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Ok so I got an Idea...

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by C84AUA, Mar 29, 2010.

  1. C84AUA

    C84AUA New Member

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    Well I have been jumping around this site and it dawned on me that I have a tuning setup that would prolly help alot of you out. A couple of budies of mine a couple years ago asked me to come up with A/F gauge set that would give individual readings for each cylinder as well as a collective reading of all the cylinders. They were using the gauge set for porting and polishing purposes on civic's (they were teaching themselves to port) but the princible is the same for our little 4bangers :)

    PLEASE NOTE: This setup uses a narrowband a/f meter, only good for getting a fairly accurate rating only at idle. The concept is the same if you use a wideband a/f controler and gauge, just not as simple wiring.

    I personaly make my own A/F gauges but you can use a store bought one as well. Just make sure you get a 3wire gauge.

    Here is the link for the homemade gauge.
    Homemade A/F Gauge

    Parts List:
    $10 1x Homemade A/F Gauge
    10 5x O2 Bungs
    25 5x 88-91 Civic Dx O2 Sensor
    5 1x Rotary Switch (2post, 5position)

    I found the o2's at the scrap yard, the dx civic is a junkcar, no one want parts off these motors so don't pay more than 5ea for them

    the o2 bungs you can get at midas, summit.com, or ebay just look around. I source mine from midas for 2ea

    the swtich I think you can get from radioshack but I don't know for sure. I have a electronic's store here in O-town that I go to, $5max

    So here is my crappy diagram of how to wire the gauge set! Yes I know my header looks like crap but I'm a mechanic not an artist so bear with me.

    Also if you felt so motivate you could make a seperate homemade gauge for each position and do away with the switch but I find that if your only gonna tune one cylinder at a time, why do all that extra soldering (shrugs)
     
  2. PainterD

    PainterD Active Member

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    I often wondered that myself. I always thought something like that was too expensive for us "Garage" mechanics to own for what we would use them for. Looks like your on to something!
    I'm not sure I understand how to build one myself, but I know how it works.
    Maybe you can make some and sell them to us? I'd buy one if the price is right.
    Alot of members here use a Colortune to get the A/F mixture right, but I'msure your idea will works just as well. You've got my interest.
     
  3. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    i read someplace the narrow band 2 wire type had to be up to a certain temp before the readings were reliable, like 600 degrees
    i don't know if thats true or not but your going to have to be pretty close to the head to get a idle reading if it is
     
  4. PainterD

    PainterD Active Member

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    So your saying you'd need to install a sensor bung in each header pipe?
     
  5. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    http://wps.com/LPG/o2sensor.html
    i started reading this then my eyeballs fell out :)
    but it looks like they have to be hot to work, how hot...?
    and they compare exhaust to outside air, so shoving one up the tail pipe is out
    there are some with built in heaters so maybe those could used at the end of the tail pipe
    if you knew what kind of car took a narrow band with a heater in it, that would be a start
     
  6. C84AUA

    C84AUA New Member

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    I like the hole colortune plug idea but a 70buck just for a tunning tool, idk for sure. I have personal found that this system works, true they need to be warmed up. But 600 degrees no. Running the engine for 2min works just fine because the sensors heatup very quickly. I plan on placing my O2 bungs about 3in away from the exhaust ports, right at the bend, pointing up and out toward the front tire.

    I think this would be a far faster method of tuning the carbs. Once I get the bungs welded onto my header Ill post a pick of the header with the Gauge Set all bolted up. I doubt the bungs really would be that noticable but I plan on heat wrapping the tubes.

    Please note also that the system would not be mounted on the bike while riding, just piggyback off the bike for power.

    I gotta get a camera so I can show ya'll what I mean.

    It really would be simple to tune the bike.
    -Bench Synch the butterflys, then tune with the A/F Gauge Set.
    You would realy only have to mess with the a/f ratio screw most of the time.

    Hope this post gives ya'll some idea!

    Ill post up when I get it all together.
    C84AUA
     
  7. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    I don't know that going "Rube Goldberg" to tune-up the Old XJ is a step in the right direction.
    The Process ought to be one that is "Simplified" and widely available to everyone.

    That's why the Colortune Plug is so popular.
    Very simple. Very accurate. Uncomplicated.
    Neat and clean.

    No need for welding or laptops or someone looking at Oxygen content through telemetry or electronic instruments.

    Sometimes a guy comes along with the right idea, solves a problem and gets rich with an invention that fills the bill.
     
  8. C84AUA

    C84AUA New Member

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    Sorry I wasn't trying to put the down the color-tune plug at all, I simply had the stuff here at my house and thought it might make a simple alternative.

    And isn't the idea of performance to take steps in new directions using different technology on different things.

    Personally drilling a 5/8" hole and welding on the equivalent of an 3/8" spacer does not bother me. You can get an Allen key stud and it will close up the pipe will riding without the "spacer" getting any bigger.

    Also my bike is turbo so I need to be absolutely sure of the fuel/air ratio if I want to run the wastegate mods as Dinoracer suggested.

    And the bottom line is this is a viable way of running a tune on the bike. It take limited skills and its easy if you already have to re-chrome those headers :)

    I didn't invent the technology i just know how its suppose to be wired!

    When I get the bike all torn down and get to the carbs, I'll post up some pictures and a finished diagram.

    C84AUA
     
  9. alaskazzr

    alaskazzr Member

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    I like the idea, especially since it's basically 8th grade IC soldering. Having a rotary switch to jump between Lambda's is a good idea too. Now while I may not necessarily put this on my Seca, it may lend itself well to my V-Strom. That way I can monitor A/F when I tweak the Power Commander maps.
     

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