Gauge Recomendations

[jeepinbanditrider]

Setting myself up with some extra gauges to monitor the car now that it's SCed and am looking for suggestions on what would be good to use. Going to have 4 spare spots to use. Right now my list is Boost gauge, oil temp, air/fuel gauge (not sure if I want to go wideband it's about 3x the cost of the normal one), and then finally a pyrometer or voltage gauge for the final spot.

I haven't seen many pyrometers on gas powered vehicles but I've always thought it was a stat that you may need to check on every now and then but I could be wrong lol

Thanks for any suggestions guys.

[Rob®]

My suggestions, in no particular order:

1. Boost/vacuum (vacuum is just as important as boost for diag)
2. Wideband O2..Narrowband is useless on a boosted car.
3. Oil temp
4. Fuel pressure (if you need a forth)
5. Mod the stock water temp gauge to read actual temps (easy if you can solder...otherwise I'd be happy to do it for you)

I hate gauges all over the car, so this is what I have:
1. Boost/vac gauge molded into steering column
2. WBO2 in rearview mirror (and only have because I was in the mood to solder stuff...I haven't had a WBO2 in the car for 5 boosted years without a single issue)
3. Oil temp in vent on left side of steering wheel (need to move - I hate it there, but I was in a hurry to mount it to leave FL)
4. Modded stock water temp gauge

[goofygrin]

wideband (lean = boom!), EGT (this applies more to turbo rather than s/c), real oil pressure (at least on my 2000 it's a "hey there's some oil in there" rather than a real gauge), V1 remote display

[jeepinbanditrider]

Not getting a Valentine one lol Gotta Bel V995 for that duty now and after doing research on the V1 I'm not really interested in it.

The mount setup will be a 3 gauge a-pillar pod and if I use or need the 4th the center driver's side vent. Or just get a two gauge pod if I use 3 gauges and use the vent anyway.

My 91 reads PSI on my oil pressure gauge it flucates in concert with Engine speed so I assume it's telling me correct readings. Does the water temp sensor mod use the stock gauge or do I need to get another one??

The only fuel pressure gauges I've seen are direct fit fuel pressure gauges that screw onto the fuel rail.

Edit-never mind found fuel pressure gauge at the site I'm looking at the rest of the gauges.

Would the more FI enclined here recommend the Fuel Pressure being a more important reading than EGTs?

[Rob®]

The mount setup will be a 3 gauge a-pillar pod and if I use or need the 4th the center driver's side vent. Or just get a two gauge pod if I use 3 gauges and use the vent anyway.

My 91 reads PSI on my oil pressure gauge it flucates in concert with Engine speed so I assume it's telling me correct readings. Does the water temp sensor mod use the stock gauge or do I need to get another one??

Would the more FI enclined here recommend the Fuel Pressure being a more important reading than EGTs?

I might have my old dual pod full a-pillar replacement pod-thing still. Pretty sure I do...It did the job, but I can't say I liked it all that much. It didn't really get in my way, but it was fairly distracting at times. It screamed "steal me" when parked. And I can't tell you how often people would try to race me when I had it. I guess people are used to ricers with a-pillars full of gauges wanting to race everything out there?

The coolant gauge mod uses your stock gauge. You pull the gauge from the cluster, mod it by cutting a trace, drilling some holes, and soldering in resistors. You can actually choose certain temp ranges, depending on what resistors you get. Total cost for me was $2 in parts, and that was because I left the change in the little cup on the counter.

Your '91 oil pressure gauge is real, so you're good there.

Personally, I think a FP gauge will be more used than an EGT gauge. Most people don't even know what proper EGTs should be, let alone what affects them. The ONLY time I have ever used an EGT gauge was for tuning my Z years upon years ago. I have yet to put one on the Miata, nor do I have any desire to whatsoever. I have contemplated a FP gauge a few times already, but like I said, I hate gagues all over the place. A FP gauge will help you troubleshoot issues rather easily. I really only recommended the FP gauge if you needed a fourth gauge for whatever reason. In all honesty, it should be deemed more important than it usually is.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Alright then 3 gauges it is. Oil Temp, vac/boost, and wideband. saves me a few bucks :)

As for modding my temp gauge that sounds a bit out of my ability.

