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Air Fuel Gauge that looks correct?


lilcphoto

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I did a search to no avail... I am in the process of converting to DCOE's (have not installed anything, I am making sure I have everything setup before I make the swap as the car runs great with its single 40 now) as well as re-creating a new center console.

8347205400_97ae277d5a.jpg

This was my first attempt, and after having it installed for a few months I realized that there is a reason german cars never came with cup holders. It's just not right to drink and drive!

Anyways, my first attempt was made out of plywood and after attempting a change in my stereo setup, I realized that I needed to go a different route. I want to fabricate a center console that looks factory yet has a nice design.

Along with a Clock that I am hoping to source (having a hard time with the Tii's price when I see so many alternatives that are not cost prohibitive), as well as coming across a photo of a saab owner whom did this:

gauge.jpg

Which makes me want to try my hand at something similar. Does anybody have any recommendations for a nice A/F gauge that would look right at home next to a period correct clock? Or perhaps another gauge you would highly recommend in its place?

Daily '74 BMW 2002 w/ Dual 40's

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Visit my Wheelwell to see what I've done to the car

 

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A lot of people use Innovate, but the Innovates don't like it when they get hot. After two gauges and more sensors from Innovate on two different cars, I tossed them and now use AEM. Marshall can substantiate that the Innovate stops working in high heat. The AEM is working ok in the stock location on my IX. Go to EFI101 site and search on Innovate, you will get a lot of similar comments from the Pros.

A radiator shop is a good place to take a leak.

 

I have no idea what I'm doing but I know I'm really good at it.

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A lot of people use Innovate, but the Innovates don't like it when they get hot. After two gauges and more sensors from Innovate on two different cars, I tossed them and now use AEM. Marshall can substantiate that the Innovate stops working in high heat. The AEM is working ok in the stock location on my IX. Go to EFI101 site and search on Innovate, you will get a lot of similar comments from the Pros.

but the easy fix for innovate (actually bosch..that is who makes the sensor) is to just install the sensor further downstream in the exhaust. mine is at the back of the y-pipe about parrellel with the shifter. works great. zero issues since moving it there.

however, if you are looking for a period "look", innovate is not it. the aem analog gauge fits right in. Jgerock has one in his tii. sits nicely to the left of the main cluster in the lonely spot at the end of the dash.

2xM3

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I was aware of the move to a cooler location. My follow-up comment is that the overheating problem is not a Bosch problem, it is an Innovate problem. Most use Bosch sensors (so does AEM). Innovate does not want to have the shopper know there is a potential over-heating problem and does not advise how much downstream the sendor should be located. They would rather a buyer drop another $50+ bucks on one of their extension heat sinks (one of those is sitting in the basement). One should not have to install it by trial and error. Innovate's problem is that they do not properly control the sensor heater, see the EFI101 site for more info. One should not have to do "work arounds" for a company's poor design especially for the cost. Besides who wants to do more welding on an exhaust system experimentally. I welded on a second bung and it wasn't any better. My XD-16 is in Canada on a Porsche somewhere, I wish the guy luck. The LM-1 and sensor is in the basement someplace.

A radiator shop is a good place to take a leak.

 

I have no idea what I'm doing but I know I'm really good at it.

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Having an AFM on a wideband 02 sensor is critical for tuning your DCOE setup, but having a gauge in the dash afterwards is somewhat pointless. Seems like having a water temp or oil pressure gauge would be more useful.

pointless? surely you must be joking.

i use the AFM all the time. it is a great, immediate indicator of something not right with the engine. and carbs or progammable efi need tuning regularly.

oil pressure is important, but there is no need for water temp...the car comes with a vdo water temp gauge stock.

what is pointless about adding gauges is when they are mounted in the center console. completely out of view of driver. they don't do much good if you can't see them while driving. well, decorative value I guess. important gauges(or warning lights) like OP and AFR need to be up on the dash.

2xM3

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Marshall's comments are well taken. When an A/F gauge stops working about 150mi out on a 800 mi trip one way and you've gone down 2000ft elev and have another 2500ft to go and no A/F reading and no closed loop control, one gets down on that gauge mfr. You can only run on a wing and a prayer that the rest is woring ok. I drove that trip to the MidAmericafest with no A/F function until about 50mil from home on the return when it decided to work of and on again.

A radiator shop is a good place to take a leak.

 

I have no idea what I'm doing but I know I'm really good at it.

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No joke intended. AFR is not something that categorically changes on any kind of regular basis or WRT a change would indicate some kind of catastrophic problem that you wouldn't otherwise feel in driving (e.g., like a significant change in coolant temp). I have an AFM and haven't observed any changes over the last 3 years after tuning my dual DCOEs. What am I missing here?

Chris B.

'73 ex-Malaga

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I've converted my instruments to the modern Switec type stepper motors along with a generic stepper to drive the odometer. Reason being was because I no longer run a cable drive for the speedo and originally the binnacle had a clock instead of a rev counter. I also converted the fuel/temp gauges so I could run with matching illuminated needles.

The motors are wired directly to a couple of Arduino microcontrollers and with a bit of code and relevant input the gauges will function as intended. One advantage is that I can use the 0-5v output from the wideband controller and with the push of a button swap the function of the (probably fuel) gauge to AFR.

It's not completed as yet, need a rev counter face and complete/debug the code. Hopefully I’ll get the LED illumination done next week which is also controlled via the Arduino.

Rgrds

Solche Fehler sind schon oft von Frisierpraktikern gemacht worden, die keine Ahnung von einer Ventilerhebungskurve hatten. -Ludwig Apfelbeck

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I occasionaly monitor the AFM gauge while I drive. It helped me diagnose two faulty low mileage Bosch plug/coil wires and I was thinking there was low fuel pressure. Before I installed the gauge, I just guessed at the settings on my tii (using the BMW factory guidelines) which were not correct for my car's condition.

Jim Gerock

 

Riviera 69 2002 built 5/30/69 "Oscar"

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