Wideband O2's are needed to accurately tune an engine for AFR, can the stock sensors be replaced with some aftermarket units? are they interchangeable? Will they fit in the stock bung or would new ones need to be added? would the calibration between stock type and wideband sensors be the same?
I'm curious about this. If they would swap in and the calibration is the same, the you could just use your choice of software all the time to tune your engine. Anyone know for sure?

 

no, no, no and no. you do realize they also cost about $150 a peice for a cheapo Honda sensor right? it would be nice i know but your car opperates typically only around 14.7 AFR so you dont need a wideband sensor that reads from say 10-17... only one that reads accurately at 14-15 for max fuel economy and low emissions.

 

yes, I realize they are expensive.
I wasn't thinking along the lines of tunning cruising/light duty drivability but mostly about getting the settings right for near WOT and WOT conditions after, say, heads, cam, stroker, etc. If you could use them, you'd be able to use datamaster/freescan and have a clear picture of whats going on at the extremes along with syncronizing all the other data outputs recorded by those programs.

 

there are DIY wideband kits around but they arent very cheap... probably easier to just have a shop dynotune your car for the same results. if you do a search you can find some info on them. i hear they are real nice but i believe you need a pretty good understanding of electronics and maybe some decent soldering skills.

 

The stock PCM cannot make use of the additonal resolution from a wide-band O2 sensor.

Rich Krause

 

Most wide-band sensors operate over a range of 0-5V, so they are not compatible with the stock PCM which is expecting a signal in the range of 0-1V. There are wide-band packages that can be programmed to emulate the narrow-band 0-1V output. The Innovate Motorsports LM-1 wide-band meter incorporates this capability.

But, as others have pointed out above, this would provide a high accuracy signal that the stock PCM could not do anything with. It would allow you, however, to run a single wide-band sensor that would allow you to feed the stock PCM the required signal, and simultaneously provide you with a true wide-band output reading on a seperate meter. To to this any other way would require that you run a wide-band sensor in each bank, in addition to the stock narrow-band sensor.

Given the limited "life" and high cost of the wide-band sensors, I would not attempt to do both tasks with a single wide-band sensor. Let the $35 OEM sensor keep the PCM happy, and use your $150 wide-band sensor only when you need to check the tune.

 

FYI for everyone, the new bosch LSU-4 o2 sensor that is being used on all the new dynojet and wideband setups, only costs like $50 at the volkswagon dealer.. Just a heads up Can't imagine you guys still thinking that wideband o2 sensors still cost $150

 

is that bosch sensor used in VW cars?
if so, are those particular Vdubs PCM's designed to use the 0-5V ranges? Is it just some others, including GM, that use narrow band 0-1V sensors?

I suppose you could use the data export to Excel for datamaster/free scan and then also export the wideband data, overlay the graphs from the two separate spread sheets, and then compare the data in specific ranges and points on the graphs.

Thanks guys! you've answered most of the questions I was pondering.

 

Apparently you think we are all stupid. Even a wide band meter can not just use any ol' sensor. The calibration requirements need to be prgrammed into the meter. Some representative prices for the sensors that can be accomodated by the MoTeC systems:

Bosch LSM-II: $329
Bosch LSU-4: $165
NTK UEGO: $425.

Each of those sensors has its strong and weak points. If you are finding a true LSU-4 for $50, that is very helpful info, and we appreciate receiving it. But you may need to verify that the sensor you have listed is in fact the standard Bosch LSU-4. The LM-1 meter for example uses a specific version of the LSU which is the "4.2", and is available for $59 from Innovate Motorsports.

 

Actually most people on here are stupid, but I wasn't directing anything toward ANYONE so don't get all butt hurt

Yes the LSU-4 that i'm talking about is the one that works with my LM-1 meter.. Didin't know there were any specific versions though.. When I went to the dynojet they were using the same exact sensor that I had for my LM-1 so I dunno

 

Jeezus Fred, relax. Need a beer or something?
You must remember that you know more about this stuff than 99.9% of us.

 

If anyone could post the differences between the lsu 4 and 4.2 it would be nice.. In why is one cheaper than the other... If nothing like a free lunch would apply I would like to know where.

The LM1 is a very nice unit, but I guess that there is some sort of difference to justify the high costs.

 

FYI - One warning if you're looking for a complete log feature (as I was). As is, without additional acessories, the LM-1 only logs a/f ratio, which is great, but without rpm logging it's kinda pointless. To log additional features like rpm, tps readings, temp - an additional input box must be purchased for another $100.00

I've got a pretty close tune now with the Gen 6 DFI, but it'll be interesting to see what the wideband shows. I hope to have it and the input box installed this weekend and log some passes.

 

Well.. buy the optional accesories (RPM + Inductive pickup)... I have spent a bit more than 600 bucks on it and I got to say that I love it. The unit is really really great! and when the expander box comes out I will buy it also... Its a nice unit.

 

I did buy it - see the last line of my post (but without the inductive pickup, since I'll be using the tach feed for a signal.)

I just wanted to warn people that they'll need one of the accessories to log more than a/f. They werent quite clear about that when I origianlly called in to buy the LM-1...

Has the capability to - means you gotta buy something else