Quick question about calibrating an Innovate LC1 air fuel sensor. The instructions say free air calibration. May seem stupid but is that referring to taking the sensor out of the bung and calibrating it or can I just calibrate it installed with the engine cold and not running?

Yes, remove it from the bung and out into the open air and turn the key to the on position (so that the O2 sensor is supplied with power to heat up). The unit will cycle and should read full lean, then it will be calibrated. Re-install into bung and it will be ready for use.

Leaving it installed, it might pick up residual fuel fumes thus skewing future readings.

That's why I chose not to permanently install a sensor in the exhaust system and bought the Innovate 3728 [removable] Exhaust Clamp

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Or you could calibrate it. When I turn my key on, my 240Z with its triple Webers reads about 9:1. Obviously it is less tightly regulated than my 914 with its SDS EFI...

It's not like it needs to be callibrasted daily. Maybe once a year.

Just make sure you use anti sieze on the threads when installing. I had one get stuck and was a real PITA to get out. BTW, it was ruined when it came out.

FYI: the AEM setup costs the same as the innovate setup and does not require calibration, ever. I also found it to be much easier to install...less finicky about grounds.

Not sure if you're beyond the point of not return with the LC-1 but wanted to share my experience.

good luck!
Rich

free air absolutely

I calibrate mine at the beginning of every track weekend
(I figure a different altitude, humidity)

if the weather is the same the 2nd day I don't recalibrate
but if it rains or there is more humidity, I absolutely re-calibrate....

Maybe the AEM auto-calibrates, and manual calibration isn't required? It has to have some datum to measure from to be accurate, no?

I've only used the LM-2 on two cars, but I calibrated each time to make sure it was reading 20.9 in free air.

Rich....looking into these two gauges and thanks for the post..

You used the Innovate gauge for your (McMark's ) crank fire setup.

Have you changed it since to an AEM gauge?

I couldn't get the innovate setup to work correctly. I grew tired of removing the probe from the exhaust, calibrating, reinstalling, updating firmware, etc. etc. Also, it never communicated with the microsquirt -- the reading in TunerStudio never matched the gauge reading (which was wrong anyway).

I replaced it with the AEM gauge (which was a pain because I had to modify the excellent harness Mark provided). It worked the first time I fired it up and has worked flawlessly for 3 months and 2k miles.

The innovate forums are littered with people that had similar experiences. Of course, you hear about problems 10x more than success stories and YMMV but that was my experience.

Hi Rich

I read you posts about the problems you were having and on that note decided to go with AEM. I just got my AEM to work properly I think. I had to replace the sensor, but now I am getting realiable readings, I think.

What kind of numbers are you getting at different RPMs, just so I can see if I am in the ball park.

Warren,
I replied to your other thread, sorry to hear you're having problems.

The AFR varies based on load and not on RPM. at idle I'm and cruise I'm around 13.5, WOT is around 11.5, if I'm engine braking or decellerating, it goes full lean (18+).

I guess that makes sense on engine braking or decellerating, all air - no fuel.
Thanks.

By the way, I started the other thread so I don't hijack this one any more than I have done.