Which gauges for the a-pillar?

swl987 · Aug 24, 2010

You can put two gauges in the a-pillar pod I'm buying. I was going to get the boost gauge and fuel pressure gauge, but now I'm thinking of switching the fuel with the air/fuel gauge. What do people normally do? Is the install a lot easier with either one? If I were to buy the air/fuel I would get the 70 dollar one from AM. Does it work good?thanks

sneaky98gt · Aug 24, 2010

That A/F gauge is a narrowband, which I don't know much about, but I don't think they are very useful, or at least not when compared to a wideband. You'll have to wait for some more knowledgeable members to explain the differences and pros/cons of a narrowband.

I've currently got a fuel pressure and vac/boost gauge, and I like that setup. I am, however, very seriously contemplating adding a wideband as well, just for safety sake. I do like the gauges in the pillar vs. the dash pod location. Just my opinion.

My setup:

Flghtmstr1 · Aug 24, 2010

Don't worry about what people "normally do", and don't buy a narrowband gauge. They're virtually worthless. They don't have anything resembling a linear response curve, so they're only really accurate at stoich (14.7:1), which won't tell you anything useful. Boost is more of a "bragging rights" number more than an actually useful metric in my opinion. If you want to keep tabs on things and you can only have 2 gauges, I'd get a wideband AFR gauge and either fuel or oil pressure.

swl987 · Aug 25, 2010

These widebands are not cheap. About $300 for a complete setup. So for the install, I have to cut a hole in the x-pipe and weld a bung on?

trinity_gt · Aug 25, 2010

swl987 said:
These widebands are not cheap. About $300 for a complete setup. So for the install, I have to cut a hole in the x-pipe and weld a bung on?

What's an engine rebuild going for these days?

I'd get a wideband and fuel pressure gauge myself.

I believe the Innovate LC-1 allows you to replace the narrow-band O2 sensor in the car now with a WB. The controller can then produce a "simulated" narrow band output you connect the original harness for the PCM.

As well, if you go with a separate sensor, you don't necessarily have to weld the bung in. Check out AEM's pretty-slick no-weld solution:

AEM No-Weld O2 Sensor Mount 2.75-3 inch exhaust

swl987 · Aug 25, 2010

trinity_gt said:
What's an engine rebuild going for these days?

I'd get a wideband and fuel pressure gauge myself.

I believe the Innovate LC-1 allows you to replace the narrow-band O2 sensor in the car now with a WB. The controller can then produce a "simulated" narrow band output you connect the original harness for the PCM.

As well, if you go with a separate sensor, you don't necessarily have to weld the bung in. Check out AEM's pretty-slick no-weld solution:

AEM No-Weld O2 Sensor Mount 2.75-3 inch exhaust

Thanks for the link. I'm going to have my buddy weld in some sub-frames so he could weld in a bung. Why is the AEM wideband $100 dollars less then the autometer? Is the autometer that much better?

swl987 · Aug 25, 2010

Would you say that the fuel pressure gauge is not as important if you have a wideband gauge?

trinity_gt · Aug 25, 2010

swl987 said:
Would you say that the fuel pressure gauge is not as important if you have a wideband gauge?

The AFR is are telling you the contents of the exhaust stream after combustion and the fuel pressure gauge is giving you an indication of things up stream of the combustion chamber. I think both are important to be truly safe running a boosted car.

sneaky98gt · Aug 25, 2010

trinity_gt said:
What's an engine rebuild going for these days?

I'd get a wideband and fuel pressure gauge myself.

I believe the Innovate LC-1 allows you to replace the narrow-band O2 sensor in the car now with a WB. The controller can then produce a "simulated" narrow band output you connect the original harness for the PCM.

As well, if you go with a separate sensor, you don't necessarily have to weld the bung in. Check out AEM's pretty-slick no-weld solution:

AEM No-Weld O2 Sensor Mount 2.75-3 inch exhaust

Are there any other options to use the wideband sensor in the existing narrowband locations? I hate to take my pipe back off now that I have it sealed up nicely. Do you put it in the front or rear O2 sensor bung? My rear O2 sensors are already not being used (turned off in the tune) and it would be easy to but the wideband in the rear.

trinity_gt · Aug 25, 2010

sneaky98gt said:
Are there any other options to use the wideband sensor in the existing narrowband locations?

I believe so. As I noted above, it's my understanding that the Innovate LC-1, for example, allows you to mount the WB sensor in the up-stream sensor location and the controller provides a simulated narrow-band output you can feed to the PCM. The controller also provides the drive for the WB display.

I hate to take my pipe back off now that I have it sealed up nicely. Do you put it in the front or rear O2 sensor bung? My rear O2 sensors are already not being used (turned off in the tune) and it would be easy to but the wideband in the rear.

Ideally you want the WB near the manifolds/collectors and you definitely want a WB placed before any catalytic converters. If you have no converters the rear position might work though it'd be suboptimal.

Which gauges for the a-pillar?

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