installing gauges questions.

[mazdasp33d]

well im getting a gauge pod with
-boost
-air/fuel
-oil pressure
how hard is it to install these? my friend who works at a garage is going to help me, well do most of the work. im a NOOB and a half, and im just wondering like should he have to drill holes in the firewall, etc, how long should it take.im just nervous as hell. its an 09.

 

[Mike240SX]

All you should be running is wires, unless you cheaped out and got mechanical Boost and Oil Pressure gauges. The second of which is dangerous.

 

[mazdasp33d]

All you should be running is wires, unless you cheaped out and got mechanical Boost and Oil Pressure gauges. The second of which is dangerous.

well im ordering prosports.. ok?

 

[MAZDARacing2007]

So hard would these be to install?.. im pretty good with installing things, but electronics and wiring is not my thing.. anyone know about how long this would take too install?.. or should i have an experienced shop do this for me?

 

[NCZ13]

i just did my wideband install. its not nearly as hard as you think.

if your going to get an A/F gauge, get a wideband, a narrowband is just a pretty light show, and doesnt give accurate readigns.

 

[coyfish]

I would recommend mechanical boost guage. Responds instantly / more accurate. Cheaper too. Only downfall is you dont get all the pretty lights. I dont have the A/F guage but the oil pressure and boost are easy. Mine came with instructions and I had them both up and running in 30 minutes. Hardest part is just finding where you want to thread your wires.

 

[skubidoobie]

Does installing these gauges void your warranty?

 

[skubidoobie]

Anyone? I'm thinking electrical ones might be an issue but mechanical ones should be fine. After all, these gauges are there to help protect your investment!

 

[NCZ13]

gauges arent going to void any sort of warranty.

 

[wisniaPl]

its just time consuming

 

[MAZDARacing2007]

okay so im getting, AFR, Boost, and Water temp. gauges <all electric> soon.. how much would getting these installed professionally cost?.. anyone have any sort of idea. I would do these by myself if i could but, id rather get them installed professionally.

About how long should all this take to install.. if i was going to do this install myself is it a hard install?

 

[BillTheCat]

I'm not trying to be a smartass, and I hope this isn't a dumbass question, but why would you buy a water temperature gauge? My '09 MS3 has a water tempterature gauge, stock. Pretty prominent, in fact. Are the factory temperature gauges known to be inaccurate, prone to failure, etc.? Or maybe the earlier MS3's didn't have that gauge?

Side question... does the MS3 have a stock wideband O2 sensor for that AFR gauge? If not, will you be installing one? (I honestly haven't looked into the O2 sensors on the car yet)

I wish I could help you with an estimate for the installs, but I've only had my MS3 for less than 2 months & had no money for mods yet. So I haven't crawled around & found out how time consuming projects like this will be. But my guess would be that you're looking at ~3-5 hours labor at whatever your local rates are. Of course, that may vary depending on the type of gauge pod you have & the mechanic's level of familiarity with the MS3. So, anywhere from $200-400.

Of course, if you know someone local to you who knows their way around mods, there are always people like me willing to work in return for pizza & beer. Only drawback there is the risk of something going wrong & no real recourse- gotta be able to trust your "installer" in that situation.

 

[ericm]

I'm not trying to be a smartass, and I hope this isn't a dumbass question, but why would you buy a water temperature gauge? My '09 MS3 has a water tempterature gauge, stock. Pretty prominent, in fact. Are the factory temperature gauges known to be inaccurate

Yes. Most modern cars temperature "gauge" are really idiot lights in a gauge format. They're calibrated to read normal for a wide range of actual temperatures. When the "gauge" is reading normal and I check my car's water temp with the Dashhawk the actual temp may be anywhere from 160 to 220.
(that's from memory, the numbers may not be exactly correct, but you get the idea).

Think of the stock "gauge" as indicating cold, ok, and overheating, but nothing in between.

 

[Moultese]

Sometimes I wonder if people just buy gauges to have gauges.

 

[skubidoobie]

Sometimes I wonder if people just buy gauges to have gauges.

OoOoOo look at the pretty lights and needles!
I agree! (bling)

 

[PCspeed3]

Sometimes I wonder if people just buy gauges to have gauges.

serially!

 

[NYSP33D3]

i just did my wideband install. its not nearly as hard as you think.

if your going to get an A/F gauge, get a wideband, a narrowband is just a pretty light show, and doesnt give accurate readigns.

Agreed a wideband is the way to go but if for the people who arernt modding there cars past stage 1 / stage 2 **** it A/F is good enogh

 

[NYSP33D3]

gauges arent going to void any sort of warranty.

Dissagree.. Dickhead mazda dealerships will find any reason to void your warranty. Just wire it up nice, look professional