Air Fuel Ratio Sensor / Gauge

ok well i feel better now, that ive decided to keep my car and maybe think about do some serious engine mods just for fun, so i am looking at getting some gauges first to monitor how my car runs now so i can see the performance improvment. i want to get and air fuel gauge and sensor and oil sensor and gauge what would be the best ones to stick with for this, and where do i get the sensors from for this, the gauge pod and gauges i know where i can order them but as far as hooking them up how do i do this?

i know where i can order them but as far as hooking them up how do i do this?

What year, model, engine size Grand Am?

Generally, the air/fuel gauge will connect to the wires on the front 02 sensor. The output is normally a purple wire that goes to the PCM and you tap in there at the sensor connector. The wiring will need to be run through the firewall if you go this route or you can tap into the right wire at the PCM connectors.

Oil pressure gauges normally connect to the oil pressure sending unit.

Are you refering to the O2 sensor on the air intake or down on the headers? where is the oil pressure module.

Are you refering to the O2 sensor on the air intake or down on the headers? where is the oil pressure module.

Depending on your engine, the oil pressure sending unit is located by the oil filter assembly. The 02 sensor where the air/fuel gauge needs connection is the one before the CAT convertor on the exhaust manifold header/downpipe.

Got it, i have a 2.4L 2001 my fault for not mentioning it, with the online manual i have i should be able to find the sensors, so when i install them i tap into the purple wire for both of them, ive seen new harness's that have a purple wire that is already tapped to run to a gauge, when i run the wire into the interior to the gauge what should i look for as in where to place the wire , should i heat shrink it or whats the best from keeping it from getting screwed up?

on the diagram i have i found the oil pressure sensor. but i cant find a diagram to where the sender is

Got it, i have a 2.4L 2001 my fault for not mentioning it, with the online manual i have i should be able to find the sensors, so when i install them i tap into the purple wire for both of them, ive seen new harness's that have a purple wire that is already tapped to run to a gauge, when i run the wire into the interior to the gauge what should i look for as in where to place the wire , should i heat shrink it or whats the best from keeping it from getting screwed up?

The purple wire is standard for all GM odb-ii cars whether 2.4 or 3.4, etc. so you can't go wrong plus as you mentioned the instructions that come with the gauges will state the same. There should be at least two points of entry where existing harnesses go into the firewall mainly at the area of the driver's side strut tower/firewall. You'll see the big o-rings. If you connect directly at sensor in the engine compartment I would recommend heat shrinking. Good luck!

Thanks Bud i appreciate it...

What are the most important gauges to have... personal preference is probably what everyone is gonna tell me, so i have the a/f , oil temp and trans temp, or is pressurse a better way to go?

So the O2 sensor on the header under the heat shield is where i need to put the pigtail conector then run it through the heat shield upto the gauge and thats that, my a/f gauge is working. sounds easy enough except getting under the car. I can just take off the heat shield i dont have to take out the O2 sensor do i?

So the O2 sensor on the header under the heat shield is where i need to put the pigtail conector then run it through the heat shield upto the gauge and thats that, my a/f gauge is working. sounds easy enough except getting under the car. I can just take off the heat shield i dont have to take out the O2 sensor do i?

Sounds good to me. :bigthumb:

BTW - The sensor can stay in the exhaust, just work with the wiring part.

So the O2 sensor on the header under the heat shield is where i need to put the pigtail conector then run it through the heat shield upto the gauge and thats that, my a/f gauge is working. sounds easy enough except getting under the car. I can just take off the heat shield i dont have to take out the O2 sensor do i?

Ya Kidlex01, the purple wire on the front O2, which is in the header, is what the A/F gauge goes. You dont hav to remove the O2 sensor. Thiers not alot of room in thier, PFYC sells a thingy to hook up a A/F gauge, but you can just slice into it, it just needs covered where you sliced so it doesnt get wet or short out on some hot part down there.

As far as Important gauges, I'd go for the Oil pressure. With that once you hav it for a while you'll know if you are low on oil(which is a good thing) just by how its reading.

Trans temp is a good one too. That A/f gauge is ify, ify you hav any boost(super charger or turbo) its good to hav that gauge.

If you goto here PFYC (http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PFYC&Category_Code=GA) and check out the gauges they hav instruction listed for all kinds of gauges and what all you need to hook each one up right.
Has some good pics too of the areas of the engine, and for powersourse hook ups you'll no doubt need. Like the lights for the gauges will need a hook up, on the dimmer if you'd like it to be "tricked out" :lol:

Good Hunting !

so the gauge will work once its hooked up to the sensor but the lighting i will have to hook up to a power source to the dimmer how would i go about this?
PFYC is where i ordered the pod and gauge i havent seen any of the other info your talking about on there

so the gauge will work once its hooked up to the sensor but the lighting i will have to hook up to a power source to the dimmer how would i go about this?

