The Most Practical Gauges

[TurboMan]

I'm thinking about getting a two or three gauge a-pillar pod and I was wanting to get some of your opinions on the most practical gauges (i.e. useful for telling you important things about your car). I'm gonna get a boost gauge for sure, but I'm not sure about the other one/two. I don't want air/fuel 'cause it's basically just a light show. I was thinking about oil pressure and voltage, but I'm not sure. I also don't want anything that's gonna be too much of a pain to install, like EGT. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[twilightprotege]

oil pressure and fuel pressure if you dont want an a/f guage

 

[johnsharpe]

Boost, oil pres, fuel pres & pyronometer I think are the most common on turbo'd cars...that's what I'd put it, anyways.

 

[Brian MP5T]

I'm thinking about getting a two or three gauge a-pillar pod and I was wanting to get some of your opinions on the most practical gauges (i.e. useful for telling you important things about your car). I'm gonna get a boost gauge for sure, but I'm not sure about the other one/two. I don't want air/fuel 'cause it's basically just a light show. I was thinking about oil pressure and voltage, but I'm not sure. I also don't want anything that's gonna be too much of a pain to install, like EGT. Any advice would be appreciated

You are right about the A/F it's usless to most.

I have one because I have a user set fuel management system called the SDS EIC-2. Look For it on the Net.

I use Autometer Phantom Because it matched the stock cluster.

EGT is really expensive and as usless as A/F because you know it gets hot...how hot...who cares...its' not like your going to stop in a street drag just because your mani got hot.

Volt does't really matter much. I think Oil pressure is important. The sensor is quite easy to tap into the back of the engine block. Let me know if you want help on it.

Later

 

[Striker187]

if you're gonna get 3, prolly boost, egt, and oil pressure/fuel pressure. i think fuel pressure gauges are kinda expensive though.

 

[Gbourdon]

Anybody ever thought of putting a temp guage on the intercooler? I would think that could be pretty useful and easy to install. I also am looking to add a sceond guage to fill the empty space in my pod.

 

[instylz]

Gbourdon I think that would be useful also coupled with an intercooler wetter to really see how much of a diff in temp it would do.

 

[hukster00]

Re: Re: The Most Practical Gauges

EGT is really expensive and as usless as A/F because you know it gets hot...how hot...who cares...its' not like your going to stop in a street drag just because your mani got hot.


Later

i must disagree with you on that one EGT is one of the best things you can get on youre car besides the boost gauge, it will tell you if youre car is leaning out or not and its a good safty, and yes most tru tuners will stop the car when the egt gets high, i did it when i had it on my GSX , unless you dont mind youre pistons melting and shuch

 

[AutoBox]

yeh a egt is ur most useful tool to maintain ur turbo engine in my mind as well, with a good sensor ull have the more accurate source of a/f readins, thing is u need to know what heat range to base off of im plainin to get a apex turbo timer, it has a a/f guage on it and a e-o1, has a boost guage on it.....and thats it, im thinkin about a oil pressure guage thou...

 

[Limited Edition]

Brian MP5T- why is your boost guage reading 19 vac? do you have any more pictures of the night shots? Is phantom and ultra lite bascially the same? What is the differences?

I can't believe this thread came up, i just sent in my order for 2 guages and pillar.

 

[BremertonMSP]

Brian MP5T- why is your boost guage reading 19 vac? do you have any more pictures of the night shots? Is phantom and ultra lite bascially the same? What is the differences?

I can't believe this thread came up, i just sent in my order for 2 guages and pillar.

All engines pull a vacuum when the Throttle Body or Carburetor butterfly is closed. Our cars normally pull about 19-22in of Vac at idle or if we are in motion with your foot off the accelerator.

 

[Brian MP5T]

Mani Temp

Anybody ever thought of putting a temp guage on the intercooler? I would think that could be pretty useful and easy to install. I also am looking to add a sceond guage to fill the empty space in my pod.

To Make it usefull a Intake Mani Temp would be better. That would give you a true indication for you. If you simply upgrade your intercooler from someting better than that joke of an IC that is stock, you will be able to sleep better at night knowing that the IC effeciency will never let you down.

Later.

 

[Brian MP5T]

Re: Re: Re: The Most Practical Gauges

i must disagree with you on that one EGT is one of the best things you can get on youre car besides the boost gauge, it will tell you if youre car is leaning out or not and its a good safty, and yes most tru tuners will stop the car when the egt gets high, i did it when i had it on my GSX , unless you dont mind youre pistons melting and shuch

Ok, I got your reasoning, however, build the car so that there are fewer weak links and design it for life and silly power, not gut wrenching power and you will have to worry less about EGT and leaning out. Leaning out... Don't rely on the stock O2 sensor. Install a third one and use it for the A/F. It's a little more reactive when it's the only thing in the line.

Later man... I don't disagree but you really have to drop some money before a EGT becomes usefull. He sounds like that's not the case.

 

[Brian MP5T]

VAC

Brian MP5T- why is your boost guage reading 19 vac? do you have any more pictures of the night shots? Is phantom and ultra lite bascially the same? What is the differences?

I can't believe this thread came up, i just sent in my order for 2 guages and pillar.

All engines make vacume at an idol. 2.0l DOCH is normally 20 Vac.

The most you will see is like if you are at 5500 RPM and let off the gas. It will spike to 30VAC then calmly return to 20 Vac.

No man, the car is in storage now because I'm serving in Bosnia. The Phantom is Black Ring, Black Text, White Face, Orange Needle
Pro Comp is Silver Ring, Black Text, Silver Face, Orange Needle

Phantome matched my car.

Later Man

 

[Wantmoreboost]

I'd say depending on your tuning goals to just go with a boost guage. Fuel pressure is nice with an adj. FPR. Oil pressure is the next best because our cars don't have a stock one and if you lose oil pressuer not only will it hurt the motor but the turbo as well. A/F guages annoy the piss out of me and the Apexi TT has one already. I'd save the money for a FMIC.

 

[KyRaceFan]

Re: Re: Re: The Most Practical Gauges

i must disagree with you on that one EGT is one of the best things you can get on youre car besides the boost gauge, it will tell you if youre car is leaning out or not and its a good safty, and yes most tru tuners will stop the car when the egt gets high, i did it when i had it on my GSX , unless you dont mind youre pistons melting and shuch

Could show rich/lean and timing advance/retard

For entry level tuning, id get boost and oil pressure.

 

[TurboMan]

Here are some additional questions:
1. Which is more desirable, a mechanical or electrical oil pressure gauge? What kind of accuracy difference is there?
2. If I get a mechanical oil pressure gauge, is there any possibility that oil could come into my interior if the hose connecting to the gauge wasn't tight enough?
3. Where do you tap for the mechanical oil pressure gauge?

 

[WillisW555]

If the purpose is to keep the # of gauges down, try these. You still have to hook up each one (top/bottom) so it so it may not be what you want.

You can see what they look like here:
SPA gauges

Oh yeah, I think Boost, EGT (you need to know the EGT before mods though for comparison), and fuel or oil pressure. Forget voltage IMO

 

[hukster00]

the mechanical one is where you drag the oil to the gauge wich is not good if you have elctric one that thats good, the only mechanical gauge i would recomend is boost gauge

 

[KyRaceFan]

most new oil pressure gauges are electric, and use a replacemnt oil pressure sender unit thats right next to the oil filter.
Alot of people use a brass T fitting and use both.