adding guages

[deathtrain]

Ok had my car awhile now and have noticed a few things that I dont like. 1) my engine temp gauge has a "L" and then at the top small red line and then "H". Nothing to really indicate what the actual engine temp is. I have watched it to see where the needle is the most consistent at but it its not steady. So I want to add a real gauge with actual numbers. something like this

Blue Digital LED Water Temperature Gauge

2) I have no tach. I want to be able to watch the tach for the best shifts. Maybe get one with a programmable shift light to set it for the RPM I want for say XX MPH. So when i go over that set RPM the light will come on reminding the nut behind the wheel to tighten up. It will be a "Nut Check" light.

Red Digital LED Tachometer Gauge

I already have the MPGuino (yet to be installed) what else would be good to watch? I want to make sure i got everything at once so I can install it together. its a 94 corolla so no one makes a gauge pod for the piller. SO I will have to get my fiber glass out and mold it myself.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by deathtrain

Ok had my car awhile now and have noticed a few things that I dont like. 1) my engine temp gauge has a "L" and then at the top small red line and then "H". Nothing to really indicate what the actual engine temp is.

Few cars I've driven indicated the actual temperature in °.

The middle position indicates the normal temperature - which is where the needle should be after warm up.

I have watched it to see where the needle is the most consistent at but it its not steady.

Strange, once warmed up, the needle usually never moves much at all.

Is your thermostat OK ?

[deathtrain]

yea I know how the usual temp gauges are on cars too. 95% of the ones I have seen usually have 3-4 dash's between the low and high marks. This one has none, zeros, nada. and like I said the needle fluctuates a lot depending on outside temp, car speed, A/C on or off. If I had to take a guess it really acts like the thermostat is removed or is stuck open.

With no dash's or anything to reference the needle with is the reason I want to put in an after market one.

But not lets not get off topic to much. any other instrumentation? I was thinking of a vacuum gauge also. this way I can monitor engine load vs rpm. and after each mod see if i get + or - results.

[jakobnev]

I'd suggest an AF-ratio gauge, that would allow you to maximize load without enrichment.

[abogart]

Originally Posted by deathtrain

I was thinking of a vacuum gauge also. this way I can monitor engine load vs rpm. and after each mod see if i get + or - results.

+1 for the vacuum gauge. I installed one on my car years back. Although I was unable to get it to happily mount anywhere, I found it a great tool for monitoring engine load. Now, with Scangauge, it is second nature to me to monitor MAP as I am accelerating. I actually feel lost driving a vehicle with no manifold pressure instrumentation now.

[mcmancuso]

personally I've got a water temp gauge, vacuum gauge and MPGuino, and I'll be adding an oil pressure gauge (never liked the idiot light system, I want to know pressure is low before its zero) Thought about the A/F ratio gauge but they're ~$200 and if you're not going to be changing the A/F ratio then they don't tell you much except to know when the car is in closed loop...