u said somthing about below 10 AFR.....the PLX displays between 10-20AFR. but u never want to be out side those anyway so it doest matter.

 

The XD-1 does not require an LM-1, but it does require an LC-1 (wide band controller molded into a cable.) That complete gauge, cable and sensor package retails for $399. Also, AFR is not absolute but Lambda is. Depending on what fuel you are running; gasoline, alchohol, etc. You will want to display sub 10:1 AFRs. The LM1 will display as rich as 8.5AFR.

Here is some Theory for the tech heads or those that just want to learn.

Wideband sensors: Like a spring scale

A Wideband sensor is most like a spring-based scale. These scales determine a weight by measuring the deflection of a spring. A set screw is used to set the spring tension to a defined deflection for a known exact weight. The spring analog in this example is the pump current, the set-screw is the calibration resistor provided by the sensor manufacturer and the known exact weight is pump current required in free air. Another issue with this scale is that when you put a new weight on the scale, you need to wait until the scale stops oscillating.

But what if the spring looses tension with age or manufacturing tolerances make the spring deflection non-linear?

The very expensive high-end meters supply a 'calibration table' that compensates for the 'spring' non-linearity on a sensor-by-sensor basis. Producing this table is a laborious and expensive process and is naturally only correct for a new spring/sensor.

The Innovate LM-1

The LM-1 uses a different principle. Let's go back to the balancing scale analogy: What if you had only one reference weight? And there were only 3 things you know about this weight:

1. It is heavier than any produce you want to measure.
2. It does not change over time.
3. It is cheap, any rock will do.

How can you possibly precisely measure with just this?

If you were an electronic superman you can put that weight on and off the scale so fast that the scale, due to its inertia, hardly has time to move. The inertia is dependent on the sum of the measured weight, the reference weight and the weight of the scale.

If you put the reference weight on and off so fast that the scale stays in balance, you can determine the weight by the time ratio between having the reference weight on and off. By weighing a precisely known quantity (free air) once, you can also exactly determine your reference weight. From that and the precisely measured on/off times you can determine the weight and inertia of the scale exactly without calibrated springs or reference weights. You can also at any time recalibrate it by measuring free air again. Another advantage of this measurement method (still staying with the above example) is that you can measure much faster because you do not need to decide which new (smaller) reference weights to add or take away to get the scale in balance. Also, you don’t need to wait for the spring-loaded weight to settle and stops oscillating.

The LM-1 uses this approach, putting the 'reference weight' on and off several hundred times per second. The precision of this approach is then limited by the precision of the time measurement. Fortunately crystal oscillators today allow precise time measurement at extremely low cost at tolerances of ~0.0001%. Precision resistors (the equivalence of a balance weigh set) come in tolerances of 1% to 0.1% and get VERY expensive for higher precision.

for more information visit www.innovatemotorsports.com

 

i think plx does the samething with micro processor. not sure though.

but good info.

i think i'll be going with plx m300.

 

LM-1 all the way. Great set of features (see MINES13's post above), very good software to go with it (logging, etc), the BEST support (the engineer that designed it supports it), new stuff coming out for it all the time, very reasonable price, easy to install (I have some pics on the Innovative forums). IMO you can't beat it.

l8r)

 

it's $600 + for the lm-1 with the gauge.

i'm sure data logging is good, but you could do that with plx m500 and you don't have to buy a gauge for it.

that and no more holes in my downpipe.

plx m300 is linear setup, works with any aftermarket engine management.

sold!

 

Why do you need a separate gauge? The LM-1's display is very readable by itself. Sure it's kinda cool to have the A/F gauge visible all the time, but in reality, how often are you really gonna look at it? By the time you notice that it's gone off-the-chart lean, your engine will either have suffered serious damage, or the ECU will have pulled timing. Also, after reading up on how much heat a wideband sensor can handle, I'd be very reluctant to mount one into the stock O2 bung. Seems like it is way too close to the turbo.

l8r)

 

