While roaming thru various internet pages I stumbled across this product made by PLX devices, its a Wideband o2 sensor controller installed in a 2004 S2000. While my car experiences have not led me down the o2 road (until now), Im not sure what it does or why exactly someone would need it. Is it basically an o2 simulator, but then I saw it still uses an o2 sensor. Hopefully someone will find this product useful or can explain to me what its specific use is, (If not an o2 simulator). Thanks heres the link http://www.plxdevices.com/M-Series_Videos.htm

Midway down the page

 

Its a wide band o2, it gives you a air fuel reading by numbers, like 11 to 1. Its so you can tune your car without a dyno. Im looking for a decently priced one.

 

The 02 sensor in our car is a fairly rough device. It's slow to react and not particularly accurate. That is why as soon as we hit the throttle our car comes out of closed loop tuning (using the sensor) and goes back to it's internal tables for fuel and timing.

A wideband is a far more accurate device. Part of this is that it is kept at a constant temperature and volatge. It is the controller unit that controls the temperature and voltage across the unit and also reads the signal back from it. Some controllers also modify this signal so it is compatible with stock ECUs.

 

So this thing is a pretty good thing to have eh? So one could expect a couple more ponies and improved throttle response out of a product such as this? Is this a totally different product than the VAFC?

 

The name also suggests another difference. A Narrowband only measures A/F around the point of stoichemetry (14.7:1) in a narrow range. A wideband, as the name suggests, can measure values much higher and lower than a narow band.

Another thing this particular controller provides is logging of data and an interface for a PC.

 

I wouldn't expect anything much out of this other than a window to your cars tuning. They are suggesting it provides slightly more accurate data to the ECU in closed loop but that won't make a difference in open loop (ie. when you put your foot down) and that's when you want more of them aforementioned ponies.

It is also not a V-AFC. Infact I would say they are two products that kind of compliment each other because you shouldn't tune a V-AFC without a good idea of your A/F ratio. That said, these particular devices are a lot of money if you only intend to install a $300 V-AFC. I have a wideband on the way but it is for my AEM EMS.

 

Ahhhh, ok

 

I disagree. Narroband O2s are much more consistant than Wideband O2s. Widebands are VERY sensitive to temperature and fouling. They require much more frequent sensor replacement and periodic calibration.

As already stated they are just usefull for tuning, and are most usefull for tuning at wide open throttle. Widebands give a linear response to changes in air / fuel, while narrowband O2s are more like a switch (above or below 14.7:1). For example, the output of a narrowband O2 at 14.2:1 is the same as it is at 10:1 and the output at 15.2:1 is the same as it is at 20:1.

I have a wideband O2 for tuning, but I still let the ECU use the narrowband. I think this will give the best / most consistant results.