WTB: Aem Wideband

[Bunb]

Looking for A AEM wideband to buy. The most looking to spend is 220.

[blackbird]

Any particular reason you're leaning towards an AEM? Beyond their name, feature-wise they're not the best (no data logging, etc.) and not as accurate over the long haul (compared to the Innovate's digital controller). They are pretty cheap now compared to what they used to go for and the gauge does look good if that's the main thing you're interested in. But you could also consider looking into something like a PLX Devices, DynoJet, Innovate Motorsports, or some of the other setups if you're shopping used and want a wider feature set.

Also consider that if you buy a used setup for around that price and don't know the condition of the wideband sensor you could end up spending another $50-60 or more for a new one if it goes bad a month later. If you're on a budget and already have a laptop computer you could use to display the A/F you can get an inexpensive setup that doesn’t include a gauge and add that on later (such as getting this (http://www.plxdevices.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=IMFDSM-AFR&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dall%26s earchstart%3D0%26template%3DPDGTemplates/Header_Footer/SearchResult.html%26category%3DIMFD) and adding this (http://www.plxdevices.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=IMFDDM-5&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dall%26s earchstart%3D0%26template%3DPDGTemplates/Header_Footer/SearchResult.html%26category%3DIMFD) later).

[JuanDirtyMessican]

ooo i'm liking that PLX wideband. I wish they had more info on them

[blackbird]

They're a pretty good quality and at least you still have data logging options if you decide you need them in the future unlike with the AEM. For best accuracy over the long haul the Innovate Motorsport widebands are still the best due to their unique digital controller and ability to calibrate the wideband controller to a the sensor as it ages. It will also tell you if the sensor is too hot, etc. where most other widebands will continue to display a reading but one that could be off quite a bit. With any wideband you go with they have a great tech forums with a lot of information that's applicable to their products as well as many other widebands.
http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/forums/index.php

Another option to keep an eye on is the new TuboXS Tuner system widebands. This might be a good combination for someone considering the DTEC for fueling. They supposedly offer a similar calibration feature that will keep the wideband controller reading accurate as the sensor ages. I'm not sure if they developed it themselves or licensed it from Innovate, but it's a good feature if you want the most accuracy.

[AJ Quick]

http://www.autovendors.net/search/?search=wideband

[Thirteens420k]

http://www.autovendors.net/search/?search=wideband
That place is extremely expensive!

[AJ Quick]

That place is extremely expensive!

Show us a place that sells it cheaper.. if you know a company, ask them to sign up to list their price. (We don't sell ANYTHING, just help users try to find the best deals).

[Thirteens420k]

Ok, lets see:
Modern performance - http://www.modernperformance.com/dcx/srt4_index.shtml
Turbo Neon Store(where i bought mine) - http://www.turboneonstore.com/customer/product.php?productid=381&cat=20&page=1
Horsepowerfreaks(most expensive i knew) - http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/sale/AEM/Electronics/Wideband_Kits
JSCSpeed - http://www.jscspeed.com/srt4/srt4_base.html
HopUpRacing - http://www.hopupracing.com/aemsichuegaw.html
eBay - http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R10&mppfqy=wideband+aem&catref=C6&satitle=wideband+aem&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=91761&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1&fsoo=1

[AJ Quick]

Okay.. Contact them all and get them on the list.

[Screamin Demon]

Actually you can data log with the AEM Uego if you have the Dtec fuel setup, someone has a how to on integrating the AEM into the dtec for datalogging purposes.

[blackbird]

If you already had a DTEC then you could "data log" with any wideband. Just like the Greddy E-01 can data log an input signal from a wideband.

If you really wanted to go cheap there are also a lot of data acquisition (data logging) devices on the market. Here's a decent example of a low end National Instruments USB logger:
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/14604

Feed it a linear 0-5V signal coming off any wideband and you're all set... or so you might think. Being able to record data is important but even more important is being able to analyze your data. You could have gigabytes and gigabytes of information but if you can't read and interpret the information and also compare it to other readings (sensors, etc.) then it's useless.

If you already have a DTEC, E-01, or something similar then the basic AEM might work just as well as any other average wideband. If you don't already have something like a DTEC then you're stuck with just a pretty AEM gauge and no quality way to record information. And even if you rigged up a data acquisition system like the one mentioned above you'd need other things like rpm that are harder to capture in order to be able to look at it all and get anything out of it. And that's assuming you could import everything into Excel or the logging software included with the acquisition device is powerful enough to graph and display.

I have a personal preference for the Innovate widebands because of a combination of their more powerful and more accurate digital controllers, the data logging and other features that are standard or can be added on later, as well as their powerful LogWorks software. But that's because I like having a lot of accurate, easy to interpret information, with an upgrade path for features I can easily add on later as needed. For someone else those might not be as important as just seeing a wideband reading and keeping tabs on how everything is running by an occasional glance at the AFR. And in that case an AEM may be fine.

There's a ton of choices and I usually recommend the best available but in truth it depends on what you're looking to get out of one. And the best way to determine that is to carefully think of what you want to use it for but also look at the potential uses and additional capabilities of a wideband/data logging setup, understand what they could do for you, then see if you might want or need those features later on. Sometimes nothing sucks more than buying the same piece of gear twice. :thumb:

[Thirteens420k]

Okay.. Contact them all and get them on the list.
What list are you talking about?

[AJ Quick]

What list are you talking about?

http://www.autovendors.net/search/?search=wideband

I started my site as a place for vendors to list their prices and try and sell products and parts.

[hozay09]

Innovate makes awesome products. If your looking for a better wideband but still want to save a few bucks I've sold a few LC-1 units and mated them with a Dynotune gauge. $199 retail for the LC-1 unit plus $89 for the Dynotune gauge.

[gudeman00]

(such as getting this (http://www.plxdevices.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=IMFDSM-AFR&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dall%26s earchstart%3D0%26template%3DPDGTemplates/Header_Footer/SearchResult.html%26category%3DIMFD) and adding this (http://www.plxdevices.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=IMFDDM-5&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dall%26s earchstart%3D0%26template%3DPDGTemplates/Header_Footer/SearchResult.html%26category%3DIMFD) later).

So getting the first part first, I'd be able to monitor it on a laptop? does it come with any software or anything?

[blackbird]

From what I'm seeing you should be able to, but before buying there's a couple things you'd want to check for to make sure it will work. It comes with a short serial cable which should be able to input into a laptop but you made need a longer extension. Their free logging software is pretty good (probably one of the better ones after Innovate's LogWorks) but they haven't updated the instructions or documentation to say if this new controller is compatible. The SM-AFR is very new and there's not a ton of information so you might want to contact them to verify. If there are no problems running serial into a laptop and using their PLX Logger software it would be a pretty good deal. Just remember that you'd only be able to watch A/F on the laptop and while being able to record those A/F readings, without being able to reference it against things like rpm, TPS, etc. you'd mostly be using the laptop just as a fancy gauge. But you could add on their inexpensive gauge later.

The Innovate LC-1 is the same price as the PLX SM-AFR and is a much better controller in my opinion. You can also add on many other data logging options later that aren't available for the PLX. The main advantage of that PLX setup is their standalone gauge is less expensive if you add it on later, but again, it's also much less capable than the Innovate XD-16 gauge. And if "inexpensive" is important to start out with, like Hozay mentioned you have other options for the gauge portion that brings the LC-1 in line with the PLZ and you'd be getting a much better controller and expandability.

[gudeman00]

Alright thanks, I will put the LC1 on priority over the PLX, seems more hassle free anyway.