Date: Thu, 02 Jul 98 06:47:14 -0500 From: "Linthicum, Sandy" (linthias@sandy-ntws.usps.gov)
>I wanted to survey the list to find out which 2 gauges ASIDE from
>a boost gauge (which I already have) people think are most important.
1st. Water temp
2nd EGT
3rd Oil Temp
4th Fuel Pressure
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Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 18:51:09 -0400
From: "\(Mr\) Sandy Linthicum" (sandy-linthicum@nc.rr.com)
>Instead of adding gauges for boost, fuel pressure, water temp, oil temp, >battery voltage and whatnot until the car looks like a 747 has anybody ever >considered to remove the stock instrument cluster and replace it with one of >these?
My car is setup with the Motec ADl Dash which completely replaces the stock panel. The Motec system is about 2x the price of the Stack but provides about 1000% more functionality and flexability. It also allow & support virtually any sensor you might run in to (unlike the Stack where you have to buy their sensors for big bucks).
In the end, wiring & sensor replacement costs will about equal the cost of the equipment itself.
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Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 14:40:47 -0700
From: "James Bailey" (riche@riche.net)
http://www.motec.com/adldash.htm
http://www.stackltd.com/uksite/st8130.html
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Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 13:02:37 -0500
From: "G. Oishi" (granto@interlog.com)
NHRA won't allow you to use a fuel pressure gauge inside the passenger compartment unless you use a fuel pressure isolator.
This is obviously for safety reasons.
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From: Steve Cirian
Date: June 1, 2000
The stock temp gauge can be made to actually function as a gauge and not as an idiot light. See the page on how to modify it.
This will eliminate the need to buy a separate temp gauge, unless you want one that has exact degrees marked off.
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Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 11:05:36 -0700
From: "Steve Stover" (sstover@scires.com)
I recently installed a SPA boost/temp combo gauge, replacing the Autometer boost gauge I had. Here are some notes for anyone interested...
SUMMARY -
SPA GAUGE -
Very nicely made, obviously a quality gauge. Combination boost/vacuum and temperature, with peak hold for both, plus internal level alarm and external level alarm, changeable units for display, other features. Purchased from M2 for $327 with shipping, and charged more for shipping than was quoted over the phone. Was told that the gauge came with everything that was needed - not quite true! Installer needs to provide the mounting points for both sensors. I had thought (maybe naively) that adapters would be provided to easily mount the sensors.
INSTALLING TEMP SENSOR -
Probe is 1/8th NPT thread. I first tried to center tap the plug next to the filler neck, but did not have enough clearance to put on the radiator cap. Upon examination I was not sure that I could sink the sensor far enough in the plug to give clearance to install the radiator cap, and if there was a problem I'd have a $#%^& time trying to get the plug back out. So I decided to tap the second location in the water pump housing as shown on Rob R's site. I managed to tap the housing without pulling it off (thanks again for the tip, Rob). I did have to pull the airbox to get the IC off, then had to fight with those !@#$% large hose clamps to put it back on. A neighbor just happened to have a T-handle I used to get the tap started. Warning: pipe threads are tapered (as others have warned) and the probe seemed to screw in a lot farther than the tap advance would indicate. If I'm lucky I have 1/2 a thread left to turn before the probe threads bottom in the hole. Or maybe they are bottomed already on the left side - the housing face there is not flat but angled a bit.
INSTALLING BOOST SENSOR -
I did NOT want to remove the intake manifold to drill and tap, so I called M2 and asked for advice. Suggestion was made to use the previous hose and adapt it up to the sensor hose size, then just tie the sensor somewhere handy. The boost sensor did not have to be grounded according to M2 if this was done. I found a 3/16 to 5/16 hose adapter and tie-wrapped the boost sensor to the line.
INSTALLING WIRING -
Took the wiring into the left wheel well, found the readily apparent plugged extra hole there. Had a bit harder time locating the opening into the footwell area. Unfortunately, the sensor plugs were quite large, so I had to take out the nylon insert in the hole before I could get the sensors through. Used the A-pillar pod I had for the Autometer boost gauge, and rigged a quick mount for the menu button.
RESULTS -
I'm having a great time watching the temp actually change! The stock gauge seems to stabilize when the SPA shows ~100 F, and then doesn't budge. The highest temp I've seen so far is 212. Based on the new gauge, I'm planning to give the car a bit more time to warm up before boost/high rpm in the mornings. I'm sure part of this lag is the thermostat opening, but still the stock gauge seems to show warm up rather optimistically. I remembered the stock gauge delayed high temp indication, but didn't realize it also was optimistic on the low end. The boost gauge I have mixed feelings about. Although an obviously well made unit, it shows lbs of boost, whole numbers, no decimal places. I'd at least like to see half pound increments. It shows lbs for both boost and vacuum, while the Autometer had inches for vacuum. The gauge only updates every 0.4 sec. which makes boost spikes harder to see, although the max boost memory storage is saved on the individual 0.1 sec readings. I'm seeing higher boost (13 in peak hold, might be a spike) and vacuum (7 lbs) and a lower transition value (5) with the SPA than with the Autometer (11 max, 16" vac, 7-8 transition). It would be nice if I had wired up an external on/off power switch for the gauge, since the only way I have found out of the menu mode is to power off the gauge. To clear the peak hold value the gauge has to be powered on with the menu button pressed, then powered off and back on to get back to normal operation.
PROBLEMS -
the boost gauge will not show -8 lbs of boost, going instead from -7 to -9. Also, the over pressure warning (12 psi) lights up periodically as the RPMs rise, but the gauge does not show the peaks.
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