Am thinking of getting one of these to help with the tuning of my Holley Carb on a 383 Chevy V8 which I feel is running way too rich.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AVM-30-4100/

The problem I have is that it takes the best part of an hour to get the spark plugs out and almost as long to put them back again, and cannot be done whilst the headers are hot or else I would have some excellent "ouch" photos for another thread - so reading the spark plugs is not very practical.

Does anyone have experience in using these types of gauges to set up carbs and are they worthwhile.

I am scared of going too lean as I doubt if I would hear detonation under heavy acceleration because of the symphony from the sidepipes, and the concentration it needs to keep the whole snaking, growling thing on the road. In second gear (the best one to do a full power run with) at 6500 RPM it will be doing 180kph so I will have to find a nice quiet, and safe bit of unused road with no witnesses for my testing. (Unfortunately many in the town know me and the best piece of road for this is over-viewed by a large segment of the population)

Although it seems an expensive way to get the Carb tuned I feel that given what I've spent on the motor it should be optimised fuelling wise and I just want some reassurance that this is the best way of going about it - I also have little faith in the abilities of local Dyno operators to tune carbs - they all seem to be young and have grown up on fuel injection.

not used the AEM stuff myself but it is mean't to be a good bit of kit.
i would certainly invest in one it will take all the guess work out of tuning for you

It doesn't appear to have any data logging software with it although it does have a 0-5v output for data logging .You would therefore need an extra unit to data log with or else some software and a lap top to log to.
It would do the job but you really need to log it so as you can drive and not need to look at the gauge at all when going fast you could then just drive the car and use full throttle when an opportunity arises, the innovate LC1 is a popular wide band unit that just gives an output of 0-5v and comes with data logging software and the option to add a gauge.
Paul

quote:

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Originally posted by paulf
It doesn't appear to have any data logging software with it although it does have a 0-5v output for data logging .You would therefore need an extra unit to data log with or else some software and a lap top to log to.
It would do the job but you really need to log it so as you can drive and not need to look at the gauge at all when going fast you could then just drive the car and use full throttle when an opportunity arises, the innovate LC1 is a popular wide band unit that just gives an output of 0-5v and comes with data logging software and the option to add a gauge.
Paul

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I used a JAW wideband without any data logging to set my bike carbs up and it worked fine. I'm sure a rolling road session would be better but doing it that way I did it must be pretty close as it goes well and does decent MPG. My main reason for using it was to make sure the car wasn't dangerously lean.

Stu

Hi Ivan

Might be worth getting yourself on

http://www.africanmusclecars.com/forum/

if you haven't already found it

Seem to be some people on there who know whats what with 4 barrels on V8's, and local to you

Cheers

Fred W B



[Edited on 19/5/12 by Fred W B]

I am also using a JAW controller with my mega squirt, it seems to work ok but think there are better units available now.I cant remember for certain but think that it has an option for an ignition input to enable it to log revs .
Paul

quote:

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Originally posted by whitestu
I used a JAW wideband without any data logging to set my bike carbs up and it worked fine. I'm sure a rolling road session would be better but doing it that way I did it must be pretty close as it goes well and does decent MPG. My main reason for using it was to make sure the car wasn't dangerously lean.

Stu

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quote:

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Originally posted by Fred W B
Hi Ivan

Might be worth getting yourself on

http://www.africanmusclecars.com/forum/

if you haven't already found it

Seem to be some people on there who know whats what with 4 barrels on V8's, and local to you

Cheers

Fred W B



[Edited on 19/5/12 by Fred W B]

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i have exact aem unit your looking at i use it for setting my nitrous fueling on my tintop and the carb tuning for dcoe webers on the kit car

i spent hours randomly changing jets and tweaking the idle screws and not really being sure what it was doing and with it bogging but you dont know if its rich or lean

1 hout with the wide band and its as good as i think it will ever be no bogging or surging no smell of petrol no mega black smoke and its a dream to drive the best 130 quid i have spent

I've used an innovate LM-1 for years tuning carb turbo and bike carbs. They are well worthwhile and soon pay for themselves - especially with the prices you can now get them for :-)