Opinions on AEM gauges
- Thread starter Nubulin
- Start date
I beleive they have been tested as the most accurate one you can get but I dont remeber the facts so that may just be my brain acting up.... seen a LOT of them floating around on turbo sleds, by most of the big builders, seem to be a dang good choice, I got one for my project and it looks really nice, havent used it yet, but quiality is nice as far as MFG.
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mtn mike on boost
Well-known member
2 seasons on my tm7, not a single failure.and it was one of my cheapest options
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Dano702
Well-known member
I have 900 + miles on mine , most of that was on Sunoco . And a few tanks of 91 at the end of the season . No problems at all , and i will be running the boost gauge/controller next season.
I just like the idea of having the LCD numbers to look at , that new controler is sweet. No more opening the hood to crank on the knob . I just hope there is enough juice to run both .
I have an article from FORD Muscle car mag (www.fordmuscle.com) where they tested (8) A/F set-ups. Can't scan it otherwise I would. I could fax it however. From BEST to WORST:
1) INNOVATE XD-16 (+/-.1AFR) EXCELLENT LATENCY, SELF CALIBRATING 02
2) AEM (+/- .1) HIGH LATENCY
3) FAST (+/- .50) HIGH LATENCY
4) FJO (+/- .50 ) MED LATENCY
5) PLX (+/- 1.00) MED LATENCY
6) DYNOJET (+/- .75) SUPER HIGH LATENCY
7) ZIETRONIX (+/- .75 ) MED HIGH LATENCY
8) NGK/AFX (+/- 1.00) MED HIGH LATENCY MANUAL CALIBRATING 02
While the AEM had good accuracy (+/- .1) it had a HIGH latency (SLOW TO RESPOND) thereby possibly having the right data in the wrong part of the fuel mapping column.
They go on to say that the INNOVATE is the ONLY one with an automatic recalibration feature to compensate for 02 sensor wear, also the ONLY true digital unit. Which brings up the obvious question, As the 0-2 sensor wears how does the user know that the sensor is going bad??
ALL the units tested used the BOSCH LSU4 wideband O-2 sensor. Even NGK came w/BOSCH sensor even though they make their own 0-2 sensor????
Some set-ups tested were off by as much as ONE FULL POINT on the A/F ratio.
Hope this helps
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chris79
Member
Put 700 miles on my aem last year all on race gas and no problems. If you are worried about the sensor going bad or loseing callibration put a new one in each season I carry a spare and i think I payed 90 buck for it. I think this is the part number for the replacment sensor 30-2001 you should be able to find it on the aem website or jegs to I bet.
Chris
Chris
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Silber
Well-known member
I wont use or sell anything but the AEM gauge. They are very easy to install with a two wire hook up, and everything is in the gauge. I have messed around with the innovate and they are good gauges, but too bulky for me and to many wires to mess with. I have ran the Aem wideband since they have come on the market and have never had any failures. I have found that if your sensor starts ready low, to clean it out with a propane torch and that usally gives the sensor longer life.
Justin Silbernagel
Justin Silbernagel
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DWHalverson
Well-known member
The AEM wideband is the AFR gauge I sell for my XP turbo kits.
Dave
Dave
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product tester
Well-known member
I love the aem afr but not so much the aem true boost gauge at least not on an m sled.
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DWHalverson
Well-known member
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product tester
Well-known member
I dont know bought a bunch of the aem true boost controlers and couldnt get it to work on a sled
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zebiraross
Well-known member
Innovate's hate snow. Its a matter of time before they will go tits up because of water/condensation. AEM will take all the abuse and snow you can throw at them.
The only true 100% waterproof gauge is the KOSO, and I've been told that they have reliability issues (system shuts off as you're cruising along, have to stop, shut down re-boot) and their shop is thinking about getting away from them.
With regards to AEM, there seems to be that High Latency issue that I posted above.
Check out www.greenhulk.net, a watercraft website. A lot of ocean riders run the INNOVATE on their Supercharged Sea-Doos and are happy w/them. I can't think of a harsher environment to run in than saltwater.
The only true 100% waterproof gauge is the KOSO, and I've been told that they have reliability issues (system shuts off as you're cruising along, have to stop, shut down re-boot) and their shop is thinking about getting away from them.
With regards to AEM, there seems to be that High Latency issue that I posted above.
Check out www.greenhulk.net, a watercraft website. A lot of ocean riders run the INNOVATE on their Supercharged Sea-Doos and are happy w/them. I can't think of a harsher environment to run in than saltwater.
I've had the same AEM boost gauge for on 3 different sleds now.. with a couple thousand miles on it in the snow.. still going strong....
Kraven.. are they doing anything to the gauges??.. cause 3 people in our group have had them.. and all 3 failed within the first season.. maybe its the water+cold weather... who knows.. but they are junk for sleds..
A few guys on H.C.S. have the XD-16 INNOVATE on their sleds, have not read any negative posts there.
On the Sea-Doo's have not read any posts regarding sealing/mods/problems on the INNOVATE.
With regards to the AEM, no one has addressed the HIGH LATENCY issue (delay in response time) and the lack of automatic recalibration feature.
With regards to sensor wear, as far as I know ALL setups use the same BOSCH sensor so it's not the sensor itself that's at issue. If you purchase the BOSCH 0-2 sensors @ a local auto parts store they come with a 1 year warranty, buy an extra carry a spare is how I look @ that issue.
