Gauges?
 

What 2 guages would you use?

1. boost
2. egt
3. air-fuel
4. other?

I may have to get the ddm stereo surrond and need to know what are the best gauges?


I will go with a boost/vac but what else? easy to install please.

limited to only 2? boost/vac and air/fuel

boost and air fuel for sure.

Boost/Vac, A/F, Water Temp, Oil Temp, EGT, intake in/out

Why air fuel? I have seen them, But guys I have talked to about it say they are just for show. It shows a measurement of air fuel ratio and you cant control the weather.

I always thought the EGT was better?

In my opinion, the narrow bands are good for telling you if your really lean, or really rich

get a boost vac and a real air fuel and wideband o2 sensor. ;) why do you say pick 2 when we can only make 1 choice?

i run a boost, wtemp, otemp, and wideband

Because I may be wrong about the boost gauge being #1

I think it is cool to watch but when I am in boost I can't look down and read the little 2 1/16th anyway.

No, my miata does not have a boost gauge, the WRX does.

I am currently using 3 gauges:

1. Boost
2. Air-Fuel (LC1)
3. EGT

ideally, water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, EGT, tachometer. all you need. boost gauge might be useful for spotting vacuum leaks but that's it.

Boost Spikes, Creeps, Exhaust Leaks, and everything else that has to do with the amount of air coming out of the turbo all need to be monitored for.

hence, the presence of a boost gauge in every turbo'd car.

The point being, not running a boost gauge in a turbo car is like not having a tach in a stick car. You can still do it, but you're forcing yourself to guess.

Boost and Air/Fuel... Too bad Omori doesn't offer A/F.

boost and EGT. EGT will tell you if you're lean too.

Boost, EGT, Wideband A/F and Oil Temp.

The style of AFR gauges that use the stock narrowband sensor are a pretty light show, owing to the shortcomings of the sensor. A wideband O2 sensor and gauge is an amazingly useful tool. EGT is old-school. They're very slow to respond and don't tell you anything terribly important.

You say you "can't control the weather" but that's exactly what AFPRs and Piggybacks are all about- giving the user control over AFR in boost.

Also, when buying gauges, buy the best you can afford. I bought Megan Racing gauges which ended up being rubbish. The mechanical boost gauge and voltmeter are the only one's that really work. The EGT gauge died a month ago. I'm going for a wideband O2... not sure which brand yet, boost and EGT from Omori next. They're a little more expensive but offer warning options and good quality. I'll probably go with the AEM UEGO wideband kit.

If I had two gauges to choose from it'd be boost and fuel pressure. Beyond that I'd go oil pressure (since the Miata has an ok one already, otherwise this would be first on my list) and a wideband. EGT and narrowband A/F would be last on my list as my experience with them in the past is that they're a novelty.

Think of it this way. The only gauges that are USEFUL are the ones that tell you something is going wrong before something breaks.

oil pressure gauge showing zero means I've already got broken stuff. EGT climbing above 1600 means I can back off before I hose something. Boost rising above my set boost -- same thing. back off. I guess in some ways AFR would tell you if things are going bad too but they're annoying.

Matt

Having an AFR display in the cockpit during normal operation may be merely "convenient" but having one during initial tuning is indispensable, particularly if you're using a piggyback or a full ECU. The EMU's A/F Target Autotune, which relies upon a wideband sensor, is particularly handy, even if you're on a dyno.