AEM wideband vs Innovative wideband.

[KPZVR4]

I need to buy one of these. I would like some input. Is the Innovative faster/more accurate than other options out there (like the AEM)?

Thanks.

KP

[Maximal]

Go AEM...I've seen more and more issues with the Innovates as of late. Innovate used to have calibration issues, seemed to figure them out for a few years, but lately they're right back to them. With the AEM you plug it in and forget it.

I've got them on sale as of right now too... Widebands - AEM UEGO Wideband O2 Air/ Fuel Gauge - Maximal Performance (http://www.maximalperformance.com/store/aem-uego-wideband-o2-air/-fuel-gauge/prod_10.html)

[green-lantern]

+1 on the AEM, they are a great wideband and like Terry said you plug it in and forget it.

[i3igpete]

another thing i've come across with innovative is that their electronics are designed retardedly. The gauge is super thin so you can't mount it using a normal gauge cup/pod(why?), the control unit is a bulky box that is separate from the gauge (WHY?), and the power wires use the tiniest gauge possible and are super short(*). you WILL break the wires multiple times trying to solder them.

*if you visit the innovative forums, they actually try to justify this as trying to reduce the heat flowing thru the wires.

[tabasco122]

yeah, im not happy with my innovate. will probably replace it with an AEM later. i just dont like the way the aem gauges look.

[DrGonzo]

Well my AEM just went out recently, granted I got it fixed through AEM warranty but not before spending $80.00 on a new O2 sensor. AEM support first stated that the O2 went out. So after getting a new one from Terry and finding out that the gauge was bad did they actually release and RMA number for me to send it in. Even worse is that I had to pull the AEM harness also as they want to inspect everything. They tried to tell me it was the harness that was bad but when I got it back various parts of the gauge face had been replaced......

AEM WB does also not work with MMCD as in the later software builds they changed the WB range in the software to accommodate the Innovate WB which is a different WB range. AEM (10-20) - Innovate (8-22). MMCD is not configurable to adjust the WB ranges. One day I hope to update it but not anytime soon.

[futurevr4man]

i had an AEM that i bought brand new. i tried it out and it never read correctly. it would bounce from one extreme to another. AEM makes you jump through hoops in order to have them look at it. i eventually gave up and sold it as is for a fraction of what i bought it for.

ill try the innovate or something else with customer service that actually gives a crap. a warranty is no good when you cant get the manufacturer to look at the defective product

[KPZVR4]

I am thinking of going with the AEM. I found a source for 165 shipped and it IS what I wanted to get, but Innovative seemed to be faster/more accurate (according to them).

Thanks for all the input.

KP

[DocWalt]

The Innovate is faster/more accurate. That said their build quality is kinda meh, and the design is kinda meh, as stated by Pete.

[futurevr4man]

aem does not have stellar build quality either. design quality is a bit obnoxious with the extra box on the innovate

[x2xtreme360]

Having worked/installed both gauges, let me say this.

I personally have the Innovate. The gauge IS very thin. The control unit, for me, is ziptied to the ECU casing. This was done so that all the wiring could be done at the ECU. This was easy to do for me. The grommet under the ECU is where the sensor goes through to get to the exhaust. I have had the gauge for months, and I have NEVER recalibrated it. If I want to recalibrate it, I have the button and LED installed in the cruise button panel for easy access. The wiring is SUPER thin, as said above.

As for the AEM. I installed this on a buddys car. The gauge is SUPER simple. Power, ground, illumination, no bulky control unit, way simpler.

I like the Innovate. Why? Because I use my center console as a control center and can easily hook it up to my laptop to configure the unit. I also run a MAFT setup, and it is designed specifically to work with the Innovate. If you want simple, go AEM. The Innovate will take some time to setup.

[i3igpete]

also, don't forget to mention that the plug for the AEM sensor will fit upward thru the ECU grommet hole. the innovative plug is way too fat, so you have to widen the hole with a hole saw or spiral saw to shove the sensor downward.

[x2xtreme360]

I barely had to widen the hole to get it to fit. I literally grabbed a drill and shaved like .01 of an inch of the diameter of that hole and it went down fine.

[i3igpete]

took us 30 minutes with a spiral saw. unreasonble. why is the damned plug so big and why are the power wires so small. all of these problems, and refusing to fix them, is piss poor engineering.

[DocWalt]

I wonder if the STACK wideband is better... I'm still debating buying one and tuning my car, but it sure is nice to have a warranty lol.