Fast's new RPM Module includes everything you need to integrate rpm data to its excellent air/fuel meter.
In the Apr. '07 issue of Circle Track, we tested FAST's new portable air/fuel meter with a race engine on a dyno and found that the tool is useful for dialing in the best air/fuel ratios for power throughout the engine's powerband. It turns out there is a lot that can be gained by individually tuning each bank of cylinders, and this meter makes that easy.
The FAST air/fuel meter is designed to be used in a race car on the track, but one problem is that it maps air/fuel ratios over time. During playback, as you watch the air/fuel ratios change, it can be difficult to determine exactly where you are on the track. But now FAST has introduced an expansion module to its meter that adds rpm logging to the mix.
By tracking rpm levels, it instantly becomes crystal clear where you are on the racetrack. And being able to see exactly what your air/fuel ratios are doing can be a tremendous help. That stumble coming off the turn, it turns out, corresponds with the air/fuel ratio going extremely rich. Maybe the squirters are pumping too much fuel into the engine too quickly. It is one way to find the solution quicker and more reliably.
FAST's new RPM Module is an add-on upgrade kit for the air/fuel meter. It includes an inductive rpm pickup with ignition wires that don't need to be cut, a communications cable, and software to update the controller, as well as the other odds-and-ends plugs to get everything working together. The plug-in module also fits into existing ports, so there is no cutting, soldering, or dinking around with electronic hardware to get everything to sync up. Plus, the air/fuel meter will work in single or dual-sensor modes, automatically calibrate itself, and work with both gasoline- and alcohol-powered engines. Now that FAST's air/fuel meter allows you to overlay engine rpm data with air/fuel ratio readings during on-track testing, this meter has gone from a great tool to a must-have for any race team looking for a competitive advantage.
