Table of Contents
Introduction
Your car has an O2 sensor that is placed right above its exhaust and its job is to continuously measure the ratio of fuel vapor to oxygen that comes out. It can give you a good idea of what is going on but most cars come with narrowband gauges. It’s highly recommended to switch to a wideband gauge as it has a much wider range of ratios that it can read.
Product | GlowShift | AEM | Innovate Motorsports |
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Description | The GlowShift wideband gauge is easily one of the best models on the market. It works fast and very efficient, ensuring a long lifespan for your engine.(Check price at Amazon) | The AEM wideband gauge is not far behind our first pick and it works very fast and efficiently. It has numerous protection features that make it hard to mess with.(Check price at Amazon) | The Innovate Motorsports wideband gauge is the last one on our list and its quality is pretty decent. And if you know your way around your car, you can install this device all by yourself.(Check price at Amazon) |
To have an idea of the difference between your OE narrowband and a wideband gauge, you’ll be surprised to see that the narrow band is only capable of reading from 14.5:0 to 15:0. On the other hand, a wideband gauge has a much wider range that goes from 5:1 to 22:1.
The reason why almost all bands are narrow from the factory is that your car will try to maintain a reading of 14.7:1. This is the perfect measurement that emits less but optimizes the fuel efficiency at the same time. It can also lengthen the life of your engine considerably. Your vehicle’s Engine Control Unit (aka ECU) continuously communicates with the A/F (Air/Fuel) sensors. And while many cars should maintain a 14.7:1 reading, some vehicles don’t.
Don’t confuse the wideband gauge as an upgrade from the narrow one. This is just a tool that helps facilitate the engine tune-up, while also maintaining a better A/F mixture in performance vehicles. A performance engine is quite different than a regular one. And one of the main differences is that it needs to maintain a 13:1 reading. A narrow band is not capable of reading this, which is why a wideband gauge is needed.
Best Wideband Gauge – How to choose
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If you don’t have a performance vehicle, you rarely have to worry about running lean or rich. The problems start when the car can’t compensate for itself, which is a very low chance of happening to non-performance vehicles. But when you have a performance car, you should invest in a wideband gauge that lets you know when you’re running too lean. This will help you know when to shut the engine off before it gets completely damaged.
You can find a wideband without a gauge as well. However, they’re mainly pointless. Their job is to inform you of the status of the A/F, which can be done with the help of a gauge. This will help you tune your engine properly. The gauge is very important and you should always opt for a wideband that has it. More than that, you need to make sure the gauge you’re getting is capable of reading the ratios of your vehicle.
There are universal and customized gauges on the market. This means that you should check if the gauge you’re getting is compatible with the O2 sensor that sends the ratio to the gauge.
Another thing you need to take into consideration is the way the gauge looks. This is because you will spend a lot of time looking at it so it’s important that you actually like it. There are lots and lots of models on the market and you should always take your time to find the model that fits your car and your requirements. Some gauges are also designed with interchangeable colors so you can always choose the one you like.
In this article, we’ll talk about Our Top 3 Wideband Gauges.
Best Wideband Gauge – Comparison Table
Product Name | GlowShift | AEM | Innovate Motorsports |
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High-End Quality | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Air/Fuel Ratio | 10.0 to 20.0 | 10.0 to 20.0 | 10.0 to 20.0 |
LEDs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Self-Calibration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Fast Results | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Professional Installation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Heater Control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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1 GlowShift Digital Wideband Gauge
Description
The GlowShift Digital Wideband Gauge is of high-end quality and is capable of reading your car’s air to fuel ratio from 10.0 to 20.0. You also won’t have to worry about incorrect readings as you will get the results exactly how they are, down to one decimal place. Its job is to keep you continuously informed about the state of your engine’s exhaust and let you know when it’s time to turn off the engine for a while. This will help you save lots of money in the long run as it will help maintain a healthy engine and lengthen its lifespan significantly.
Thanks to the easy installation process, you will be able to set it up all by yourself, especially if you know your way around cars. But if you’re not confident in yourself, it’s highly recommended to go to a professional. The installation is quite straightforward so you don’t have to worry about spending lots of money on an expert. You will have the gauge placed on the left side so you won’t have to struggle to see the displayed ratio.
With the clear and high-quality display, you won’t have to take your focus off the road just to try to make the numbers from the gauge out. They’re quite bright, the writing is big and clear, and you will manage to get the info you need with just a glance. You will also benefit from 10 solid colors. They’re all bright enough to be seen during a bright day, but also dim enough to not attract your attention during the night. The colors are blue, red, green, white, yellow, teal, purple, amber, pink, and orange.
Best Wideband Gauge – Other Info
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The GlowShift Digital Wideband Gauge is also designed with a self-calibration mode that makes sure the gauge works perfectly at all times. Its specific job is to recognize how bright is in the car and make the writing clear for the driver. It can help offer optimal performance so you won’t have to struggle to see the numbers in the middle of the day or continuously get distracted by the bright LED during night driving. You can trust that the gauge will dim or brighten every time you need it to.