Let me add that I currently do not have a A/F set-up on my sled but I'm looking at buying one for this upcoming season as I installed the PC III last season and would like to try to get more out of it.
That being said I'm not against the AEM or pro INNOVATE, and I take you seriously when you say you've had failures within your own group. How long ago, how old/new were the INNOVATE units that failed??? Since the INNOVATE is the only true digital unit out there , were these reliability problems early electronic gremlins that have since been addressed??
When I spoke to BIKEMAN about the INNOVATE they said they USED TO have reliability issues with them, and now they sell the KOSO. Then when I asked SLP about the KOSO (the only A/F they offer) they're considering dropping the KOSO due to reliability issues.
So, should I buy the AEM with NO recalibration feature to compensate for 0-2 sensor wear and what about the SLOW response time with the AEM, effectively providing correct data but in the wrong column of the fuel map???????
Or do I buy the XD-16 and keep returning it for warranty repair/replacement and be without an A/F set-up for half the riding season???????
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zebiraross
Well-known member
A few guys on H.C.S. have the XD-16 INNOVATE on their sleds, have not read any negative posts there.
On the Sea-Doo's have not read any posts regarding sealing/mods/problems on the INNOVATE.
With regards to the AEM, no one has addressed the HIGH LATENCY issue (delay in response time) and the lack of automatic recalibration feature.
With regards to sensor wear, as far as I know ALL setups use the same BOSCH sensor so it's not the sensor itself that's at issue. If you purchase the BOSCH 0-2 sensors @ a local auto parts store they come with a 1 year warranty, buy an extra carry a spare is how I look @ that issue.
Let me add that I currently do not have a A/F set-up on my sled but I'm looking at buying one for this upcoming season as I installed the PC III last season and would like to try to get more out of it.
That being said I'm not against the AEM or pro INNOVATE, and I take you seriously when you say you've had failures within your own group. How long ago, how old/new were the INNOVATE units that failed??? Since the INNOVATE is the only true digital unit out there , were these reliability problems early electronic gremlins that have since been addressed??
When I spoke to BIKEMAN about the INNOVATE they said they USED TO have reliability issues with them, and now they sell the KOSO. Then when I asked SLP about the KOSO (the only A/F they offer) they're considering dropping the KOSO due to reliability issues.
So, should I buy the AEM with NO recalibration feature to compensate for 0-2 sensor wear and what about the SLOW response time with the AEM, effectively providing correct data but in the wrong column of the fuel map???????
Or do I buy the XD-16 and keep returning it for warranty repair/replacement and be without an A/F set-up for half the riding season???????
I personally had a INNOVATE go bad with in 3 months of riding. I had 2 other friends who had the same fate, we all went aem at the time and never looked back. I got a AEM at the time hooked up 2 wires and was done with it. Filipe Saez from Innovate was really helpful and gave me a RMA to send it in but I never got around to it. Yes, the Innovate has a few more features then the AEM. And probably is a little more accurate being able to recalibrate. Since you have never HAD a wideband, go and get a Innovate. You have several people on here that have had a bad experience with them SNOWMOBILING. We're not driving Mustangs or wave runners. You say your not for or against either aem or Innovate, but lets be realistic, you sure are pushing the Innovate
Just for the record I don't have a AEM right now, I use a prologger so I have no emotional ties to the AEM. But I have owned 4 different widebands, 2 aem, 1 Innovate, 1 prologger. You talk about the aem being high on latency issues. Can you go read the article again and find where it states latency in actual "time". Compare the AEM and the Innovate and lets see exactly how much latency aem has in real "time". Where does it have latency issues, idle, part throttle, wot??? If my aem is 4ms slower then the Innovate I could care less.
As far as accuracy, when I had the Innovate on my old rx1ton I saw 12.2-12.5 afr ALL the time. On real cold days it might creep up to 12.7. When the Innovate went belly up guess what I saw on my aem with the EXACT same tuning. 12.4-12.7...Nothing changed except the wideband. That's .2 difference with is meaningless in the snowmobile world.
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Racegun
New member
I've used both and would not hesitate to buy either of them.
I ran the Innovate on a turbo Rev without a battery... yes without one. And I ran the AEM on a turbo RX-1.
If you want data logging use the Innovate; most people will not use this feature. The AEM is much lighter, has less cable to hide, cheaper and I bet it draws less power.
You can’t really compare the two the Innovate definitely outclasses the AEM, but with that said, I will probably use AEM on all my future projects.
Buy the Innovate heat sink and use it!
I ran the Innovate on a turbo Rev without a battery... yes without one. And I ran the AEM on a turbo RX-1.
If you want data logging use the Innovate; most people will not use this feature. The AEM is much lighter, has less cable to hide, cheaper and I bet it draws less power.
You can’t really compare the two the Innovate definitely outclasses the AEM, but with that said, I will probably use AEM on all my future projects.
Buy the Innovate heat sink and use it!
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Racegun
New member
Can you elaborate on your cleaning technique a bit, sounds like a good tip?
All failures were last season, all the innovate units were new when installed, all the problems were within the unit.. all of them got a RMA number and got a new gauge in the mail and sold them..
Like zeb said. the high latency doesn't really come into play on a sled.. and when you sled goes from 12.1 to 14.7 you will know where it happens..
.. Maybe they have fixed some of the issues.. yes they do have a few more features that the AEM doesnt have, however for what I use it for.. the AEM is the route I will go every time