Gauges - 3 most required...
 

Currently running a link ecu and Innovate AFR sensor and gauge.

Car is used predominaly for track days and sunday morning blasts (+ occasional trips to work).

Have a new race motor coming and wonder what you guys think are the 3 most important gauges....dash already has OEM Oil pressure, Not an NB "fixed" gauge....

Boost
Oil temp
Water temp
Fuel pressure

??? a "proper" Oil pressure
??? anything else I should consider.....

In addition to AFR, I would have oil temp, coolant temp, and boost.

If you already have an oil pressure gauge, I would add coolant temp, AFR and knock.

I think pressures are the most important. I'd much rather have oil pressure than temp.

Most gauges however, I don't really think are that useful while driving. Tuning sure, but driving... meh. And if you're using them to tune, you can just log them which is more accurate anyway.

I suppose AFR could be useful if something messes up, but as long as you log it, I doubt you'd really catch anything on the gauge as it goes wrong. Every time I saw something funky on my AFR gauge it's always been a "why am I not just logging this?" moment which makes me question if I really need a gauge readout at all.

I like seeing boost, but question the usefulness of the gauge. Again, check MAP readings. I think some kind of fuel pressure gauge/logging is good to have to forced induction cars. I'd get that before most gauges people think are important.

^Please someone, call me out if you think I'm wrong. I'd like to hear thoughts on my perspective.

In the wrx I have a aem wideban afr. Defi racer boost. And a aem oil pressure. I honestly think that would be all you need. Boost to look at while driving. It's nice to know my afr. An I have had the oil psi save my car before and you can see how much pressure is going around lol.

Why limit yourself with just three?

https://www.miataturbo.net/general-m...-gauges-59775/

Hi Hakan

Great thank you, I was looking for that thread but couldn't remember any details. Can you remind me of the cost again?

As mentioned in that thread by the time you pay for three gauges and fittings etc it comes pretty close to this unit....

This will be my 3 gauges, but I will be buying it with a wideband O2 also. Faeflora also has one, it seems pretty cool. I plan on either mounting it on the top of the steering column or on the underside of the cluster hood. I would like to put it where my fake oil pressure gauge is, but it is touch screen, so I would have to cut the plastic or whatever covers the gauges (which I may do eventually).

You could also look at gauges by vei systems. They have Dual output gauges.

If you only want them for racing. Get super bright wide angle LED's and a small controller that takes in sensor data and runs the lights as idiot lights for low oil pressure, high water and oil temps, and knock. And put them right in your face. If you have time to look at the gauges you're not driving hard enough. Well its is road racing so you have those straightaways.

Ryan, does vei have a combo oil and water temp gauge thats analog and standard size? I'd love to cram one with both into the stock water temp location on the cluster.

Veisystems.com

Yes they do. In fact, the amount of combinations they have is rediculous and the build quality is great. You can even get them in multiole units of measurement.

Here is the pricing info:

https://www.miataturbo.net/general-m...75/#post828674

aw they're only digital. But they're one of 3 companies that I've found that sell it and they have the easiest to read gauges and the lowest price so they're winning so far.

Also sad they cant do a volt meter with fuel pressure.

I would rather have an OEM pressure gauge and an oil temp gauge than an aftermarket pressure gauge and no oil temp gauge at all.

An AFR gauge is critical. I've saved motors more than a few times with it. It's the only gauge that I consider to be required in any forced induction car.

Boost is optional, honestly. Set up your ECU so that it has good overboost protection. Boost cannot be marginally bad like AFR or oil temp - it's either in the range you tuned for, or outside the range you tuned for.

Oil temp is required for track cars IMO.

Fuel pressure is good to have for diagnostic reasons, but you can stick a liquid-filled gauge under the hood for that and not clutter up your dash with it. I used to have an electric fuel pressure gauge in the glovebox.

Logging is nice for when you're back in the pits with a blown engine and you'd like to know why it happened. Gauges (or better, warning lights) are for people who would like to prevent the blown motor in the first place.

BEHOLD!

https://www.miataturbo.net/random-su...e3/#post861442

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1335390182

That shitty cell phone picture does not do them justice. Visibility is excellent on these things. I just need to finish the cluster butchery and wiring and I'll be set. I got these with the "motorcycle mod" where the button that usually lives in the face is run as leads out the back. I'm mounting these behind the factory cluster face so I needed the remote button ability.

Hakan is an excellent person to deal with. Always willing to help and answer questions.

I recently sent my control module back for warranty repair and he turned it around in a day.

^ agree 100% warning lights are much more useful when driving that looking down at a gauge. Especially when you are really pushing the car. Chances are a quick glance wont tell you much. Were if you have warning lights, and possibly even a buzzer to go along with it, now that would get your attention.

I love my VEI gauges.

How did you end up mounting them, and what did you end up with? Your comments are about 80% of what pushed me to them.

Absolutely agree with you on the warning lights. Have you actually caught your gauges while driving? I find if I'm really pushing myself I NEVER really look at them. It's something I try to get better at honestly. It just seems like AFR issues can be so slight you wouldn't notice if you're preoccupied.



Hakan, I LOVE your solution and think it's the best choice by far. Warning lights are a God-send. Do you intend to be in business for long? In the next year or so I will buy at least 2, maybe 3 of your units.