off topic: When using a carbon fiber intake manifold, be sure to get all traces of your mold material out. Apparently piston rings don't like little bits of ceramic.

Also off topic: When dynoing an engine, a tube and a bottle of water make a great blow-by gauge

Again with the OT: ARP head studs are awesome

That AEM one looks nice, but like you said I think I would rather save the $100. Plus, like Darryl said its only $100 to replace the sensor on the machv unit, which is a good price considering how quickly leaded fuel likes to destroy O2 sensors. Too bad Denso can't make a wideband O2 similar to their leaded-gas-proof narrowband sensor.

So what do you think? Can KOUmotorsports get a group buy going on these? If you are too busy with the manifold stuff, I can try to get a hold of machv and see if they are interested in a group buy.

I'll give them a call and find out today. 3 of us potentially here? Any others?

Kris? You know you want one.

I called them and just got an automated machine. Here is a copy of the e-mail I sent following that.

-------------------------------------------------------
Hi-
There are several of us locally here in IL that are interested in buying your wideband O2 kit. Seen on your site here:

http://www.machv.com/wio2sekit.html

We were wondering if we could combine our orders to get a discounted group buy rate. If it helps we could pay in one lump sum and receive all of the units to one shipping address.

I see that your posted rate is $349 currently. If you are willing to give us a group buy rate how many buyers do we need to pool together and at what price break?

Thanks for your time and attention here,
Travis Jeffrey
KOUmotorsports
-----------------------------------------------------------

Some of the guys on CII might want to get in on this.

Well, at least MachV's response was prompt:

------------------------------------------------------
Hi Travis,

I'm sorry, we don't do group buys of that sort. From experience, we find
it's far too much hassle and difficulty for us.

Thanks for understanding. I hope we still can do business.

--Dan
Mach V
------------------------------------------------------

Hmm...I wonder where they source their widebands from. Darryl, did you buy yours from Machv or does Buschur carry them?

I think I found where Machv gets their widebands...

http://www.plxdevices.com/M-200_productinfo.htm

EDIT: Heheh. I thought I've seen these before...

http://www.dsmcentral.com/invision/index.p...owtopic=607&hl=

I emailed PLXdevices to see if they are willing to do a group buy.

What we have came from Buschur Racing. It the AEM unit and it turns out AEM does have a display now.
AEM Gauge-type UEGO controller


Darryl

That looks like the one Travis was talking about earlier. How much does Buschur sell the wideband sensor/controller/guage combo for?

I got this back from PLX devices.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nate,

We do have a group buy program. If you purchase 5 units we can give you 5% off and for 10+ units we can give you 10% off. Payment must be received in full up front and each unit can be mailed each individual address per request. Thanks

Support

PLX Devices Inc.

www.plxdevices.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm going to see if I can drum up some interest on CII. I suppose we could also try DSMtalk. What do you think, Travis? You are more experienced with the group buy thing than I.

Hey, any discount is a good thing IMHO. As far as running the GB, I have to say that it's definately more work than I expected going into it (not to discourage you there at all though).

I'm all for it though whether you just want me as a buyer or would like some help coordinating it. If you want help with the buy itseld I'd have to wait until I've closed out this one as I don't want to be in over my head and drop the ball for anyone.

If nothing else I think it'd be worth feeling out interest. I didn't see a price when I surfed over to the plxdevices site. Was it cheaper to start out with than MachV as well?

Nice find by the way both on the source of the widebands as well as getting them to deal with us as a group.

I haven't heard anything from anyone on CII. I'll post on dsmtalk to see if there would be any takers on there. The M-300 model that DSM's would use has a regular price of $329 plus $10 s/h. So if there are 10+ buyers everyone saves about $33. Not too shabby.

Their online store is right here.
http://www.plxdevices.com/onlinestore_domestic.htm