Oxygen Sensor For Carb Tuning (O2)

[jmlcolorado]

So ive heard of people usinf a O2 sensor for carb tuning.
Although i have read somewhere on here that a few of you have tried this method, i cant find the post as our search feature doesnt allow 2 character searches (ex. "O2 sensor") And nobodys actually spelled out Oxygen...... cept me now

My question is who has tried this and was it successful?

I think this would be beneficial for us green horn carb guys.
Also would be nice to tune for each season without a complete guesss in the dark.

I dont mine welding bungs on each exhaust port for this as I would simply plug it when not in use.

I want to know more info on this subject.

Such as, which 02 sensor have you used?
Use a Volt meter and judged by readings on the meter or use a dedicated instrument for this purpose?
If you used a volt meter, do you know the High, Low voltage readings on that specific sensor?

Also, Has anyone done plug chops after this setup to see exactly how accurate it is?

Any input is welcome here. I always open to opinions.

Thanks guys.

[jmlcolorado]

Really?


Nobody??

[49er]

So ive heard of people usinf a O2 sensor for carb tuning.
Although i have read somewhere on here that a few of you have tried this method, i cant find the post as our search feature doesnt allow 2 character searches (ex. "O2 sensor") And nobodys actually spelled out Oxygen...... cept me now

My question is who has tried this and was it successful?

I think this would be beneficial for us green horn carb guys.
Also would be nice to tune for each season without a complete guesss in the dark.

I dont mine welding bungs on each exhaust port for this as I would simply plug it when not in use.

I want to know more info on this subject.

Such as, which 02 sensor have you used?
Use a Volt meter and judged by readings on the meter or use a dedicated instrument for this purpose?
If you used a volt meter, do you know the High, Low voltage readings on that specific sensor?

Also, Has anyone done plug chops after this setup to see exactly how accurate it is?

Any input is welcome here. I always open to opinions.

Thanks guys.

There are several threads on this subject. Here's a link to one of them.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=139249&highlight=sensors+tuning

Besides plug chops, some of us have use heat readings on the header pipes as an additional tuning aid.

I agree with your thoughts. It would be an advantage to be able to compare 02 readings and co-relate them to plug chop colours.

[salty_monk]

I would think you need a wide band lambda sensor & a gauge to read it to get accurate readings. You'd want to be able to mount it on the bike whilst you ride unless you have a dyno....

Dan

[TheCafeKid]

I dunno if the thread I and a couple of others had going on this subject WAYYYYYYY forever ago was in that link, but, talking to a couple of "hotrod" guys, we pretty much deduced that, unless you installed O2 sensor bungs in EACH head pipe VERY close to the head, the readings would be pretty inaccurate. Plus, the theory that you could use one of the "heat powered" 02 sensors works EXCEPT, again, in order to get the necessary temp needed to make the sensor WORK at all, it would have to be way up near the head. It CAN be done was the final deduction, but it would be ugly, a PITA, and really not worth it when there are other ways of accurately tuning the carbs... Its one of those things that big time shops might have in the form of an exhaust gas analyzer, but joe shmo cant afford one of those. If it were practical, it would already be done...

[KiwiGS]

Check out the Flying Banana website, there is a bit of a write up about using a AFR and a 3 wire O2 sensor.
Cheers

[GavinJuice]

An o2 sensor by itself is not accurate enough for tuning purposes, you NEED a wideband sensor.

[jmlcolorado]

Reading into the Flying Banana write up, looks like he's had success using a self heated O2 sensor with an Air/Fuel gauge.

Seems as though this topic is either It will work or it wont.

I think i might give it a try.

It looks like if i were to use a typical O2 sensor, i'd have to mount 4 bungs near the top of the header for heat. Or i could go lower into the collector and use a single HEATED type O2 sensor.

I Know my carbs are close. When on 1/4 to full throttle, the bike pulls like mad. List gotta tune that low end.

It seems that this setup is really for fine (ish) tuning after all other options have been done.

[tejasmud]

I run a LC1 DB gauge set-up on a little 200cc thumper bike, and it works great.

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16235&cat=262&page=1

Easy enough for basic tuning, and keeping an eye on the AFR. Cool mornings AFR will be leaner, afternoon it richens up. Cool to see it happening.

It can get pretty expensive, just depends on what you want to do.

I'll be running a LM1 with LMA3 on the GS700E. Looking at AFR, RPM, MPH, MAP, Accelleration (G), and looking into TPS probably with a string pot.

No real need for 4 sensors unless one wants to monitor each cylinder. Street tuning, no real need for it. Pretty sure EFI bikes today don't run 4.

The Bosch wideband sensors have the heater in them, need to do fresh air calibration periodically, and heater calibration.

Check this link on testimonials.

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/press/winning.php

[Buddy]

Anyone consider the restriction of the sensors probe sticking into the rather small dia. pipe, and how that might change when it's removed? Just a thought that has me wondering.

Buddy