If you don't want dimmer any 12v source under the dash or from the fuse boxes on either side of the dash. For dimmer control I'd tap into the output of the Instrument Panel dimmer control.

well i do want the gauges to work with the dimmer, so if i turn the dimmer down on everything the gauges turn down to, but where do i connect that it would be the 12v source right the same one that controls the rest of the stuff on the dimmer?

well i do want the gauges to work with the dimmer, so if i turn the dimmer down on everything the gauges turn down to, but where do i connect that it would be the 12v source right the same one that controls the rest of the stuff on the dimmer?

He makes a good point...

So i wanna get some reassurance on this, when i hook my gauges up if i want to control them with the dimmer so that there not always as bright, i can just hook it up to the dimmer green wire which is the signal control and then i am going to use my cigarette lighter as power i took it out and covered the hole with a pontiac emblem cuz i dont smoke so i can use that as a hidden power supply so its all fused so i only have to worry abotu the ground. Does this sound right.

its the GRAY wire(which is the +) on the dimmer switch, dont think thier is even a green wire on the dimmer switch.

The lighter is NOT a keyed power source. You will need to find a keyed power source so that the gauge isnt on after you shut off your car. Could run the battery dead.

The AF gauge will hav a seperate wire(S) for the lighting that'll go on the dimmer and possibley a ground, unless it uses the ground that operates the gauge itself.

Ground it to a bolt thats attached to that metal support inside the dash.

the gray wire on the dimmer switch is the power supply, their is a dk green wire which is the signal that dims the lights when adjusted. What if i just get a power block and re-set up my amp to that annd the gauges to the power block.

I've not seen any drk green wires in there..........

You kinda lost me on your second hav of you post. power block..... amps....... :wtf:

on the diagram i have for my 2001 se 2.4l it says there is a dk green wire which is the signal , a gry wire which is power. i have two things connected directly to the battery i have an amp hooked up and some leds. Forget that then, can i just splice into the dimmer switch for power for both gauges and so that the gauges dim.

You can splice into the dimmer switch for the power to both gauges, BUT you want to becarefull not to overload the circuit with to many things. You will be poping fuses if you do.

the link I pm'd you the other day should explain exactly how to hook them up. You are just making it harder than what it really is.

Ok well leave it at that, and when i get the gauges ill hook it up if it doesnt work ill figure it out like i usually do,

Thanks For All The Help...

Dont Mean To Be A Pain ...

Thanks again...

You weremt beeing a Pain!

When you get the gauge you will see you hav one set of wires for the gauge to operate(Air Fuel) and a wire or two for the light inside.
You should use the gray wire for the dimmer which its +(up and down to dimm) and then the other wire would be grnd if it doesnt use the main grnd for the gauge.

the purple wire(signals) goes out under the hood on the O2 sensors purple wire.
The black wire goes to a good ground, and the red wire goes to a KEYed power, one thats only HOT when the key is on.
A fuse tap works good , just need a fuse that uses keyed power like fuse (B)radio acc or (c)I forget what its for but its 25A, in the drivers side fuse box.

Wiring is the easy part!
Getting that wire through the gromit-firewalll is the bitch! :grinyes:

Fuse Tap, hows it work i understand the wiring ive done electrical work and i need a power source so why couldnt i just tap into to the dimmer power source and add a larger fuse or witht hte fuse tap does that just hook into the fuse box .

The power (green wire) is only hot when the lights are on.
the grey is the power for the dimmer+. If you hook the gauges power needed to power it to the green wire it will only work when your lights are on.

The fuse goes through the fuse tap and when its pluged in it's held in place to the positve side of the fuse.

That make any sense???

If not maybe you should not be installing this gauge :dunno:

Crystal Clear, but that is what i want so that it acts like there stock when the light sensor picks up that its to dark they turn on during the day when the day time running lamps are on and the rest of the lights are off the gauges backlight will be off.

It makes sense tho...

I finally did it, i got my A/F Gauge and Oil PSI gauge hooked up, and they work perfectly , the A/ F Gauge is kind of annoying it catchs the corner of my eye and all i see is it going back and forth etc... and the car never runs Stoich always adjusting the mix, so my next thing is how do you get the car to run Stoich the majority of the time, air and fuel managment system APexi ... also ive seen the Autometer D-Pic gauge that measures g's 0-60 60-0 brakeing, 1/4 mile and WHP, to hook that up what do you do and how does it acctually work, if anyone knows. If someone explains how to put pictures on this forum i will take some pictures of my car so everyone can see.

Thanks For All your help it took about 3hours for both and was not very difficult except that i bought the wrong pigtail and had to splice into the a/f connector wire but it wasnt that bad.

THANKS ALL

keep the throtle low and steady. I dont like AF gauges because of thier dancing :lol:

That other gauge, 0-60 60-0 brakeing, 1/4 mile times, has a velocity meter inside. Thier are hundreds of them on the market today.
Probley not the most acurate, but damn close. I had some links to websites with several models, I'll see if I can find them, Not cheap though, $400-600 :eek: Cheaper to goto the track :)