I am currently gathering parts to turbo my car. I am confused about the wideband controllers.

I want to get a wideband to be safe, my understanding is the wideband o2 sensor adjusts the controller depending on outside factors. I am going to run a s300. Does that have a built in wideband controller?

If not, so I need to buy the wideband o2 sensor and controller? Now where does the controller hook up to? I mean the whole wideband should be connected somehow to the ecu to be able to adjust right?

My 2 choices are the PLX which Hondata recommends, and the Innovate, but I'm not sure if it will connect the same to s300?

 

A wideband controls nothing. It is simply a gauge and only reads information. Most have the option to log if you connect them and they typically have two wires you will use to log, if you do not then these wires are left not connected.

The s300 will be what you use to control the afr (air/fuel ratio) the gauge simply measures this in voltage and relays it to you to let you know if the motor is running rich or lean and allows for safer tuning.

 

Doesn't the wideband controller adjust air and fuel ratio according to motors needs, depending on air, altitude, etc?

From wideband o2 sensor to controller or ecu? And the gauge is optional.

 

The term "controller" was used when wideband gauges weren't as compact as today. So most of the older wideband systems, had a WBO2 sensor --> Controller to drive the heated circuitry inside the sensor --> display gauge or analog signal to ECU.

Nowadays, when you get a popular AEM UEGO Wideband O2, the controller is housed inside the gauge itself. So your gauge will also have the analog 5v output that feeds the ECU you are using with AFR information. From there, your ECU interprets that signal to determine if the car is running rich or lean.

There are still some systems that have separate controller, but the controller is there to power the circuitry of the sensor. Some systems still sell the gauge by itself (display), the controller (powers the circuitry), and the sensor (WBO2 sensor).