Gauge Panel for NB

[NitroDann]

Many gauges have a warning light output, but not all. You have to buy the right ones.

You can either just run a single high intensity led off the output, or wire it to a relay and run a big bright cluster of leds. See my build thread, page 1. It shows my led shift light. You cannot miss that thing. Also for a cool stealth effect, you can aim the leds vertically, out of the top of the dash and have different colours work for different problems, this is like a HUD as it reflects straight off the window.

The guages with warning light functions just have a wire or 2 and you just wire them straight up to the led, or if it has just one wire, it goes to positive and the neg goes to ground.

I dont have any aftermarket guages, instead I use my ecu to fire warning lights on some of its spare outputs.

Dann

[Apu]

Warning lights firing off the ECU...didn't think of that. Will do that when I get there.

One of the other reasons I thought of putting gauges is that I want to change my head unit...something else "useful" to put in that space.

[Hjt]

double din tv/dvd player

[Okibi]

I have 3 gauges in a single din holder similar to the MX5parts one but they're angled towards the driver. I think I got it off ebay like this http://tinyurl.com/3roozbq

[slimx]

the guy that posted :
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/180696230337

has given u best option its cheap and it does the EXACT SAME THING.

IT IWLL FIT...

its designed to fit in the DIN SLOT which is the same in mx5s

[Apu]

Thanks guys. I thought I posted this link but obviously not. Same thing as the eBay one but it's NZ$11.50

http://www.broomfish.co.nz/product_info ... 5b2fa06f9d

[Mr Morlock]

Weigh it up- by the time you buy quality instruments and have them fitted it will burn up quite a bit of money and the existing instrumentation is not exactly shabby- the best place for instruments in right in front.

[dave2221]

Maybe try something like this
http://joesautopartsonline.com/6-IN-1-GREEN-LCD-TACH-GAUGE-OIL-PRESS-VOLT-WATER-TEMP-6in1.htm

Can be removed when not at the track, keeps the car stock, and goes right on the windscreen, where you need the info

[Apu]

Mr Morlock - hmm...existing instrumentation...the only one that seems to be working is water temp. Oil gauge...

dave - thanks very much for that. Looks interesting, will check it out.

[NitroDann]

your oil pressure guage is dead?

Dann

[Okibi]

....the existing instrumentation is not exactly shabby-...

Problem is Mazda put idiot gauges in to suit those who consider a gauge that says "too cold/Normal operating temperature/too hot" adequate. I've been told that by the time the NB needle moves to hot then you're already doing damage, mines never run hot enough to move the factory needle past normal so I can't confirm this.

If you drive your car "normally" then the "normal" gauges might be adequate (as long as your car never starts to overheat) but the more you push the performance of the engine the more important it is to watch temperatures.

[Apu]

Edzachary!

[Mr Morlock]

I am not sure if that is "edzachary" true and just might be an MX5 myth- I heard it before but what is the difference? Old cars had idiot lights which had no graduations.VDO or Smiths gauges in a 48/215 were a giant leap forward but we have moved on just a tad. The water temp guage on the MX5 will certainly show you a temp creeping up and oil pressure also is going to show an abnormal situation. A big failure in the cooling system can result in almost instant damage whatever you have on the dash- not like caste iron heads on old clunkers which were forgiving.

I would also doubt that some Chinese you beaut gauge is going to be better than an MX5 stock one and a top quality guage will not be cheap - so what does one do - disable the stock unit for the replacement? . Unless one is really getting serious about racing and really hammering the engine these add on things are just for show and perceived aesthetics- but it is not my money. PS if a stock guage is not working it can be /should be rectified.

[NitroDann]

Im actually 100% with Mr Morlock here.

To OP:
No one will judge you if you are only doing this for show, and so that we can help you can you tell us what percent is style and what percent is function? Im guessing 90% style, 10% function?

If so go for it.
But the stock water temp guage works fine.
And the vast majority of serious race cars have no oil pressure guage just an idiot light, or a guage only for its idiot light function.
The stock guage is a perfectly effective and well placed idiot guage, if not an ultra bright light like you really want.

Dann

[Apu]

OK so here are the reasons in no particular order:
- changing HU to single DIN = big hole to fill
- I want an oil temp gauge which the car doesn't have

To a much lesser extent, I would like to know:
- what's the water temp
- what's the oil pressure

So the two groups above make up the 50/50.

I like the idea of combining it with idiot lights like Dann suggested - in fact that is ideal. Light on, something has gone wrong, look at gauge, what is it, how bad, etc

Aesthetics are actually the last thing on my mind. If you see my car - its hardly showroom or JDM. Its pretty vanilla and anything added has a functional purpose. Well...apart from intake/exhaust...I like the sound, and there is some gain there.

I guess my fears also stemmed from owning Alfas in the tropics. Experiences like "Everything looks OK...Oh Sh!t! What do you mean temps are going through the roof?! Pull over! Eject Eject!"

And a variety of other issues relating to oil temps / pressure, needing oil coolers (with water spray I might add) to keep things comfortably in the normal range.