Guages you cannot live without

J

Jiveslug

New member
Hey gang. Construction on my car is progressing along and Im still collecting parts. I was wondering, what guages should I get? Im certainly going to get a tach with a shift light, oil pressure, and water temp, but what else should I get? What do you guys find to be the most helpful? Thanks!

Ryan
 
Originally posted by Jiveslug@Dec 14 2005, 10:56 AM
Hey gang.  Construction on my car is progressing along and Im still collecting parts.  I was wondering, what guages should I get?  Im certainly going to get a tach with a shift light, oil pressure, and water temp, but what else should I get?  What do you guys find to be the most helpful?  Thanks!

Ryan
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I think water temp, oil pressure and oil temp are all critcal.

AB
 
Since I dont trust OEM gauges to react fast enough, as stated, oil press, water temp and oil temp where my priorites. I have also installed a good tach with shift light and an A/F ration (narrow band) to help me keep an eye on the CIS system.
 
Stock gauges are typically no different than idiot lights they have 3 positions - off, good & too late. Having installed mechanical gauges in parallel w/ stock gauges its pretty scary to watch oil pressure build long after the stock gauge has told you its at full pressure.

Oil temp is a good one to have since oil & water temps are usually two different things.

If you can do it, a temperature activated light is nice in conjunction w/ the water temp gauge so if you have a problem (lose a v-belt) you know it soon enough to do something about it. The gauge will let you see slow changes. Quick response on a temp guage is not really necessary since a quick change in temperature is probably due to a mechanical problem (head gasket, v-belt etc).

After having an A/F ratio in the car & watching a friend demolish a motor from running lean, I don't plan on not having it. Plus they're easy to hook up since the ECU already monitiors it.

Fuel pressure is handy if the car starts to act funny, it will tell you if its a fuel delivery problem or something else (ignition).

If you have a video camera in the car, lights that it can see indicating brake and full throttle are really handy for reviewing fast laps.
 
I'll second fuel pressure. And add voltage.

If the car won't start, or is acting funny, those are the first two pieces of information you'll want.
 
Originally posted by MMiskoe@Dec 14 2005, 10:56 AM
If you can do it, a temperature activated light is nice in conjunction w/ the water temp gauge so if you have a problem (lose a v-belt) you know it soon enough to do something about it.
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Second on the coolant temp light, I also have a oil pressure light. Try to get real bright ones, and mount them where they will jump right out at you when they come on.

A lot of tracks are pretty busy, you won't have time to be watching gauges as much as you like (at least I don't).
 
Ditto on the electron meter. It doesn't need to be prominent, but there. If I'd had one, I would've known that my alternator was going titsup rather than a fuel problem. Would've saved a lot of time chasing my tail.
 
Ryan,

Save the installation of the gauges till after the car is complete. Yeah, I'm sure some people will say you "need" this and that guage but they are not necessary. When driving, do keep an eye on your temp. gauge. If you are dyno tuning the car, yes, a fuel pressure gauge is necessary. Other than that, really only one of Jon's debt gauge with a loud buzzer and of course a boost gauge are critical. After racing / progressively building my car for five years now, I still have no problems thinking of better places to spend my money on the car. Just my opinion though.
 
I'm with Chris too. Electricity (blowing alternators) is my only recurring problem.

Because I have had my car for so long, I do not think anything is "critical" for our sprint races. I know how its running by the seat of my pants.

However for all other times (start-up, testing, warm-up laps and cool down laps) I like having all my gauges (Tach, shift light, water temp, oil pressure and voltmeter).

Keep things mechanical, if possible.

You don't need every gauge conceivable.

A shift light can be a necessity on starts.
 
Not a gauge, but I do have a clock which is real useful in a session.

Just punch in the time (estimated for a race), add the 5 minutes for the grid warning and start at the 5 minute grid whistle.
 
Originally posted by joeg@Dec 16 2005, 10:02 AM
Not a gauge, but I do have a clock which is real useful in a session.

Just punch in the time (estimated for a race), add the 5 minutes for the grid warning  and start at the 5 minute grid whistle.
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I just use the trip odometer. Set it to zero once I pull onto the grid, and calculate when the race will be over based on number of laps (plus pace lap) times track length. Works great as a lap counter, although does require a little more thought when the track length isn't a nice round number.

The only problem I see with starting the clock at the five is trying to compensate for the long or short five. :D
 
Originally posted by JLawton@Dec 16 2005, 09:04 AM
Um, gas gauge??
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Well I was thinking just what aftermarket gauges one would need. But you dont need a gas gauge, I know afew guys that don't have one. You just have to keep track of your fuel level in the tank some way.
 
Originally posted by joeg@Dec 16 2005, 03:02 PM
Not a gauge, but I do have a clock which is real useful in a session.

Just punch in the time (estimated for a race), add the 5 minutes for the grid warning  and start at the 5 minute grid whistle.
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I have a Kitchen timer for the same purpose. 20 minute qualifying? I know if I'm on the last lap, without a radio.
 
Gauges? Who has time to look at those? All I have time for is lights - red for things gone bad, many red, yellow and green blinking to tell me it's time to shift (either that or Christmas is here, turn the car off and go inside, the family's waiting for you :P )

OK, seriously now... certainly oil pressure light. I also have found the ammeter warning light to be useful - came on immediately one day when my alternator/waterpump belt went flying, allowing me to notice and catch this before it cooked the motor, in spite of being in heavy traffic (as it was right after the start of the race).

I do far prefer my shift lights (actually part of my data system, but you can get inexpensive standalone ones) to a tach, less consumption of brainpower while on track, more power left to focus on lines and ref points.

After that, oil pressure, water temp, oil temp, batt voltage. Never find my fuel gauge to be worth much except when I'm parked in the paddock. Maybe I'm just never going straight long enough.

Personally, I far prefer keeping the stock electrical gauges - but of course my car came with VDO gauges, and I'd feel differently if I were starting with different stuff...
 
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