Air Fuel Ratio (AFR) is the ratio of air to fuel in an internal combustion engine. The AFR is an important measure for performance-tuning reasons. If exactly enough air is provided to completely burn all of the fuel, the ratio is known as the stoichiometric mixture which is defined as an 14.6 AFR ratio. The lower the AFR the richer the mixture. The higher the AFR the leaner the mixture.
6 AFR – Rich Burn Limit (engine fully warm)
9 AFR – Black Smoke | Low Power
11.5 AFR – Best Rich Torque at Wide Open Throttle (WOT)
12.2 AFR – Safe Best Power at Wide Open Throttle (WOT)
13.3 AFR – Lean Best Torque
14.6 AFR – Stoichimometirc Air/Fuel Ratio Value (Stoich)
15.5 AFR – Lean Cruise
16.5 AFR – Usual Best Economy
18 AFR – Carbureted Lean Burn Limit
22+ AFR – EEC / EFI Lean Burn Limit
IDLE / LIGHT CRUISE: 13.5 AFR
When you start your vehicle we refer to this as being in IDLE condition. When you shift into gear and drive at a low mph we refer to this as being a LIGHT CRUISE driving condition. With 14.6 being the industry standard stoich AFR value, we typically like to see these conditions run slightly richer. We are looking to fine tune an engine to get the smoothest operation.
CRUISING: 14 AFR
Most of the time you are driving your vehicle you will be within the state of CRUISING. This condition is the most wide open for customer preference based on two factors. If you prefer better GAS MILEAGE then run a leaner mixture. Most stock to slightly modified engines will run just fine at an AFR of 15 and yield better MPG. If you prefer better PERFORMANCE then we suggest to run an AFR of 14 or even richer to around 13.
WIDE OPEN THROTTLE: 12.5 AFR
Driving full out within a gear will bring you into a WIDE OPEN THROTTLE driving condition. This condition is where the peak horsepower value is obtained. We typcially like to run a richer AFR here to get the best performance. Best performance for most vehicles is in the 12.5 to 13 AFR range. Going too rich will have the opposite affect and decrease your performance.
ACCELERATION: 12 AFR
Getting up to cruising speed or getting ready to pass someone, you usually are looking for the performance to get up and go. We refer to any fast turn of the throttle as being in an ACCELERATION driving condition. Again, we typcially like to run a richer AFR here to get the best performance. Best performance for most vehicles is around 12 AFR. Going too rich will cause a sluggish roll-on to get up to speed.
NOTE: OPTIMAL AFR VALUES WILL CHANGE BASED ON FORCED AIR INDUCTION VS NATURALLY ASPIRATED AND FUEL TYPES
Now before getting started my initial impressions on the key fob:
I got mine from RemoteHub on ebay.
You’ll want to buy the one that is the conversion case and transponder chip only (TRANSPONDER CHIP THAT CAME FROM EBAY WILL NOT BE USED!!!).
Initial impressions were that the case was relatively cheap, felt a little weaker than the OEM key fob that came with the car. Switchblade assembly was good and strong though. I was a little disappointed because I felt like I paid $40 bucks for a weak piece of plastic and a key. I would have been satisfied if this product had cost $20-$25, or at least come with the key fob components for $40. So for potential buyers I would recommend try to find a cheaper retailer, or wait it out for paypal/ebay coupons (10$ off shipping would be the best one to use!) But RemoteHub does offer 10% off around the end of the month even though that only saves you a buck or two 😛
After everything has been said and done and the project was completed, I’m happy that I did it, its a simple and stupid mod but I always liked the Euro flip style on the VW’s so I’m glad there was such a thing out there for Nissan’s.
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Well lets get started:
Estimated cost: $35-$50 Difficulty: 3/10
Tools/Stuff needed:
Your current key, & key fob
Euro flip style conversion case with key
New key fob (optional)
Small screwdriver
Small flathead
Small pliers
Exacto blade or knife
Some other cutting utensil (optional but would make getting the transponder chip out easier)
Blow dryer (optional)
Super glue
Masking tape
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There are a couple ways you can approach this. You can either use your key fob or buy a new one and reprogram it.
