Innovate MTX-L power-up issue... DOA? Toast?

[BigBlockMopar]

I decided to get acquinted with the AFR-gauge a little before I would put it to permanent use in a efi'd car. So... with some moderate amount of enthusiasm I took off one of my exhaust pipes today to install a bung for the new Innovate AFR-meter I bought.
After the bung was installed and the exhaust replaced, I sat down and grabbed the manual. Learned that before everything is connected and hooked up, the AFR-gauge needs to do a calibration one time without the O2-sensor hooked up, and one more time with the O2-sensor held in clean air.

So I power-up the MTX-L with nothing connected, and it shows an '8.' in the gauge. No 'E', or, what it 'should' show; E2.
Just an 8 and a dot.
So I disconnect the gauge and start gazing through the manual again. No mention of this single '8' in the display. Great...
I look around on the internet for similar experiences but nothing shows up.

So I give it another try and power up AFR-gauge again.
This time the status-led lights up red shortly and shortly there is some flickering in the sweep-leds around the display. Then, nothing...
No numbers in the display. No leds burning. Nothing.

So... with my enthusiasm clearly out the way, I guess I can put this little project on the backburner for awhile aswell now...

Are these common issues with these Innovate AFR-gauges or did I just get lucky?

[dieselgeek]

I think you just got unlucky. Sometimes Innovate products can be finicky, yes. We just had an LC1 die on us the other day for no apparent reason.

[BigBlockMopar]

I've been in contact with the UK-based seller of the unit and Innovate aswell last week.
Both Innovate and the seller were very cooperative and offered to handle warranty. Shipping the unit back to the UK was cheaper than the US for me, so I sent it back to the seller. He should've received the package today.

[CDMBill]

I'm sorry to hear about your issue with the MTX-L. My recent install went off ok but I did find them sensitive (specifically the harness from the sensor to adjacent wiring). Moderate current RFI interference I guess. Having tried other products, the Innovate stuff has been on balance the best in my admittedly limited experience.

[BigBlockMopar]

I received a fresh AFR-gauge today and will be trying it out tomorrow.
Hope to be able to report something positive soon.

[Supraman84]

Bumping this, hoping you had a resolution. Experiencing the exact same situation.

[Barry Donovan]

those are very fast units.. be sure the ground loop has a path.

a lot like computing. one chance on the first run..if it is not right, have fun... may not come out of it.

stainless exhaust is a sure startup, 3 wire alternator, buss box underhood as well as under dash.

I have a 30 amp fuse on the original key switch, it only runs 3 things..the afr is one of them.
my own says HTR at 20 below and still reads before starting. More than luck in either direction..success or fail.

I am not sure these would last on old electrical signatures. Fastest patented readings in the world. Remember those become a generator as readings change..
I have zero complaints, and I am in the black hole of central Maine.

[Supraman84]

Hoping bigblockmopar sees my request.

[BigBlockMopar]

Request noted and replied by mail ;)

I've been using the then newly sent gauge, everyday in my daily driver now ('73 Dodge Dart).
Furthermore I've bought a 2nd AFR gauge a few months later after the first one, when I needed to tune both carbs on the 496" motor in my '60 NewYorker with longram intake-system...

Some clips for your viewing pleasure...