I hooked up my air/fuel gauge today. I like how it looks and all, but I'm wondering if my ratio is ok now...How should this thing be at certain times?

When I'm idleing it reads extremely lean, which I expect is normal and wanted since I don't want to be wasting gas.

But when I do get it going, I get a very broad reading. The lean side lights up but so does almost everything else. It is a bit faded on the far lean side, but everything from somewhat lean to rich is lit up. And it bounces back and forth a bit in a flashy way. Are these gauges usually not too exact, or is my oxygen sensor ready to be changed?

I wanted to change it a while ago, but couldn't get it out, and the shop wanted 50 to try to wrench it out and 100 if it broke and they'd have to weld a new bung in...No way. I can weld, I just don't have the resources. (Learned at school)
I'm thinking of just drilling a hole, putting a new one in, and leaving the old on in there with the wire cut off.

Do you think changed my sensor will give me a more percise reading, or does this sound like normal function?


I've been having alot of idle problems lately, so I can't wait to see what it reads when my idle kicks up to 2100 randomly.

 

it is normaly because you are useing a narrow band A/F ratio gauge. the computer is always going to behunting for the optimal a/f ratio so it will bounce around a lot. it should be at rich when you get on it and should turn of when you let off