Either way you’re gonna be destroying one. That said I used my OEM key fob because I didn’t need an extra one.
(Your Key will not have a transponder chip in it at the end of this so there’s no point in getting another key fob IMO)
The hardest part of this project is probably destroying your OEM key and trying to get the transponder chip out.
Second hardest was reassembling everything. (May have been easier if I secured the circuit board for the key fob, so that the components didn’t fall out while trying to reassemble, but I didn’t think about that while do it)
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INSTUCTIONS:
1. Slice open your OEM key, along the side where you can see the seal. Use the blade to break the seal and just keep cutting along until the casing will open enough to wear you can pry it open with the small flathead.
2. Now you’ll see how the transponder chip has been installed. You’ll want to use the exacto blade or some other cutting tool (I’d think an air tools sander/saw would work well here) to cut up a few of the walls that the chip is placed in.
3. Now heat up casing with the blow drier to see if the chip will budge if it does slow pry it out, be careful not to damage it. If this doesn’t work continue to work on other walls until you can pry the chip free. (try your best to keep the key casing in chunks rather than small small pieces so you can put it back together without the chip. You’re done with the hardest part!
4. Put back together the OEM key with the transponder chip removed, I taped it up with masking tape so that its holdable, keep the chip in a safe spot for now and go get the key copied. If you do it like this no one gives you a hard time about it having a chip in it or not because well.. it doesn’t! I was skeptical about doing it at a regular hardware store instead of the dealership because my local Sears Hardware employee didn’t have a clue what “tape” to use for the copy. But I told them it was a Nissan and they got it done. When everything was said and done the imprints on the copied were a little different but the valleys were exact. It worked in the car for me and only cost me $1.60 so good deal!
5. Now with the switchblade key cut, you’ll work on the key fob components
a) Open up your current key fob (stick in a flat head or key on the bottom end next to the panic button and turn)
b) Take a look a good look at how everything is placed. Open up the flip style case with the small screwdriver. The key and spring and button will come apart but just leave that to the side.
c) You’ll need to slice the with the exacto blade panic button off and slice off the clear keypad panic button also. (This is right under the red panic button) – Why do this? because the switchblade key only has 3 button openings, the panic cannot be used because it is located at the bottom, the 4th button. It simply will not fit in the case even if you didn’t want to cut it and tried to pack it in.
d) Transfer the remaining buttons, keypad and board into the switchblade case.
e) Now on the other side of the OEM key fob there’s the battery and battery holder/plate. Transfer this to the other side of the switchblade case.
f) Super glue the transponder chip in the designated area of the switchblade case as seen above. Just add a drop or two, place it in and let it dry. Now I’m not sure if the direction the chip is important or not but I put it like it was on the OEM key, the smaller area towards the key insert. ex:
6. Reassemble the switchblade case
This might be a little difficult if you don’t know how the switchblade works.
a) Assemble the button, key, and spring. Assemble this to the side where the key fob buttons are and hold with your right hand with the buttons facing your palm so the key/spring/button don’t fall out. (The actual key should be held by your fingers along side of the case, (Closed form) As seen in picture below:
b) Grab the other board, now join the two the two boards together by placing the bottom of the spring on the base with the battery (There’s an insert for the bottom of the spring leg, fits only one way)
c) The key flips out counter clockwise so you’ll need to rotate counter clockwise just once after you’ve seated the spring. Attach both sides together hold it firmly together with one hand.
d) Start screwing the case back together with the other hand. Make sure the all buttons work and the key flips out.
7. *Optional step* The switchblade case should have come with the a Nissan sticker to go on the back. Peel the sticky and place it on the back to cover up the hole for screws.
You’re done!!!
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I hope this clears up some things for people who were confused by the original thread. Sorry I didn’t take pictures along the way! If you’re still confused and really set on this project go buy it and once you have the key fob and switchblade case open you’ll understand very quickly and see how simple this mod actually is. Learn from experience!
Have to give thanks to g35driver guys for originally bringing the switchblade topic up, but also to kevincat b/c he actually found a nice Nissan case and posted on here, and thanks for his pics again!
Best of luck to all!
If you’re still confused let me know your questions and I’ll try my best to edit this thread to answer them.
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