what gauges should I get?

[teamcapsule]

I'm gonna buy a boostgauge any time now. Either one from Blitz (like JohnD76 has) or one from SARD (http://www.sard.co.jp). Now what other gauges should I get and why?

EGT (exhaust gass temp)
oil/water temp
oil pressure
fuel pressure

They're all cool, but do I really need them and what for?

------------------
1995 Indigo S14 (manual)
HKS pod filter, HKS SQV BOV, HKS Turbotimer, R-spec Speedmeter, R-Spec Shiftlight, Blitz Nurspec, AP clutch

[Daniel san]

EGT for sure, it will show if you're running lean.

Oil Temp, for some reason!

Boost gauge, obviously.

You've already got an Oil Pressure warning anyway, so don't bother with that.

------------------
Dan
www.puresx.co.uk

'98 Saphire Blue S14 (manual of course)
Far too many mods to list here, it takes up far too much space and after being asked very nicely I've decided to shorten the sig (Is that a WOOHOO I hear??)
I, have NO SMELLY TREE, have no plans for a smelly tree and do not want a smelly tree, EVER!!!
Do not take offence to anything I say, even though I probably mean it. I am more than slightly mad, so just chill de feck oooot, ok!

[Papa Lazarou]

You want an EGT gauge definately. Not a straight forward item to fit though as you need to remove the exhaust manifold and drill it.

I would say boost and EGT are most important. Oil pressure may be a nice idea (remember, if the oil light comes on when you are driving, the damage will probably already have been done!!) - a decent gauge will give you more advanced warning of any problems in that area.

Water temp is adequately covered I think by the temp gauge already there. Oil temp gauge would be a good if you like to thrash it!

[oldstu]

I went for boost, oil temp and oil pressure mounted in a 3-hole din panel in the centre console, moving the stereo down a notch to where that useless flap is.

The set looks very nice; they're black CAI 52mm guages from Demon Tweeks (only shown in the Motorsport catalogue) with a pale blue filter on the bulbs.

The whole setup never made it into the car, however, as I kinda goosed it before the garage could find the time to do it.

------------------
Stu

Black 2000 S14a - awaiting replacement of just about everything in the engine bay, bodyshell rebuild, removal of airbag stench, guage installation and ND240 upgrade

[David]

poo

------------------
P reg, K&N, Straight though Exhaust(tube talk), boost gauge, boost controller, modid front grill, bayley dump,1100wat sub(parcel shelf rattles like hell)14PSi ???BHP neck snapper!
http:\\www.netcomuk.co.uk/~daross\my200sx.jpg

[geoff_s14]

Stu,

Did you make your own DIN panel, or did you buy that too.

------------------
Geoff
Emerald S14a, with God's Own Transmission.

http://www.animfactory.com/animations/transportation/cars/mirror_md_clr.gif

[dreadly]

Maybe talking complete and utter sh!te here, but can you hook up a guage to the Oxygen sensor giving Lamdba readings to see what the burn is like.

Rather than going to the trouble of fitting an EGT sender?

[Tom_S14]

Yes you can. The sensor outputs a voltage roughly in the range 0 to 1V. 0.5V is 14.7:1 ratio on all sensors. If you're running under this voltage with your foot down then be very worried, will probably read >0.8V. Under decelleration the mixture will (and should) run weak as hell, don't be worried about that.
Be careful what you hook up to the sensor though because the output impedance of them is high, if you load the output, it will mess up the voltage the ECU measures and that's going to be pretty bad news !
A good quality digital multimeter with an input resistance >>1Meg should be fine to test it out....
These flash led bargraph boxes you can buy are just an opamp and a bargraph driver, I made my own one a few years back. If you want the circuit, let me know.

Slight drawback is that lamda sensors are fairly non-linear - they're designed so that the ECU oscillates the mixture around 14.7:1. If you want to know if you're running rich or lean, it will do fine. If you want to know whether you're running at 13.5:1 or 13.3:1 I think you need a HUEGO sensor ?