An LM-1 kit plus the XD-1 gauge package is 572 bucks, That includes the 44 minutes of on board datalogging. As specified by an earlier post you do NOT need to have an XD-1 gauge, but you could always add one at a later date. The nice thing about the Innovate Motorsports stuff is that everything is backwards compatible and any seperate component can be added later. If you already have an LM-1 you can later purchase an LMA-2 or LMA-3. The LMA-2 allows you to log RPM as well as 4 additional 0-5v engine sensors, TPS, DWELL, etc. The advantage of this is ofcourse the ability to log your AFR over RPM; think dyno tuning capability minus the hassle of a dyno, not to mention the cost. Simply do a roll from 3rd gear to redline and you have VERY accurate AFR data. The LM-1 and LC-1 are also the only wideband units on the market with the ability to free air calibrate, this is HUGE because as your sensor ages its accuracy faulters. With the LM-1 you simply unscrew your sensor, place it on the ground, hold your calibrate button and the sensor will use the logic I explained in an earlier post to maintain sensor accuracy. Try that with your PLX. Also worth noting, the LM-1 has a 0-5v output that allows you to use it with any aftermarket ECU that has a wideband input AEM, Haltech, Motec, Tec3, E-manage, etc.

 

What do you guys think of the zeitronic's unit? I saw it last week and its pretty nice. It also allows for data logging.

 

i would like to monitor my a/f all the time.

i mean, ALL THE TIME.

i can't see the point of looking at data logging after your engine blows up, because water gets in it or your fuel injectors stop working.

that's why they have the display.

 

The LM-1 does have a real time display. It desplays your real time AFR and Lambda so you can monitor it accurately in REAL TIME no matter what fuel you are running. If you do not do your own tuning or you do not track your vehicle then the datalogging capabilities of the LM-1 are wasted. If you are just looking for a true wideband AFR gauge then the XD-1 LC-1 combo is the only route. This setup includes software that allows you to determine the what AFR range your outer LEDs will display, it allows you to program the colors of the outer LEDs individually to any one of 32,000 color options. the outer LEDs on the PLX and the AEM units are fixed unit of measure, not every application needs to display the full range of AFR on the outer LEDs; ie idle, etc. Ofcourse in the center of the gauge you have your real time numerical AFR display. another cool feature of the XD-1 is the fact
that you can use the included software to set peak rich and peak lean recording ranges allowing the gauge to remember your richest and leanest conditions. You
may also setup a warning threshold, allowing you to set a an AFR which when succeeded, lets you know that you are too lean by flashing all of the outer LEDs.
All of the settings you determine on the XD-1 gauge are saved on non volitile memory within the gauge so even if your gauge is not powered or connected to your vehicle or computer the data is saved. This also applies to rich and lean conditions memorized by the gauge, great if you have a race car that may not always have a battery in it. If you already have an LM-1 you can purchase a gauge alone for $229 If you do not or feel you need datalogging, you can purchase an XD-1 kit with the XD-1 lambda cable for $399. This setup can be surface mounted seeing as the gauge is only 3/4 of an inch deep with a flat back, or you could mount it in any 52mm (2,1/16) gauge pod.

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/xd1.php

 

that's nice gauge...

mines 13, do you have these in use now in your car?

 

I have not installed my gauge yet. But I do have an LM-1 that I am completely content with. I have experienced the XD-1 gauge for several hours and played with the software changing variables. Using an RPM converter, LMA-2 plugged into the LM-1 which inturn has the XD-1 plugged into it, you could even program the XD-1 to do double duty as a shift light , needless to say... VERY . I will its nice how I could program the outer LEDs to any AFR range. I set up the LEDs to display only 11.2 to 13.4. It allowed me to set a few of the LEDs, roughly the ones in the 11.2 to 12.2 range to green. I set 12.3 to 12.8 to yellow and 12.9 to 13.4 to red. Needless to say I was impressed enough to buy one. There is simply nothing on the market like this.

 

i think you have me sold..... now how to merge it in with the defi stuff i'm ordering. decisions, decisions.

 

They probably all do, but the PLX site was the only one I saw that specifically mentioned they use a digital PID controller. The only signal the Bosch sensor actually generates is a regular, narrow-band signal. Where the different wide-band controllers can distinguish themselves is in the circuitry they use to take the narrow-band signal and drive the "pump-current" control. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the ones mentioned here but if you're a glutton for punishment and don't need anything real soon check out www.megasquirt.info for their DIY wide-band. It has some good info.

Dave

 

So which did you get? I'm undecided between the PLX m500 and the LM-1.

As soon as my income taxs returns come in I'm going to get one