Looking on my list of mods I want, gauges are coming up so I started doing some research. I originally wanted the Craven Speed gauge mounts with a dual pod on each side. But then I started thinking that it was a bit much going on around the tach for a daily driver. So I scaled it back down to two gauges and was thinking boost and AFR, until I read that the AFR is only useful if it's wideband, and I don't have the money for that. Now I'm reading that oil temp/pressure and water temp are the most important. So I'm now planning on two gauges around the tach and two down by the cup holders. Here are my questions:

Is there a more important gauge than boost, water temp, oil temp, or oil pressure? If so, which should it replace?

Of the four, which two are more important to be up by the tach?

 

I run 2 Defi gauges on either side of the tach. One is boost and the other is oil temp. I chose the latter because it lets me know when the engine is up to operating temp and how hot the oil gets during "spirited" driving.

 

Thanks for the input. Couple more question I thought of:

How much boost is too much for the Mini? Like when should I be cautious...

Whats a good oil temp for me to know the engine is ready for me to get on it? And whats too high?

 

Boost...
Well I think you should talk to Tuls...
You are safe with anything lower than ~18lbs. on stock internals.
I say Tuls because if you don't know his car yet check it out...he has ran +30lbs in his twincharged monster.
Of course it has some pistons and other bits...

 

I'm like Shooler and run boost and oil temp. It's pretty interesting to watch how slow it actually takes to get oil up to temp, and then how fast it drops when you shut the engine off. I keep my foot out of it and rpm's down until at least 180F. 200F is where I allow spirited driving. In the summer on the highway, oil gets up to 230F; never seen it higher than that.

 

I have the 2 guages by the tach and the 2 by the cup holders and I really like it, it's not too much up top.

 

Personally I don't think boost is something that really too important to be keeping a close eye on in a supercharged car. I wouldn't bother with boost up top. But...idk.

 

Thanks for all the input. I'm really in a bind right now. My friend at work said since I'm planning on changing my fuel injectors, that fuel pressure would be a good one to have. But where can I put a 5th gauge? I don't really want to use the air vent pods, thats why I was keeping it at 4. But is fuel pressure more important than the other 4 I mentioned?

 

Gauges provide information and information is useful but the reality is that the car comes w/ the basics as well as warning sensors which really address a street car. Having said that gauges give you extra info and provide interior customization / entertainment value.

Here are my favorites



1) Any turbo or SC car benefits from a boost or boost/vacuum gauge. Nice to know that your spooling up . My only advice here is to buy the right scale - and by this I mean assuming you have a 15 pulley car (14.5lbs of boost) then buy a 15lb boost gauge or a 30vac/15boost gauge this way you get max needle action and you can get a good read. My guage is HIGHLY entertaining because of the scale.

2) You are correct, if you do A/F - its gotta be wideband or it really doesn't tell you much. AND, yes they are expensive. This gauge with led read out and outer ring is HIGHLY entertaining.

3) If A/F gauge is a pass, I would opt for oil pressure over oil temp but thats just me. If it ain't flowing properly, it doesn't matter its temp.

 

^ but then you'll have a dummy warning light on a street car to tell you the car is going to blow up I agree though that oil press. should be up top too

 

Ok, so I'm going to have oil pressure and boost on top with oil and water temp under the toggles. Would fuel pressure be important since I'm planning on getting 380cc injectors?

 

Good call on the boost and the oil pressure gauges Mistir.

I managed to make my gauge bracket for under $10. I used a scrap piece of 1/16" aluminium sheet, 2 worked over 90 degree brackets, 6 rivets, 2 longer than stock sheet metal screws, and 2 1/4" bolts/nylock nuts!

If you're easy on the throttle you'll be in vacuum most of the time(BPV open and re-circulating SC air) seeing maybe 2-3 lbs of boost. Once you squeeze the throttle hard you'll be in the boost hard.

As soon as I see my oil pressure running in the high 40's between 2500-3000 rpm I know the oil is up to temp! Yes we do have the dummy light for oil pressure and we also have a nice needle to make sure our cooling system is spot on once our motor is warmed up.

Good luck with the install Mistir!