Gauges to use with turbo?

[PaulMP3]

What gauges should i use in conjuction with my wideband o2 (If the group buy ever goes through)?

I ordered a 2 pillar pod already and plan on either a steering column pod or custom mounting gauges along with my wideband above my single din head unit.

i was thinking

EGT
Boost
Fuel pressure
wideband o2


and any recomendation on gauges would be helpful also.
I want the greddy 52mm electronics white faced gauges, but i hear the fuel pressure only reads to 80-90psi which isnt high enough for our application.

what gauges type/brand are all you turbo pro guys running now?

thanks for any responses.

 

[1sty]

I'd say boost is the most important fallowed by fuel pressure. I would think the wide band would make a EGT useless.

I want an electric fuel guage along with the wide band and boost guage.

Noone has advised me agains the autometer electric fuel gauge yet so I will get that one from summit racing.

 

[LinuxRacr]

BTW, I have a unused Greddy Electronic Fuel Pressure Gauge that I would be willing to let go at a good price. Just drop me a PM.

 

[b_real45]

Just keep it simple. Really no need for the Wideband A/F if you live near a dyno. I'd just keep this:

Boost
Fuel Pressure
EGT
Digital O2 voltage display

The reason I like the O2 voltage display is because sometimes it can react faster than your EGT. If you see your O2 go from 0.94 (fairly rich) to 0.8x(lean for turbo), then you'd know to let off the gas and check why you're going lean. EGT paired with the O2 voltage can be very good tools for tuning by yourself. Yes, a wideband is more accurate, but you're talking about $300+ dollars. A simple digital o2 volt meter is just around $60 and uses your stock sensor.

 

[KzA]

your pm box is full....how much are you willing to let it go for? is it true that it is not useful for proteges because of the narrow range of values?

 

[1sty]

Wouldn't a wide band replace the EGT and Digital O2?

 

[b_real45]

Not really the EGT.. I'd still have one with a wideband. Reason being that the wideband sensor is just a 5wire O2 sensor... O2 sensors go bad.. go bad even faster if you're running pig rich. Replacing a wideband O2 sensor is big bucks.

 

[KzA]

hmm i never really thought of that before..i was just thihning about going in on that wideband groupbuy.at first i was like damn 500 is alot..but that wideband would replace my greddy a/f and my greddy egt so it would prally come out equal..now im not so sure...hmmmff

 

[1sty]

If you setup the car with a wideband and run it all the time, even if something breaks the wide band will letyou know. If the wideband dyes AND something else goes south, wouldn't the typical results fo the fual and boost guage change and let you know there is an issue?

 

[b_real45]

Depends on what is going wrong. If the wideband goes south, it'll give inaccurate readings.. this will make you think something is wrong when it really isn't.

With a stock O2, you can tell when it goes bad because they tend to make your car run constantly rich, plus some cars (not sure on Pros) the ECU will tell you the O2 is bad.

All I'm saying is that if you have lots of money.. sure go ahead and get a wideband O2. I wouldn't if I am an average car guy with a turbo. I'd stick to the basics and make sure things are tuned on a dyno with a wideband. The EGTs will never lie.

Really the best thing is to datalog every once in a while. This way you can keep your a/f , timing, etc all in check.

 

[1sty]

Thats just it the 2 stock O2s don't get removed so they are always there to monitor things and they will throw cells for numerous reasons.

 

[spoolinmp3]

The most important gauges for a turbo app would be

Boost gauge and wideband 02

or

Boost gauge and egt with a high quality narrowband 02 sensor monitor like greddy's or halmeter ect

 

[spoolinmp3]

By the way I have an acess of Greddy a/f gauges and will sell them at a very low price.
They are usually $350, they have peak hold(replay) and adjustable warning. The light up in red and match our gauges. I will offer them for $250 dollars....thats $100 off retail

 

[b_real45]

I think any 4-wire O2 sensor is more than sufficient. To me, speaking budget minded of course, the wideband would just have too much costs over benefits. The unit costs $500+... then replacement O2 sensors over $200 or so.. dpending which brand.

Not trying to make a debate about it... of course get a wideband if you want the best there setup there is. If you want to keep it cheap and simple, Boost, EGT, Digital A/F with 4-wire o2.

 

[spoolinmp3]

Not trying to make a debate about it... of course get a wideband if you want the best there setup there is. If you want to keep it cheap and simple, Boost, EGT, Digital A/F with 4-wire o2.

A good egt gauge is going to run minimum of 200 dollars, a good narrow band will cost 100-150.
Thats 300 dollars for 200 more dollars you have the ultimate tuning tool and peace of mind
Replacement motors can be a bit expensive
We are running a special GB for 499 on the widebands, you cannot beat that

 

[b_real45]

You can get 4wire O2 sensors anywhere ranging from $20 - $50. Don't have to buy a Bosch new unit.. get one off a Honda or something.

 

[1sty]

A good egt gauge is going to run minimum of 200 dollars, a good narrow band will cost 100-150.
Thats 300 dollars for 200 more dollars you have the ultimate tuning tool and peace of mind
Replacement motors can be a bit expensive
We are running a special GB for 499 on the widebands, you cannot beat that

And that with the BUNGHOLE!
(rofl)

 

[b_real45]

Yes no doubt a wideband is a great tuning tool. But lets take this into consideration: Suppose your sensor goes bad... which is around $150-$200 to replace... but anyhow, it is registering that you're running pig rich. So, you tune to your wideband until it says 12.1 or whatever your optimal A/F is. This means you just leaned out your car by basing the facts on a faulty sensor. This can lead to detonation (another reason why you should still have an EGT gauge...) This by the way, has happened before at tuning shops when their sensor goes.. I've heard many stories about people blowing their engines by tuning on a bad WB o2 sensor.

This is not trying to knock (no pun intended) on widebands. I think they're great. But I think Ferraris are great too. Even if I could afford a Ferrari, I better be damn sure I can afford its replacement parts too!

Terry, no doubt you're doing a good thing with the group buy. I'm not sure why this is even a debate. I'm just saying if the orginal poster of this thread is worried about costs, he can get:

Boost gauge ($40)
EGT (~$190)
Digital A/F O2 v meter ($60)
4-wire O2 ($20-$50) or free if you just wire to your stock O2 sensor

Thats all.

 

[1sty]

Taking it a step further unless the Wideband is DOA then this should not be an issue.
Once installed and setup if the car all of a suddon goes rich or lean when it hasn't been, wouldn't you go looking to correct a problem not retune to that problem?

 

[b_real45]

That depends on the user.