Important turbo guages

[Nova_Tek]

Volt and oil pressure guages are already there thanks to the SR dials and boost guage is deffo on the list.

What other guages are important/must have when running a turbo?

Thanks muchly :thumb:

[AlexW]

None really but oil temp might be good one if you like. Dont want too many gauges cluttering up your interior do you?!

[MK999]

Dont want too many gauges cluttering up your interior do you?!
:gay:

Oil temp is a good one to keep an eye on anything spiking up too high, especially if you're running without an oil cooler. Might be worth getting a more accurate oil pressure gauge as well, not sure I'd trust a standard nova gauge with oil temp/press on a turbo build?

[djbrowney]

the most important next to a oil pressure is a wide band if you setting it up your self !!!

[craig green]

Boost gauges for before intercooler & aft TB. Maybe a fuel pressure gauge & as said a wideband is damn handy.

Dont think you can do it on the cheap though.

[General Baxter]

mines a diesel and its having some

oil pressure, oil temp, boost, egt, wideband lol

[Benn]

Boost gauge, std proper clocks have oil pressure... All you really need.

[Nova_Tek]

Thanks for the suggestions. oil temp sounds like a good one especially for those hot days and if I ever use the car out of the UK (hence me wanting to do A/C whilst doing the conversion), boost for obvious reasons. I'll stick with my oil guage on the SR clocks but I'll probably change the sender as it is old.

Should be able to find suitable homes for these 2 guages with the ample amount of dashboad blanks the ghetto merit has

[Rich]

im going to be running boost pressure, oil temp and oil pressure. Dont trust the standard nova oil pressure guage

[Nova_Tek]

Ok been checking out some dials boost and oil temp found these items which, reading the write up, seem to be pretty decent and they don't break the bank. They also come with all the bits too.

What do you think?

http://www.rspec.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_82

and the next model up

http://www.rspec.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_84

What's more useful; Boost in BAR or boost in PSI?

[AlexW]

Those links arnt working for me atm.
As for BAR/PSi theres no reason you cant just pick whatever you prefer, me, id go for psi.

[Nova_Tek]

Those links work fine here dude.

[djbrowney]

are you not going to consider a wideband ???

[AlexW]

Links are working now, dunno why it didnt earlier. Those types of gauges are great, had them in a silvia.

Are you running aftermarket ecu etc? If so like browney says get a wideband.

[Nova_Tek]

With the wideband, it's gonna be useful but I don't have any plans to actually go down the tuning route straight away. I know that many people say this end end up doing the opposite but for me getting the car running and driving it is my main priority. This will allow me to actually get to learn the cars driving dynamics and learn to drive it before I start going crazy with power.

If I start to go down the big power tuning route I will go for a wideband but as a standard engine I just want the basics covered :thumb:

What dopes everyone think of the gauges I linked?

[Guderian]

...Sorry.. what is a wideband? Is it an (AFM) air-fuel mix...?

[Stoo]

a wideband lambda sensor measuers the Air fuel ratio over a wider spectrum than the OEM lambda (if it has one fitted)

Usually more accurate and quicker to register a change in ratio too for more accurate tuning

[dan16v]

I use the SPA gauges, this way you get two read outs on one gauge!. I just use the boost pressure/ temp, and an oil pressure/temp. You can change them between bar or psi, and deg c/ def f, would never rely on a nova dash to give oil pressure reading.

[craig green]

Yeah I like Racetech dual display gauges. Not cheap!

[MK999]

Yeah I like Racetech dual display gauges. Not cheap!
if they're the ones I'm thinking of, £180 ish?

[craig green]

Yeah. Cheap gauges are pretty pointless tbh.

Do it right or dont bother. (best to not bother) lol

[dan16v]

The SPA ones are about £170, but well worth it imo, far less clutter.

[MK999]

I've looked around at a few gauges before now, hard to spot the middle ground though. There's the obvious cheap gauges for £50 for 3 etc that probably just guess somewhere between min and max numbers, then the opposite end you've got stuff like that at £180 a guage (excluding stuff like stack dashes etc) but my perception of it was the £50-70 kinda of area can't be tooooo bad.

[craig green]

Tbh I havent looked in years, but like most products within the modified car industry. The market is full of 'pretend crap' for ebay & the like. Avoid like the plague IMO.

[dan16v]

Seen a few back to back test's, and a fair few times the cheaper gauges out perform the £££££ ones! So you cant always go off the price! (by cheap i dont mean the £50 for 3), those ones will no doubt be toss!

[Nova_Tek]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I've done a search and checked reviwes and what not fopr the gaues I linked and the expensive model show has come up with good reviews about accuracy etc.

I've seen guages for £15 although can't remember where but it's just plain obvious that they are pants.

[MK999]

Seen a few back to back test's, and a fair few times the cheaper gauges out perform the £££££ ones! So you cant always go off the price! (by cheap i dont mean the £50 for 3), those ones will no doubt be toss!

Yeah I mentioned those as the obvious 'toss' ones, but there's no way to tell whats overpriced for what it is, whats all singing all dancing spot on accurate and whats a diamond in the rough of the £50 bracket. Any idea where those back to back tests are? Wouldn't mind checking them out. :)

[dan16v]

The testing was done on boost gauges, think it was in fast ford or performance ford, was ages ago though! sorry for the lack of help. I would just go with a well known brand, doubt you will go far wrong!