wide band air/fuel ratio sensors

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.kettering.edu>]

On Wed, 17 Jun 1998 QSHIPQ@aol.com wrote:

> A very interesting discussion.  I'm still a huge EGT skeptic.  It's a great
> tool for knowing when to shut your car down without baking the turbo, and
> 'maybe' long term effectiveness of fuel mixtures.  For Lambda values, it's
> hardly an effective weapon, in fact, I would think some other temp sensors
> activated that are already in the Lambda loop, could do a better job.  But
> maybe not.  

I agree here, because EGT takes a _relatively_ long time to react to the 
temperature changes.  That doesn't mean it isn't valuable, just that it 
isn't extremely fast reacting, so if you're trying to find data that 
happens faster than the EGT can react, you won't get it.

> Regardless, the PROBLEM remains O2's and WOT vs. Lambda (for any value of L).
> The wide range O2 would easily replace the EGT sensors (like within a model
> year).
> Here's to hoping it happens soon.  We ALL could benefit from this better
> mousetrap.

Indeed.  I think it will happen soon.   Already for a few years now, 
Honda and Mitsubishi have seen fit to equip their high efficiency engines 
with wide range air/fuel ratio sensors, but they are still expensive 
enough that regular engines don't get them.   I think we'll see this 
change within the next couple years though as they do offer some advanced 
capabilities that wil enable further reductions in emissions.  Prices are 
dropping too.

Later,
Graydon D. Stuckey

"There's alot more to Jazz than just wrong notes"