| Message |
Widebands simply monitor the AFR. In the situation you described (constant throttle/cruising), the ECU is constantly adjusting the AFR based on feedback from the OEM narrowband O2 sensors. The wideband(s) just display what the reading is, so you're going to see that rapid changing while cruising regardless of gauge type. You could argue that an analog gauge is not going to have this issue, but as you know the UEGO has illuminated LEDs around the numeric readout to give you a visual cue for your AFR in adition to the number. To this point, the UEGO can do the exact same thing an analog gauge would do, plus give you a numeric readout. The most important use of a wideband, though, is for tuning. You don't (usually) need to be concerned with that the AFRs are doing while you're cruising. If your O2 sensors are good and you see the AFR fluctuating rapidly while cruising, that means your AFRs are fine for cruising and the ECU is in the closed loop cells of the fuel map, while the O2s are doing their job. You should really be interested in what they're doing under boost, where they will be more stable (and hopefully on the rich side). You also shouldn't be staring at the gauge during heavy boost of course, but rather logging the feedback from them. Unless you're okay with just helplessly watching your AFR, the best use of a wideband (IMO at least) is to log their feedback while in Nistune (or whatever tuning setup you're running) so you can check your AFRs are specific points in your fuel map and correct them. Having a gauge in front of you is just the cherry on top! And even if you were looking to perfect you fuel map in the cruising/closed loop cells, you would disable O2 feedback (or disconnect the stock O2s) and log anyway. Not only would they stop fluctuating rapidly, but again you wouldn't be making adjustments while driving, so the log would be the most important factor. Just my opinion.
 |
 |
