hatchback_al

I just recently installed my "beginners" turbo kit and I got an autometer A/F guage mounted along with it. I know you all think they are crap and blah blah but like I said this is just the beginning, and its better than no A/F gauge at all. Here is the wierd thing, during the day it stays at a perfect stoich/rich mixture, not lean at all, but then I noticed at night it would run way leaner, filling the entire lean section and part of the stoich section. I discovered tonight that the reason its doing that is when I turn on my headlights, my gauge instantly goes way lean. WTF is up wiht this. Is this a false reading or is having my headlights on actually making it run leaner. It stays so lean on the gauge that I cant even get it into rich at all. Usually it does it no problem. As soon as I turn my headlights off it goes to rich/stoich. What the ****.........over

hatchback_al

shazam

SOHC_MShue

lol stupid light show a/f gauges...

Dyzee

I have a strange feeling you wired it completely wrong.

Syner-G-Racing LLC

they probaly tapped into the common wire between you head lights.

JRciv

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hatchback_al &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I discovered tonight that... when I turn on my headlights, my gauge instantly goes way lean... Is this a false reading or is having my headlights on actually making it run leaner? </TD></TR></TABLE>


I may just have a new sig.

hatchback_al

YES I get to be in someone elses sig, well you can diss me all you want but im not a moron or anything. The whole reason I asked is because it was unusual. I have the power tapped onto the acc power wire from my underdash fuse box, the o2 wire running to my o2 (obviously), and I have it grounded somewhere underneath the dash. Explain to me what is wiring wrong if anything.

hatchback_al

And what do you mean they, did I give the feeling that a shop or someone else installed this? If so that is not the case, I installed all of this as well as the motor, tranny, clutch, and everything else on my hatch myself When it comes to doing work on your car you can really only trust yourself

JRciv

Sorry about the dis, but I thought it was funny. I don't really know about the specific wiring, but I have two different autometer gauges and they both came with pretty specific directions.

And about the autometer A/F gauge being better than nothing... well... yeah.

BEEYOND

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hatchback_al &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just recently installed my "beginners" turbo kit and I got an autometer A/F guage mounted along with it. I know you all think they are crap and blah blah but like I said this is just the beginning, and its better than no A/F gauge at all. Here is the wierd thing, during the day it stays at a perfect stoich/rich mixture, not lean at all, but then I noticed at night it would run way leaner, filling the entire lean section and part of the stoich section. I discovered tonight that the reason its doing that is when I turn on my headlights, my gauge instantly goes way lean. WTF is up wiht this. Is this a false reading or is having my headlights on actually making it run leaner. It stays so lean on the gauge that I cant even get it into rich at all. Usually it does it no problem. As soon as I turn my headlights off it goes to rich/stoich. What the ****.........over</TD></TR></TABLE>


dude, get a PLX wideband meter.....the one you have is probably an EBAY meter.

hatchback_al

I got it used from a friend, its an autometer phantom or something. I know its not the greatest but is it because of the way I have it wired? Im sure this doesnt happen with everyones a/f gauge

hatchback_al

Its just when u drive down the road and see your gauge saying lean its kind of discomforting you know

honda9369

maybe u have a short in the wiring so when u turn your headlights on your voltage drops or raises. that a/f guage reads on voltage signals. hope it helps.

Syner-G-Racing LLC

that gauges sole purpose in life is to read the voltage from the o2 sensor to interpret you A/F ratio. having it tapped into the acc could affect it from current draw or induced voltage. there should be a couple of aux spots in your fuse panel...take a meter and find the one that comes on only when you turn the car on and that stays on when you turn your lights on. and make sure that you dont have it tied into a ground or a common for the lighting circuit.

CivicGSR225

you most likely have a shitty ground if the reading is changing when you turn on your headlights. Also if you hit a hard bump or anything, ususally the gauge will bounce around and show many bars being lit up in the lean area, this is because taking readings off the o2 sensor sucks.

Finland

Step 1: With the engine running check voltage at the battery with the lights off, then with the lights on. There should be no difference if your alternator and voltage regulator are functioning properly
Step 2: Check your wiring and make sure all of your connections are soldered, not crimped

If you have a low voltage problem, it is remotely possible that the car is running leaner, since the fuel pump and injectors need a certain voltage to operate properly, but I doubt this is the case.

White Smoke

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicGSR225 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also if you hit a hard bump or anything, ususally the gauge will bounce around and show many bars being lit up in the lean area, this is because taking readings off the o2 sensor sucks.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Oh really?? Taking reading off an 02 sensor sucks
What do we use them for then?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nicholashang87 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dude, get a PLX wideband meter.....the one you have is probably an EBAY meter.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Where did you learn to READ???

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hatchback_al &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">and its better than no A/F gauge at all.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You are 100% right my friend
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hatchback_al &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I discovered tonight that the reason its doing that is when I turn on my headlights, my gauge instantly goes way lean. WTF is up wiht this. Is this a false reading or is having my headlights on actually making it run leaner. It stays so lean on the gauge that I cant even get it into rich at all. Usually it does it no problem. As soon as I turn my headlights off it goes to rich/stoich.</TD></TR></TABLE>
&gt;1st thing I will recommend is solder! You NEED to solder the connection at the 02 sensor. Really the best place is to tap into it right before your ECU. Make sure you cover it with some electric tape after you solder it!
&gt;2nd you need to find a steady power source. The ECU has a couple but I don’t recommend taping into any of them unless it is the power FOR the 02 sensor. (not the heater)(witch you can find with a FSM or ECU pin out) This is mostly where your problem lies! I would try getting power from some different places before snagging any power from the ECU. Try some different things like directly to batt and such.
&gt;3rd Just double check you have a good ground witch I am sure you do

Do you have a crank pulley or any other modification that limits your alternator from supplying a full 12-14 volts?


