Ivan
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 08:18 AM |
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Wideband Air/fuel Gauge - any good for tuning carb?
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.
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dlatch
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 09:24 AM |
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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 
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paulf
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 09:39 AM |
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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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Ivan
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 10:12 AM |
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quote:
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
I was planning to put it near the rev counter and just video the two - not sure how to data log revs as have no ECU so would need a dedicated data
logger that could count ignition pulses to assess revs.
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whitestu
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 10:17 AM |
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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
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Fred W B
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 10:19 AM |
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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]
You can do it quickly. You can do it cheap. You can do it right. – Pick any two.
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paulf
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 10:47 AM |
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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:
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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Ivan
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 02:47 PM |
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quote:
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]
Thanks Fred - it's a new one to me - will have a good look at it.
Ivan
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Autosri
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 05:00 PM |
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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
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FASTdan
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| posted on 19/5/12 at 05:12 PM |
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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 :-)
NEW danST WEBSITE NOW LIVE! Bike carbs, throttle bodies and more......
http://www.danstengineering.co.uk/
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