mx5cartalk.com

just wondering if anyone has done one of these?

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.as ... &SUBCATID=

If so how hard was it to put together/install?

I think Matty had something like that, he built it into the area above the ignition.

I found some pics on his cardomain site
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/123711/5

i also built the cheaper version of this kit (the same one as matty) and by coincidence i also mounted it in the same spot as matty. they are really simple to build and install. the one you linked to has a few extra features but it's still a very basic kit and would be very simple to install. you might want to double check that it works with the NB MAF tho, as the instructions mention it works with a AFM (as found on the NA6). it'll probably be fine but worth double checking. you could always save $10 and just get the basic one that me and matty built.
i think i did a thread in the \"engine\" forum when i installed mine that had pictures and explanations etc (the \"electronics\" forum did not exist back then).... you could try searching for my thread but i know the search function is not the best. i think it was called \"fitting an EGO meter\" or something like that.

thanks mate. how hard are these to install

dead easy if you have a wiring diagram. with mine i just had to splice into 3 wires (+12v, earth, o2 sensor) . with the one you linked to there is probably a couple more connections (night dimming and AFM at least) but still looks very simple.

Try and take lots of photos if you can, it may help us other NB owners.

I've built the bigger & older one from Jaycar that has the digital A/F readout. I had it on my car at the last MX-5 Dyno day at Mercury Motorsport in Brisbane.

These things are only as good as the oxygen sensor they are connected to. The narrow band ones (like most cars have) are only accurate around the 14:1 range.

On the dyno the operator compared the Jaycar kit reading to his wide band op-the-tailpipe meter. There was a huge difference in the readings.

So these are a good toy and may let you know if something odd starts happening but they are useless as a tuning aid.

M

Mokesta wrote:These things are only as good as the oxygen sensor they are connected to. The narrow band ones (like most cars have) are only accurate around the 14:1 range.

On the dyno the operator compared the Jaycar kit reading to his wide band op-the-tailpipe meter. There was a huge difference in the readings.

So these are a good toy and may let you know if something odd starts happening but they are useless as a tuning aid.

QFT.

Hence I only built the cheapie kit. It's good to see that the car is "rich", "lean", or "stoichiometric" (closed-loop oscillating), but nothing more accurate than that.

Don't underestimate it though, the above information is much much more informative than nothing. At a pinch, you can pick between "slightly rich" and "stupidly rich".

Mokesta wrote:So these are a good toy and may let you know if something odd starts happening but they are useless as a tuning aid.

i disagree.

i achieved a good improvement in fuel economy and felt more power on the "butt dyno" after fitting this in conjunction with a fuel piggyback. i agree that a dyno will get much better results but to dismiss it as "useless" is a bit rich (parden the pun) in my opinion.

then i fitted bigger injectors (460cc, more than twice as big as stock injectors) and the car was running pig rich and could barely idle due to drowning in fuel. but using my piggyback ecu and the $15 air fuel meter i got it to idle, then tuned it through the entire rev range (in the driveway and then on the road) in about 25 minutes.

i drove the car on that tune for months before putting it on the dyno for a proper tune and it ran smooth and fuel economy was as good as before, so i think that $15 meter was a good investment in my case.