::EDIT::
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you have a low voltage problem, it is remotely possible that the car is running leaner, since the fuel pump and injectors need a certain voltage to operate properly, but I doubt this is the case.</TD></TR></TABLE>
The injectors get a regulated (steady) power from the ECU! The Fuel pump voltage will not cause a problem either unless he is running 255lbs (per sq in.){edited} of fuel press. lol You could run the pump at 9 volts and it would proly fulfill the needs of his app.



Modified by si2die4 at 10:43 AM 10/22/2004

88rexHF

Dude why did you even post a question like that. If you dont know that there is no ******* way that the headlights could effect a/f then you shouldnt even be driving a car that needs an a/f guage. This has to be one of the dumbest ******* things I have ever heard.

White Smoke

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 88rexHF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dude why did you even post a question like that. If you dont know that there is no ******* way that the headlights could effect a/f then you shouldnt even be driving a car that needs an a/f guage. This has to be one of the dumbest ******* things I have ever heard.</TD></TR></TABLE>
With a comment like that somehow I think he is smarter than you
Try helping someone out instead of just mouthing off!


Modified by si2die4 at 9:49 AM 10/20/2004

Finland

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by si2die4 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The injectors get a regulated (steady) power from the ECU! The Fuel pump voltage will not cause a problem either unless he is running 255lps of fuel press. lol You could run the pump at 9 volts and it would proly fulfill the needs of his app.

Modified by si2die4 at 9:34 AM 10/20/2004</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's a lot of "probablys"...9 volts is not enough to run the stock fuel pump properly.

255lps??? This doesn't exist- nothing flows 255 liters per second...maybe per hour...
and LPH is a flow rating, not a pressure rating

Get your **** together before trying to flame my post you moron.

b_ron007

actually, i have my autometer air:fuel guage hooked up to my AEM UEGO, and it lets me know if i go lean and when i i'm rich, i can kinda tell what the air:fuel is. its not supre acurate, but at least it'll let me know if i'm in danger

dennis

Jesus christ... this thread - as well as most - has gotten way out of hand. Like the other people mentioned, you probably have an iffy ground. I had one of these at one point wired into my cigarrette lighter power wires. I too noticed fluctuations in the light levels by powering different accessories on. Try turning on your high beams, a/c, rear defroster and see what it does. It could just have sensitive/susceptable eletronics to begin with. I'm sure these things aren't built to the highest standards...

Either way, like the others mentioned, it's not accurate enough to do anything useful. Although, I did find it useful for knowing when your ECU goes open loop.

When you're in closed loop, the ecu uses the O2 sensor for feedback and it's constantly making adjustments based on what the O2 tells it. Since it's a narroband O2, the lights are all over the place.

Once the ECU goes open loop, it ignores the O2 sensor and starts running off fuel/ignition maps in the ECU. It does this at a particular throttle position. You can actually see when the ECU goes open loop with the gauge because on a stock engine, it should stay steadily lit in the somewhat "richer" area.

Use it however you want, but it's really not good for much more than the above mentioned.

I just installed a Zietronix wideband in place of my O2. If you're serious about tuning, I highly recommend it.

White Smoke

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by boost psycho &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

That's a lot of "probablys"...9 volts is not enough to run the stock fuel pump properly.

255lps??? This doesn't exist- nothing flows 255 liters per second...maybe per hour...
and LPH is a flow rating, not a pressure rating

Get your **** together before trying to flame my post you moron. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Look you stupid fuxx I was not flaming you just trying to help your retarded ***!
I spelled Lbs wrong. Ops... And I was talking about press NOT flow!
Yes voltage is relative to flow but NOT press seen at rail so.... Now you know
And yes retard, 9 volts will power a stock fuel pump plenty enough to supply 55psi all day long! I don’t need to prove myself to you I have a thing called EXPERIENCE

PS.. I said probably because I didn’t know if he was running an FMU or not
And I dont see how 1 probably leads to "a lot of "probablys""

Your the dambass that said that a little low voltage could cause the motor to go lean Ha..Ha..


Modified by si2die4 at 12:20 PM 10/20/2004

hatchback_al

Danger will robinson, danger! Well it turns out that my car actually was running lean with the headlights on, I was driving it last night and it ran so lean it exploded everywhere But yeah today im doing some **** to the car so I will try rewiring it to see what that does. I do know that when I turn on the headlights the idle drops a little and when im driving at night they dim just a tad that i notice once in a while when I come to a stop.

White Smoke

It was running lean all the time then Your headlights are not your problem man, they will NOT cause you to run lean!
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you have a crank pulley or any other modification that limits your alternator from supplying a full 12-14 volts?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Also what kind of fuel pump do you have? EMS? FMU?