Tom

------------------
1996 Blue/Green S14 (manual)
K&N cone filter
2.5" Tube-torque Cat Back Exhaust.
TechTom MDM-100
Race-Technology AP-22 http://tom.marshall.tripod.com

[This message has been edited by Tom_S14 (edited 15-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Tom_S14 (edited 15-10-2001).]

[oldstu]

Originally posted by geoff_s14:
Stu,

Did you make your own DIN panel, or did you buy that too.



Bought it. There's a VW modifier's place that makes them for the centre console of Golfs, but they're standard DIN size so can be made to go into just about anything. They're made of some kind of rubbery plastic, and the guage mounts are sunk below flush and angled towards the driver.

They're at http://www.swgmotorsport.co.uk but you'll probably have to ring them as it wasn't shown on the site when I bought mine.


------------------
Stu

S14a Compact - no engine bay, no boot :(

[Dark S14]

Not sure how accurate this is, but i'm sure i've read somewhere that Nissan made some S14's for the home market with 3 guages sat in the centre console below the stereo, one of which was a boost gauge. I was hoping to get some myself, just not sure where to look.

[Papa Lazarou]

Just bought meself an HKS 60MM "Peak and Hold" boost gauge. It looks pretty sweet.

[teamcapsule]

Why are EGT gauges so expensive? And are they hard to install? I heard you had to install the EGT sensor before the CAT, by drilling into the exhaust manifold...

Is this true? And how hard is it to do?

[Matt_S]

Hi!
Just so happens Ive got a spare 60mm Indigo Illumidrive boost gauge (the same as mine and John D76) and a spare 52mm oil temp gauge the same colour (dont ask how!)

Get in touch if ur interested. Ive got 60mm oil press and boost mounted in the greddy pillar and Im gonna fit the 52mm oil temp either in one of the air vents or in the console below the stereo.

Let me know asap cos otherwise Ive gotta send them back pdq!

Matt
Octane Performance
07775 601106

[Papa Lazarou]

Originally posted by teamcapsule:
Why are EGT gauges so expensive? And are they hard to install? I heard you had to install the EGT sensor before the CAT, by drilling into the exhaust manifold...

Is this true? And how hard is it to do?

Yep that is true. You need to remove the manifold otherwise metal from the drilling could end up in your turbo.

Theres some fitting instructions here http://www.racecarnewmedia.com/hks/e-meters01.htm

Personally I would rather get a garage to do mine (when I get one!) but if your happy removing and refitting the manifold then it should be no problem.

[teamcapsule]

Thanks for the replies!

Matt_S, those gauges sound nice, but right now I can't buy them from you since I'm saving up for my 18". So maybe someone else will take them off your hand... thanks anyway!

------------------
1995 Indigo S14 (manual)
HKS pod filter, HKS SQV BOV, HKS Turbotimer, R-spec Speedmeter, R-Spec Shiftlight, Blitz Nurspec, AP clutch

[geoff_s14]

Originally posted by Dark S14:
Not sure how accurate this is, but i'm sure i've read somewhere that Nissan made some S14's for the home market with 3 guages sat in the centre console below the stereo, one of which was a boost gauge. I was hoping to get some myself, just not sure where to look.

I was gazing through the workshop manual htis morning and noticed that the s14 also came with climate control. How come we had to make do with humble aircon? I was wondering about retrofitting one. It looked to use all the existing sensors and air con components, with the addition of a cabin temperature sensor and a photocell for sunlight detection. The actual computer is contained in the control panel and seems to plug straight into the existing harness where we have our manual controls. I wonder.....

------------------
Geoff
Emerald S14a, with God's Own Transmission.

http://www.animfactory.com/animations/transportation/cars/mirror_md_clr.gif

[geoff_s14]

Another thing guys, does anyone know if the SR20DET has a pre-existing sender for oil temperature I can splice into to take a signal for a gauge? Presumably the ECU needs to monitor oil temp?

------------------
Geoff
Emerald S14a, with God's Own Transmission.

http://www.animfactory.com/animations/transportation/cars/mirror_md_clr.gif