mx5cartalk.com

Looking at getting some 52mm gauges for the car.
Probably a boost gauge, afr, and oil pressure.
Any recommendations for brand?

Thinking of going digital over analogue. Anyone got a rough idea of cost?

Thanks

The biggest issues with gauges in an MX5 is "where do you put them"?

I used a Speedhut revolution boost gauge in the cluster to replace the dummy oil gauge.
AFR is something you don't need to see once the car is tuned and running fine so i put my Innovate Motorsports MTXL mounted inside the glove box.
Oil pressure, while I'd like to have a gauge for this, a low pressure LED light works far better as it'll grab your attention far quicker.

Alternatively if you can find somewhere to put it so you can actually see it while driving, this looks ok: https://www.neon-technologies.com.au/pr ... -gauge-kit

Thanks that looks pretty good.

I'm running 3 Innovate Motorsports MTX-D gauges in my centre console above my headunit. AFR, Oil temp/pressure and water temp/volt

Roadrunner wrote:a low pressure LED light works far better as it'll grab your attention far quicker.

This! Gauges are nice, but if they are not in your face then you will miss a critical event. I did that many years ago, the oil pressure gauge was below the radio, did not see it drop...

A simple solution like these http://www.longacreracing.com/products.aspx?itemid=1734 add redundancy as well.

If you go the Innovate MTX series you can daisy chain these together and even log the data.

Speedhut gauges are nice. Very customisable with fonts, background colour, lighting colour, needle colour, needle cap, even add a logo of your choosing. They have some with a warning light and some without (the warning light version also does a peak recall so you can see what your max oil/coolant temp was after a run. They're digital meters but can front with a digital or analogue face. Seriously, go play around on the website. Not cheap, but good quality.
https://www.speedhut.com/

Nevyn did a nice 3 Speedhut gauge setup in a single din bracket above a single din radio. Looks very nice, there are a few such examples about.

Too expensive for me, especially now we have to add GST.

Cross posting here from the datalogging thread, as this thread relevant to the gauges/warning lights choice ...

greenMachine wrote:I have also picked up on Magpie's comment (above) to the effect that warning lights are often more useful than gauges. I have a set of nice Speedhut oil and water temperature gauges and an oil pressure gauge but I think I will put them aside, duplicate my sensors and datalog through the ECU to the Solo the sensor values, and use the second sensors to drive warning lights, including a big master alarm if I can get the wiring right.

You can pick up the 'Engine Watchdog' type units for around $100, gut them for their circuit wizardry and run your own warning lights to wherever. They have a simple engine block thermocouple and input for low oil pressure warning sensor with an audible buzzer (120db?) if you somehow miss the leds. An easy way to add a simple 'pull over NOW' alarm.
I ran the original type on the daily hack for a while, and it got no love but petrol and a place to sleep, with plenty of opportunity to remind me of the importance of adding oil occasionally!
The watchdog unit type i have now was temper checked by being kicked about on the floor for a while, left in parts boxes which were rummaged through and had big cranky pieces thrown in their direction, despised generally, and it still was faultess when tested for operation. I won't bet everything on red but the (new) watchdog unit does add a little security for an easy on the wallet outlay.

That is interesting! Not sure about the temperature sensing though, I like the fact that it is independent of the presence of coolant (having lost an engine once because there was no coolant to read - long ugly story), but I need to check the engine for location options to ensure that it quickly picks up increasing temperatures.

I have a re-route spacer, I was thinking of using that at the back of the head just to mount coolant sensors (temperature and pressure), given the SE head does not require a reroute to cool properly. However this might obviate the need for a pressure sensor - IF it works quickly and accurately. More research and thinking needed!

Thanks for bringing that to my attention

With the first, first start up of my engine it was running at around 3000rpm as the throttle stop was kicked open too much and timing was a little off at around 16*+.
I was quick with the timing light and offset trigger timing button on adaptronic 440, but hadnt noticed the lower welded an fitting on radiator had wept enough to lower coolant level below top tank mounted sensors while running ewp to purge air earlier. You can see a big coolant puddle in one of the vids I posted i think.
The headers were glowing red before timing could be addressed but the buzzer on watchdog went off quickly, enough to scare the pee out of me and probably the neighbours, being around 11:30pm (sorry but im not sorry neighbors!).
I have the thermocouple mounted at back right of head where the engine lift bracket would normally be and even though running reverse flow coolant system and electric pump, the head heat raised quickly enough to set of overheat condition on watchdog.
Good reason why i didnt post up first start vid hehehe...
The buzzer is loUD and I'm happy neough with where it is mounted to leave it be for now while further tuning and radiator welding is taken care of.