[Rob®]

As for modding my temp gauge that sounds a bit out of my ability.

If you've ever drilled a tiny hole, used a razor blade, and soldered, it's cake.

After drilling, cutting the trace, and removing the stock resistors (lumped that in with "soldering" previously) - the diode on the gauge stays, you just jump the ends with a piece of wire:


What's going on, with resistor layout (if using the same range as I did on this gauge):


Pic of the top of this gauge, showing resistors used this time (normally I used the more traditional-style resisters, but the local store only had the ones I needed in this type - either will work as long as you get the proper values):



The range for this particular gauge is 150°F to 270°F. Dead center of the C mark is 150. Just to the inside/left part of the H mark is 260, with 270 being the very outside/right edge of the H mark. 210°F is just about straight up and down (like a hair to the right).

The picture is for a 90-93. 94-97 is a bit different. I have personally never done an NB, but I'd imagine it's doable as well.


Now back to the thread at hand.

[SirHustlerEsq]

I put an Omori water temp gauge in my stock water temp location. You want a wideband (non-negotiable), oil temp, boost, and an EGT gauge isn't really required. I have one in a box and no plans on ever putting it in. However it would be pretty handy to log for tuning MPG but aside from that it won't ell you much other than let you infer spark angle (on one cylinder).

[jeepinbanditrider]

I've tried soldering a few times and it's never really worked for me my joints are too weak can't get the right combo of heat and solder in there at the same time I guess. The stock gauge doesn't already tell a temp range?? I've had it at midrange or right under all the time and between mid and full hot a few times when running on a HOT day with the A/C on full.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Buy the parts, bring everything over disassembled and I'll solder it for you.

[Rob®]

I've tried soldering a few times and it's never really worked for me my joints are too weak can't get the right combo of heat and solder in there at the same time I guess. The stock gauge doesn't already tell a temp range?? I've had it at midrange or right under all the time and between mid and full hot a few times when running on a HOT day with the A/C on full.

The stock gauge tells you a range, that's it. I forget what it is exactly, but the needle points to the same temp whether it's 160°F or 210°F...basically incredibly useless. It's really just a warning gauge: "Cold," "warm," "really warm," "you should have turned the car off a few minutes ago."

A modded stock (like mine) or an aftermarket gauge tells you the ACTUAL temp. When I said you can choose the "range" when modding the stocker, I meant that you can have the C mark mean 180°, 150°, 120°, etc, and the H mark mean 220°, 240°, 270°, etc.

And if you want, I will be more than happy to do it for you.

[jeepinbanditrider]

That would be great. I'll have to yank the dash out of the car next week when I have it over here. I really appreciate it. I also need to quit forgetting to grab that disk lol.

[Rob®]

Well make sure to get teh resistors before you go pulling the cluster out of the dash. I'd check RadioShack or similar first. In Florida there was this store that had just about anything electrical like that you could imagine, so they had the parts in stock. Otherwise you'll need to order them online...and hope you find a place that doesn't require a minimum order (I have a place somewhere).

If you can send me an email or PM here, I will have a better chance of remembering to send you a parts list. Unless you just want the same range I have, then the resistors values are in the picture I posted.

[jeepinbanditrider]

I'll just pick some up like you had. I'll pick some up I know the radio shack in MIneral Wells where the car is at carries resistors.

[Mingle]

The best place i have found is Tanner Electronics. they are local and very cheap.
http://www.tannerelectronics.com/
Tanner Electronics
1100 Valwood Parkway, Suite #100
Carrollton, TX 75006

[Mingle]

and they have everything you could ever want. even the odd stuff that you can usually only get online.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Thanks for the post :)

[Rob®]

Thanks, Mingle! That will come in handy once I get back to work on the 3rd version of my WBO2 setup.

[Mingle]

Youre welcome. It is pretty much the geek superstore. they were the only people that had the capacitors i needed for repairing/upgrading the ecu in my eclipse. i think i spent 50 cents on that, including solder.
they had some nice speakers that were an upgrade for the miata headrest speakers. held double the watts and had a nice surround. those were about $5. I dont think they have anymore of those though. Either way that is an awesome place, really friendly family owned. If you dont know what to buy to do what you are doing they will help you get the right part.