GlowShift is a leader in making some of the best aftermarket automotive products. They always strive for cutting-edge technology and you can find all kinds of products designed specifically for cars and trucks. This includes gauges, adapters, pods, sensors, and various other accessories. They gained the trust and respect of a lot of customers all over the world as they continuously improve their products.
Thanks to the high-quality display that comes with the tinted lens, you will also enjoy a quite stylish gauge that blends in with the interior of any car. It’s very simple, so you won’t have to worry about distractions, but it looks good as well. You will also benefit from a 1-year warranty and a lifetime of customer support.
The package will include every single thing you need for the installation process. This includes a Wideband Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge, a Digital 12V Wideband Controller with Data Logging Output, an Oxygen Sensor, Weld-in Sensor Bung, a 13in Sensor Harness, a 6in Controller to Gauge Harness, a 5in Power Harness, a Dimmer Wire, a Gauge Visor, mounting hardware, and a user’s manual. The dimmer wire is very important as the auto-adjusting mode won’t work without it.
Pros
- Easy to Use
- High-End Quality
- Durable and Reliable
- Long-Lasting
- Dimmer Wire
- Air/Fuel Ratio From 10.0 to 20.0
- Features 10 Different LED Colors
- Self-Calibration Mode Ensures Optimum Performance
Cons
- Might Require Professional Installation
2 AEM UEGO Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge
Description
The AEM UEGO Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge is another great model that can help you keep an eye on the ratio between air and fuel. It offers 0-5V analog output as well. But you need to be very careful about what type of vehicle you have as this gauge can only recognize ratios between 10 and 20 AFR. If you think your car’s engine might go below this range, you might want to look for another model. But if it fits your needs, the installation is easy but it’s always best to go to a professional.
Thanks to the interchangeable black and white faceplates, you will also be able to change the look of the gauge however you want. This allows you to make it match the interior of your car and make sure it doesn’t ruin your car’s aesthetics. You will also receive a Bosch 4.9 LSU wideband sensor and a weld-in bung PN 30-4110. This offers you the possibility to always know what’s going on with your engine and do whatever you can to lengthen its life.
With the 2-1/16in gauge housing, the gauge is designed to fit in almost any gauge pod. This also means that it can be easily installed almost anywhere and you won’t need any adaptors to make everything work. You also won’t have to worry about needing a free air sensor calibration either. And if anything is wrong with the engine, you will immediately see on the gauges’ display how the needle changes color when the AFR switches from rich to lean.
You will receive a 1-year warranty that also comes along with lifetime customer support. The brightness of the writing is ideal for night driving as well.
Pros
- Easy to Use
- High Quality
- Reliable and Durable
- Long-Lasting Design
- Has a Range Between 10 and 20 AFR
- Interchangeable Black and White Faceplates
- Designed With Sturdy and High-End Quality Harnesses
Cons
- Might Require Professional Installation
3 Innovate Motorsports Wideband Gauge
Description
The Innovate Motorsports Wideband Gauge is the last o our list and it has a range that goes from 10 to 20 A/F as well. It also has a faster sensor frequency that helps deliver faster O2 sensor feedback. This means that you will always be informed about the state of your car’s exhaust and engine in real-time. It’s not the best quality on the market but it gets the job done pretty well.
Thanks to the faster analog output speed, you will also benefit from getting your ECU to work optimally. This makes it capable of seeing any changes that happen in the air/fuel ratio just as they happen. When your engine is in danger, just a few minutes of early warning counts a lot in case of emergency. The O2 sensor you’ll benefit from is the Bosch LSU 4.9 wideband.
With the enhanced heater control, you will also be able to drive with some peace of mind that the gauge is also capable of letting you know when the temperature gets too high. The sensor will offer superior performance in the induction and other high-end performance applications. You will also benefit from a 2 1/6in diameter gauge body that also features interchangeable faceplates and bezels. This universal gauge should be usable on almost any vehicle as well.
If you have any MTS-enabled devices that help add additional logging channels, it’s even better. More than that, this gauge uses a patented direct digital technology and a new advanced sensor control.
You should be very careful about the Oxygen sensor that was used in the gauge, which might cause overheating. The sensor might also be very hot so make sure you’re not touching it bare-handed.
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Decent Quality
- Long-Lasting
- Pretty Durable
- Enhanced Heater Control
- Faster Sensor Frequency
- Faster Analog Output Speed
- Has a Range Between 10 and 20 AFR
Cons
- Pricey
- Not The Best Accuracy
- Requires Professional Installation
Conclusion
Wideband gauges are a very important accessory for your performance vehicle. A normal car doesn’t really need such a device, but if you have a performance engine, you will have to take proper care of it. All these wideband gauges are specifically designed to withstand hours upon hours of racing and help you keep track of your engine’s health no matter where you are.
