What gauges should I buy?

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:34 am

So, I did a search and only one very short thread from 2 years ago came up, so I'll start another.

Here's the situation; I bought a pillar gauge pod with two holes instead of three because I figured, since I'm on the taller side, I could avoid having such a huge blind-spot if I only went with two.
Now that I'm looking at gauges, I wish I had three, but I know in the end it will work out.
My question is, what gauges should I get?
- I'm looking at getting an oil pressure gauge - do these let you know when you're running the car too hard or when you're running low?
- Also, I looked at a Voltmeter since my car has some power issues every once in a while. Part of me says it's a good idea, but I know once I get a new alternator and shit, I won't need the gauge anymore - what do you guys say?
- Lastly, instead of the Voltmeter, would a Transmission temperature gauge assist well? Does it show you when you're driving the car too hard, or is it only really needed when you're having trans problems?
- If the last two just don't humble me, I'll probably go with Oil pressure and Feul pressure just because they're the two most important fluids in the car and all racecars have those gauges. Isn't fuel pressure a pita to get installed?

Let me know.

dtjackten · Post by **dtjackten** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:04 am

well to answer some of ur questions, i would go autometer, i run them in my car and i love them, they are a great gauge, alittle pricey but i believe that u get what u pay for with gauges. i have autometer gauges in my whole car except for tach, because they did not make a 2 1/16 tach.

anyway, the fuel pressure is not that bad to hook up if u go with an electrical gauge, because u just have to find a place to put the sensor in fuel line/rail, i went with a boomba fuel rail and it worked great! reads very welll and i look at that gauge prolly the most out of any of them.

just remember, autometer gauges are about 60-80 dollars each, and some get into the 100 dollar range, but i would not change them for the world honestly

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:26 am

Yea, I'm going ONLY Auto Meter Phantoms. But the one Fuel Press gauge is over $200. That's what makes me want to go with the trans temp.

I dk. The oil pressure is a must, but that means that I only have one hole left...

The way I see it, if my oil pressure drops, I break parts. If my trans temp drops, I break parts. If my voltmeter drops, my car just turns off... not that important.

So, if I could find a cheaper Auto Meter fuel pressure gauge, I would go with it and oil pressure. Does the oil pressure tell you when you're getting low? And should I get the 0-100 oil press or 0-150 oil press?

Thanks

dtjackten · Post by **dtjackten** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:36 am

0-100 u will be find. that is what i am running, and i know the fuel pressure gauge is very expesive, that i think was the most expensive one i have, i agree with u on being tall, i had a piller set up also, i honestly hated it, i change them and they r all in my vents now, i will take pics to show u when i take pics of the car this weekend...

anyway, if i were u i would go with a oil pressure for sure.... and what is ur problem with ur car that u need a volt meter? just wondering, i love my fuel pressure gauge, but i am boosted and it is nice to beable to look at it and know my rrfpr is working properly.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:23 am

Volt, Oil Pressure, and if you do a third a common one is either Wideband A/F or Water Temp.... wierd, I know, we have a stock water temp gauge. But it actually saved my neon... it was reading way to high and my stock one just sat at normal. Found out I had a leak and lost a lot of coolant. If you want a fuel pressure you could go with an inexpensive Autometer mechanical one and just pop it on the end of the fuel rail (with appropriate adaptors).

EDIT: Just noticed the previous posters question on needing a volt guage, I had one and it worked great when it told me that my alt went bad - I could see it fluctuating and then it would spike to 15.5/16 and back down to 14.... only the batt light would come on - without it I would not have known why. Yeah, the (my) car had issues.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:54 am

I would do oil pressure and fuel pressure. I have prosport gauges and absolutely love them. But I also have six gauges because I've completely lost my mind. If you cannot decide on what gauges to get, simply get an oil pressure gauge and a scan gauge. They monitor everything the PCM sees.

They are over $200 just for one scangauge but it's worth it. I have:
Oil Pressure
Fuel Pressure
EGT
Wideband A/F
Boost
Aeroforce Interceptor Scangauge

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:58 pm

The Auto Meter Fuel Pressure Gauge says it must be mounted outside the car. Does that mean the sensor must go outside the car? Under the hood?

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:04 pm

The FP gauge (mechanical) must be outside the car, unless you have an isolator installed. This is so if a leak develops, there won't be fuel spraying all over the interior. If you can, get an electrical sender type. There should be no reason that the gauge can't be in the car, the only thing going to it is a wire, no fuel.
The same for the oil. I have had mechanical oil pressure gauges fail, and it makes one ungodly mess in the car. You never get all the oil out. (And that was a slow leak.)

Electrical: Prolly the one you were looking at
Summit price $199.99
A mechanical prolly won't be any cheaper, by the time you purchase the lines, isolator, and gauge.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/?key ... ator&dds=1

It might be a little cheaper, but not by much, maybe $30? I didn't price mech. fuel gauges, and I didn't see any in Phantom anyways...

The only minor thing I can see with the Phantom gauges, is the oil pressure is only available in the 90º sweep, and the fuel is in the "Full Sweep" or aprox. 270º

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 7:22 pm

I know, that's another problem. Most of the electric ones are only short sweep 90 degrees. I would like to stick with electric, but I don't think they look as good in the car since the gauge needles and the cluster needles don't all point the same way when the car is off. < picky

Also, I've seen most people only do fuel pressure on boosted cars. Do I not need one? Would I be better off with a trans temp or something?

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 4:21 am

IMO, no need for a fuel pressure gauges unless you have a 'charged engine. That is where it would be important to have.

dtjackten · Post by **dtjackten** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:08 am

i have,

tach
boost
a/f
fuel
oil
nitrous pressure

and i will say i use the fuel pressure the most, but like said above, i am boosted, but i would have to say like littlesparkplug, fuel and oil are the big ones, OIL FOR SURE!!!!

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:36 am

Ok, thanks everyone. I think I'm going to end up going with Oil pressure and trans temp just because fuel pressure is too expensive and not as necessary.

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:06 am

I should look into a trans. temp. gauge when I go to finally add some, especially after the pump failure I had in it at the beginning of the year. Ugh. Oh, and a cooler. Would be a good idea to make sure it's behaving.

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:06 pm

Yea, seriously. When the trans is about twice as expensive as the motor, it's just a good thing to keep an eye on.

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 1:37 am

Well, the really crappy part was having to drop the transmission again 10 minutes after everything, the entire front end of the car, was just put all back together. Need to get a cooler for sure, tranny is starting to act a bit weird again.