Innovate AFR Gauge. How to install?

[bagherra]

I saw in one of the carb threads that someone installed a AFR gauge on their Vmax. How would one do this? Do you drill and weld the bung inline with your exhaust?

I'd love to have a AFR gauge on my Vmax when troubleshooting carb issues. I've tuned car carbs a lot on cars...for some reason I find the Vmax somewhat difficult to get right. Sometimes too rich has the same symptoms as too lean and other than pulling plugs I feel like I'm guessing at where I'm at.

 

[gamorg02]

sean might be an innovate dealer. there are some wideband sensors for about $250 or so. i just sold an LM-1 actually.

i had 6 bungs put in mine. one in each header and one in each collector so when i went to the dyno we could do each port. if your looking for the minimal approach i'd do one in each collector depending on what kind of exhaust u have.

 

[Kratos]

I saw in one of the carb threads that someone installed a AFR gauge on their Vmax. How would one do this? Do you drill and weld the bung inline with your exhaust?

I'd love to have a AFR gauge on my Vmax when troubleshooting carb issues. I've tuned car carbs a lot on cars...for some reason I find the Vmax somewhat difficult to get right. Sometimes too rich has the same symptoms as too lean and other than pulling plugs I feel like I'm guessing at where I'm at.

I have an Innovate Motorsports A/F gauge. I only installed the bung in the front left exhaust. I figured that most of the major parts like main jets, needles, pilot jets should not be different for each carb. So I chose that carb simply because it is the carb we are supposed to tune to when syncing the carbs, but it probably makes no difference which carb you choose. The fuel screws should be adjusted separately and could be different on each carb, and once you have the other pieces dialed in, those shouldn't be that difficult to tune without the A/F gauge. I also didn't want to try to fit bungs on the other 3 exhaust pipes. I can take a pic this evening of where I have the bung located.

Your are right about the symptoms being very tricky to determine without having any actual data, I fought mine for quite a while before I broke down and bought the A/F ratio kit.

 

[bagherra]

I have an Innovate Motorsports A/F gauge. I only installed the bung in the front left exhaust. I figured that most of the major parts like main jets, needles, pilot jets should not be different for each carb. So I chose that carb simply because it is the carb we are supposed to tune to when syncing the carbs, but it probably makes no difference which carb you choose. The fuel screws should be adjusted separately and could be different on each carb, and once you have the other pieces dialed in, those shouldn't be that difficult to tune without the A/F gauge. I also didn't want to try to fit bungs on the other 3 exhaust pipes. I can take a pic this evening of where I have the bung located.

Your are right about the symptoms being very tricky to determine without having any actual data, I fought mine for quite a while before I broke down and bought the A/F ratio kit.

Pictures would be great if you had them. I'm at the point you were...just when I think I have it (would be great for a week) it would go south again. Sometimes it almost seems random - I don't change anything and it gets better/less at whim.

I've done all the requisite things to do - shotgun, pea, synch, slides, needles, cleaning, etc. The AFR will at least give me a baseline and then I can go from there.

Chasing ghosts isn't fun. :damn angry:

 

[gamorg02]

i brought mine to a dyno shop and was able to fine tune it there. cost me $125. half the price of a innovate and its all done there. he ran the dyno and i made the adjustments.

 

[Kratos]

i brought mine to a dyno shop and was able to fine tune it there. cost me $125. half the price of a innovate and its all done there. he ran the dyno and i made the adjustments.

Na, I picked the kit up for $175 on Amazon. I also liked being able to see the changes while I was driving as I normally would, rather than just the static environment of a dyno run. Having that kind of tool at my disposal is a plus too.

 

[one2dmax]

I am an Innovative dealer but not sure on the current pricing. Like the other aftermarket stuff I sell i'll try to get the best price I can for you.

Sean

 

[bagherra]

Thanks guys. I'm ready to take the plunge...all that is stopping me right now is how do I install the bung to the exhaust? I'm not a welder...can I drill, tap, and install a fitting instead?

I don't know if the local muffler shop would give it go if it needed to be welded on.

On a side note...I wouldn't mind taking it to a Dyno at some point, but I'd like the flexibility of having the AFR on it. When the weather changes, so do the carb settings...at least they seem to on my bike. I know it was that way with the carbed cars I had. Ahhhh...the benefits of EFI.

 

[hexec]

I like the idea of a AFG also. Seems like a nice winter project. Can someone post pics or links of how the sensor mounts? And where it mounts on a max?

I'm going to do some googling to see if I can come up with something.

 

[Kratos]

In my case, I didn't want it on the bike permanently due to the fact that there isn't really anywhere to mount it and still have enough length on the wires coming from the 02 sensor. I ended up taking off the left scoop and putting the controller in the open space next to the ignition, I've got the Dynatek 3000, so there may be a little more room on mine, not sure. I'll get a pic of where I have the bung installed. I have not seen any "thread in" type bungs, but due to the thickness of the exhaust wall and that it is round, I wouldn't think that would be the best idea if there is even something like that. I'm not a great welder either, but my grinding skills hide it very well :biglaugh:.

 

[one2dmax]

The welded on bung is about the only real option you have that's going to work without obstructing the exhaust gas flow. Muffler shops are used to welding that kind of stuff on for hot rodders so shouldn't be a big deal finding someone close that will do it for you. It can't be done (or shouldn't) on the stock pipes. BUT, the stock pipes already have bungs (the tiny plugs) for EGT meters which are more accurate and how your bike was set from the factory. They are far more expensive to get one of those meters.

Sean

 

[gamorg02]

on a side note sean does a nice job installing the bungs

 

[Kratos]

Pictures would be great if you had them. I'm at the point you were...just when I think I have it (would be great for a week) it would go south again. Sometimes it almost seems random - I don't change anything and it gets better/less at whim.

I've done all the requisite things to do - shotgun, pea, synch, slides, needles, cleaning, etc. The AFR will at least give me a baseline and then I can go from there.

Chasing ghosts isn't fun. :damn angry:

Here is a pic of the bung and O2 sensor installed, as is said, the controller is in the open area with the ignition box. I wired the other end so that I could just plug it in to my trickle charger connection whenever I want to use it and attached the gauge to the handlebars with a zip tie.

 

[Kratos]

Bung