I'm getting to the point where the next logical step would be to tune my ECM and I've read people say to get a wideband sensor to aid in the proccess. (don't go by my profile, doesn't reflect)
I really know nothing about them, and was wondering what they do, and how you use them when tuning. I'de like to at least have a basic understanding before I start buying things. I've been told it's basically a fancy AFR meter, but I don't understand how that would be much usefull when tuning VE, and Power enrichment tables, unless you know EXACTLY how rich the car should be for max gain. I'm just a little confused about this, and was hoping someone could clear things up for me and explain....thanx guys.

take your car to a shop with a dyno, they will be able to tune for max power, as far as the wideband, it is a precise oxygen sensor, that instead of saying you are rich/lean, it will tell you your actual air fuel ratio....a must for proper boost tuning, and to prevent running lean....either buy one, or get your car dynoed somewhere that they will use it.

A side not is that you have to have a separate o2 bung welded in your exhaust for it.

I know about the seperate O2 bung, I'd probably put it in the top of my downpipe just below the collector on the headder (no room on the actual header). There's no place with a dyno or even that tunes cars to the extent where talking about anywhere near where I live, so I have to do everything myself, IE getting a laptop, installing HPtuners on it, and figuring everything out.

i believe my wideband instructions state to weld the bung 36" downstream. There are dyno shops EVERYWHERE...whether there is one that can use HPT, and do it correctly is another question. I would look for places that tune Camaros/Firebirds wiith the LS1 motor...it uses the same retarded fuel curve

I wideband is just one tool for tuning. Air/fuel is just one part of the car that you want to tune. There is more that needs tuned, and if you do not know you should not be attempting it.



FU Tuning

I know theres more to be tuned, I was just wondering about the wideband thing. As far as timing and other things go, I'll just make small adjustments and use datalogging to make sure I'm not going to far (along with the massive amount of info my gtech tells me, like more forward g's means your taking off faster, and so on). I'm just wondering if theres a general rule for adjusting PE. Or if theres a general "goal reading" the wideband should be at during WOT. I prefer to do things myself. And not let other people touch my car. I wan't to know exactly whats been done, and be able to change things if and when I need to.

Wow... you need to do a LOT of research. Your G-Tech is not useful for ANYTHING aside from impressing girls with flashy lights. Start reading about turbos from the ground up, go to wikipedia, search turbocharger, air fuel ratio, wideband etc. You need to read everything you possibly can before you go 'doing things yourself'. No one is going to explain it all for you, but there are FAQs at the top of the boost and tuning section that should give you at least enough background information to start asking more intelligent questions.



" To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous. "

I also recomend the book "Maximum Boost"....I on the other hand do NOT recomend the company MAXIMUM BOOST, dont get those confused....

Try Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com...etc.

Very informative read, and easy to understand even for beginners.

I also recomend "Modifying your cars electrical system"....or something like that. It will give you a big step up in your tuning before you do it.

I would agree that the G-force is useless as far as tuning goes...
I would also agree theres a lot more to tune than A/F ratio

But a generic A/F ratio doesnt exist....you have to tune to YOUR vehicle (and driving habits) to get the best out of YOUR setup....I have seen a lot of people looking for anywhere from 12:1-10:1 ratios...but it all depends on your setup

Gotcha....I'm more use to carburators and distributer caps, when it comes to tuning cars, I was assuming that you can take the same basic knowledge from that and apply it to fuel injection, but apperently I'm wrong. I know alot about cars, but have not dealt with the ECU's much past basic OBD2 functions. I understand what everything does, just not exactly what it should be. So basically, I should get a wideband, read as much as I can on tuning "new cars", then get the software, and tune until the car performs the best for the way I drive it and what I've got done to it? The car will be N/A when I get around to tuning it. I've noticed people saying widebands arn't needed N/A, and others say you do, I don't suppose having one can hurt. I know Gtechs arnt accurate in most cars, thats why I took the time to program it correctly. I don't have access to a dyno, and it's more accurate than the feedback I get from my ass in the seat, thats all, but If I don't need it I wont use it. Thanx, I guess I need to study more