Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
(OP)
Hey Fellows
I want to install 8 wide band O2 sensors on my headers on my dynamometer. I have a data acq card installed in the PC with 12 channels but I do not know how to read the sensors and how to calibrate each one even if I can read them. I need any help to get me started.
thanks
racear
I want to install 8 wide band O2 sensors on my headers on my dynamometer. I have a data acq card installed in the PC with 12 channels but I do not know how to read the sensors and how to calibrate each one even if I can read them. I need any help to get me started.
thanks
racear





RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Regards
Pat
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RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
I use one that I purchase from the local Auto Zone. They fit a Volkswagen, so no specs. I know input is 12 volt and out puts are millivolt. I suspect I will need to condition the signal, or at least amplify it.
Thanks for you question
racer
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
http
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
For example;
http://www.motec.com.au/plm/plmoverview/
http://wbo2.com/
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
The original DIY-WB site appears to be dead but click on the fancy logo and you'll find some DIY info. Just know that it may not be the best way to do a wideband O2.
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
First, let me thank every one for your comments and suggestions. I have already built one of the units from Australia. I still have it but the accuracy was a little suspect even after calibration. As a result I have purchased one from Innovate. I have had it probably a year. If I go this route, to do the dyno would be about $1500. I know that may not seem like much, but with economic conditions as they are, things have really tightened up since my retirement. And I guess being a '"older engineer" has forced me to look at a DIY project and the only info I can fine is the project out of Australia. I surely wanted to do this on one board, but may be forced to do 10 units. But I will keep looking and watching for inputs from you members.
again thanks
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
I should have classified this. I only want to monitor and record each channel. In no way do I want to control at this time. As a result of using the program on several engine combination, at this time and probably always, I will solely monitor and record. I will shut down and make adjustments and rerun
Thanks
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
With a UHEGO/Wide Band Sensor it is not as easy as just measuring the output of the sensor and relating this to Rich/Lean (since it is possible to accuratley measure AFR with a HEGO/Binary Sensor.
The main difference is that an O2 pump circuit is utilised in a UHEGO and this needs a dedicated controller and measurement system - which arent cheap.
MS
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
thanks
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Or is there a reason you don't want to do this? If so then your budget needs to match your expectations for results.
Regards, Ian
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Thanks for your reply.
I already have one running and monitoring. As a result of that testing, I feel that it would be better to go to one in each cylinder. But with the system I have now, I quickly realized that purchasing one of the type I have now would just be too expensive. I was attempting to tap in to the resources of this forum, to see if there is a better or more inexpensive way. Especially since I was going to do it in quantity. Also with the unit I have now, the conglomeration of parts stacked on top of each other and the wiring would be huge. I was hoping to find something that I had not seen before or a way to build it with a little less complication. At the present, I am exploring the possibility of using inputs and outputs from a Nissan ECU as the input is 12 volt and the outputs is 0 to 5 vdc. Working as I have for the last 40 years in industry, i have found out that using several heads is far better than using one. Your strengths in an area may be far better than mine, yet my strengths in another area may be better than yours. Also, I have found cheap is not always better. But contrary to that, spending funds when not need is dumb.
thanks man
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Lots of dumb stuff, but also lots of folks doing neat stuff with (really cheap) microcontrollers.
Also, mybe the diy-efi group on
http://diy-efi.org/diy_efi/
Mailing list:
gmecm@diy-efi.org
Some electronics-savvy folks there, too.
hth
Jay
Jay Maechtlen
http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Alternatively use one or two wide bands and exhaust gas temp thermocouples in each exhaust pipe.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
PS. I saw the posting for ENG tips. I am sorry if I broke any rules. Please inform me what I did wrong and I will correct it as I respect this forumn with its members and knowledge.
again sorry and thanks
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
It is a generic statement in my signature, not aimed at anyone in particular. I should edit it to make that clear.
EGTs in conjunction with wide band O2 sensors should provide useful data at lower cost. They may well also respond faster.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
TTFN
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RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
I thank you for your suggestion and I apologize for misunderstanding your "sig". I went back and reread and now understand. At present I have 10 thermocouples and 2 O2 sensors. I have found that with a EGT, the readings can be a bell curve and I have to make of sure which side of that curve I am reading. What I would like is to have EGT's and O2 sensors for each cylinder so that I can tell if one cylinder is worse or better than the others. During the winter, I tore down a custom's engine and found that one cylinder had been detonating severely and really close to destruction. As a result, I went back to the dyno runs of this engine and sure enough, the EGTs showed that I had a difference in this cylinder. I thought(at that time) that I was rich in that cylinder because the O2 in the collector on that side showed a slightly rich condition compared to the other side. I now know that I was reading the EGT on the wrong side of the bell curve. This was my driving force to want O2's on all cylinders as well as EGT's. With both, I can make a better assumption. My two cents worth, but It sounded good when I was thinking about it.
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Regards
Pat
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RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
I build several cars for NHRA Stock and Super Stock and as close as competition is, I will kill for 5 hp. You are correct that reading the plugs will indeed tell which side of the curve you should be on. We run our engines extremely lean 13.5 afr and up to milk power, so if we are slightly rich or lean, we may not see it on plugs in just a couple of pulls. Some times it takes several pulls to see coloring, when we are in the 13 range. And it is hard to simulate car conditions on the dyno. We can have one cylinder detonating and not distinguish it until it is too late. We carry the Big Blocks thru at 8000 plus RPM. Not much room for error. In the old days, we learned to read spark plugs extremely well, but hopefully we are trying to give our car owners a scientific way of doing this. Many cannot nor do they want to read the plugs. This is no room for judgment calls.
I most certainly appreciate your inputs as it indicates your knowledge of these engines.
thanks
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
For $200 a cylinder I just can't see how you can DIY cheaper and get good results. No-one really seems to have documented a viable DIY wideband O2 solution that will be properly calibrated.
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
I am beginning to see what you have posted also. There is no cheap way. The one idea that I am pursuing is using a used ECM from a Nissan. It has location for 2 wide band and 2 narrow band O2's. I have one disassembled at present trying to fiqure out the wiring so that I can see if it will generate a analog output so that I can read it with data acq. If this doesnt work, then I will probably pursue the Australian DYI site as I have built one of those and it calibrated very well and generated a good output
thanks for all yall's input
racear
RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Also I guess you know that cadmium plated plugs like NKG show heat as the cad burns off. This can be read with a half track pass or less, at least with blown alcohol.
Regards
Pat
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RE: Reading Wise Band O2 sensors
Megasuirt may offer another alternative for me to pursue. I am already a Innovate dealer and have and am pursuing this alternative. And yes I am quite amazed at your knowledge of NGK plugs with blown Methanol. And you are correct in reading these plugs with methanol, but doesnt work as well with gasoline. Meth burns at 2.1 volume of gasoline and with the additives added to racing gas, reading spark plugs has become unbelievably difficult at best. I thank you for your interest and help with this subject. I will be contacting Megasquirt tomorrow to ask for suggestions. Again thanks
racear