with low oil is that both water temp and oil temp climb quickly when you're really into it, pushing the car hard. You'd be surprised how much cooling the oill does in the Mini, with the oil-water exchanger and the under piston squirters. Because of the heat exchanger, water temp really is a combo of both. So if I could only have two, it would be water temp and oil pressure.

Matt

 

Agreed. Both good indicators of a serious problem before it becomes a permanent problem.

 

Ok. Great advice. Already have oil temp since I went for the aux gauges addition. They install it under the toggle switch bank. Not incredibly easy to see and use. It can be my second opinion to a oil pressure gauge at the tach. Still not sure of good/bad temps anyway.
Would a boost gauge give you a heads up of a slipping belt?

 

Ok just our two cents. We offer gauges (NOT on the site yet, but Scott48 above shows one of them. PM me if interested until the web section is launched.) They are available a single units and not forced to purchase in pairs. Up to three can be mounted using the ALTA gauge pods on one TACH.

Current EZ to install options are:

Boost
EGT
Water Temp
AFR

Also available (eZ install ASAP):

Oil Pressure
Oil Temp

Having done these in my last R56 and will do them again in the Clubman, I have to say the Boost and Water Temp were most important to me.

The car doesn't have water, and boost on the Turbo car is important to monitor, especially when brought above OEM specs.

I will also do Oil Temp on my Clubman. Again, going to the turbo side of things, oil temps are important to monitor as well.

Photos coming ASAP! Sorry for the delay. We are shipping kits now and if interested just let me know!

Thanks for allowing me to input here!

 

hi Scott,

but we' re do you get pressure?
do you have also vacuum?

thank you
Gianluca

 

Alright, coming from a long line of Chevy's I am not quite up on what is available for the MINI. Is there a gauge available similar to the "Aeroforce Interceptor guage"? I had one in my supercharged Cobalt and it hooked up super easy via the OBD port. You can toggle through and display 2 of the following functions at a time, plus it was capable of reading and clearing CEL's:
RPM, MPH, Intake Air Temp pre intercooler, Intake Air Temp post Intercooler, MAF Sensor Frequency, MAF Sensor (lb/min), Engine Coolant temp, Injector pulse width, Long term fuel trim, Short term fuel trim, O2 Sensor Voltage, Manifold Pressure in PSI (Boost Pressure), Supercharger Inlet pressure, Ignition Advance, Knock Retard, Engine Run Time, Battery Voltage, Throttle Positon Percentage, Engine Load, Instant Fuel Economy, Horsepower, Analog Input #1, Analog Input #2.

This is a list for the Chevy Cobalt SS/SC, this gauge for other vehicles offers capability to monitor other functions as well. So anyway is there one of these available for the MINI?

 

will work with any OBD car IF the mode of OBD is supported by the gauge. Far as I know most support all 5 busses (four slow serial, one fast serial, or CAN). The MSD Dash Hawk is CAN only though.... So it won't work on the earlier Minis...

Matt

 

You guys talking about an R53? The R56 doesn't have an indicator like you describe.

 

Good question. Scott48 used another companies boost/vacuum block on his installation as ours wasn't out yet. But essentially what it is a small stand off block that goes between the MAP sensor on the car and the manifold. It then has a port on the side that connects to a boost gauge, or anything else that needs boost or vacuum. (For example a Blow Off Valve, Water Injection, etc.) Ours is included when you buy the boost gauge from us.

Photos coming soon!

Let me know if I can help further.

 

It works just like Adam stated above....very simple setup, and yes you'll see both boost and vacuum.

 

I'm curious about the placement of a pressure sensor for a boost gauge. Most people are putting it way downstream on the MAP sensor tap, however, it could easily be placed right after the turbo compressor by installing a tap on a metal pipe piece that would replace the 8" turbo muffler. Besides reading a higher pressure, it would tell you quite a bit of information:
1. You could actually see the turbo lag by measuring the time difference between boost and power delivery, helpful when changing to a larger volume intercooler.
2. You could trouble-shoot boost losses if you see boost and don't get a power response.
3. Boost pressure would be independent of intercooler performance and should not vary from time-to-time due to temperature changes.

The downside is you would not "see" the actual pressure to the engine, but you "feel" that anyway.

 

Gah! Coming from heavily tuned supra's and a mildy built GMC Typhoon...seeing boost pressure is CRITICAL! In even slightly modified engines you don't want to be running TOO much boost. MINI has their "overboost" technology or whatever, but too much boost can be a bad thing. Plus it's a great way to get good launches by making sure you are launching at a good boost to RPM ratio and whatnot. Boost and water temp are the two most important things on a turbo charged car. I plan on having oil temp and pressure as well though...oil temp being VERY important like someone said earlier. Even once the coolant warms up the oil takes longer to get up to full operating temperature.