Gauges - what do you watch.

[Terminated03]

This past week I went nuts on gauges. I put in a wideband A/F gauges on the steering column and two Aerorforce Interceptors on the A-pillar. The big question is...what 4 parameters are the most important to watch on the Aeroforce Interceptor gauges (considering I already have A/F on the steering column)?

I searched and didn't find anything on this. I remember reading something similar, but couldn't find it anywhere. Please throw the relevant threads at me if there are any. :beer:

 

[c6zhombre]

i would think the wideband, fuel pressure, oil pressure would be the primary items to monitor. most gauges have warning level flashing lights you can program as well, that way you can be alerted to that one gauge you might not be concentrating on during the "moment" of WOT

 

[greengt88]

I'm kinda wondering this as well. I'd like to do all mechanical guages whatever they end up being. I do like the aeroforce though. I really don't like digital stuff when it comes to guages.

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

The key ones to watch will be water temp, oil pressure, fuel psi/wideband, and IAT's if it monitors it.

 

[EvilBlack]

Nice timing, I ordered Aeroforce Interceptor twins today. I plan to watch A/F, Oil and Fuel pressure, Water Temp, Boost/Vacuum, and whatever else. on't forget these guys cycle so you can watch a lot of info.

 

[cobracide]

iat2, coolant, Volts, head temperature

 

[03cobra#694]

Pretty hard to watch anything but the road if you're really getting into it...that's why I like the warning lights on my SH gauges.

 

[mu22stang]

Here's what I monitor with my Dual Interceptors. These are all available without any additional sensors.

IAT2 - Ensures my IC pump is pumping. Also, on the track, this temperature is the first to climb above safe levels, so it has a warning light set to glow above 145 degrees F.

ECT - Ensures the engine is warm before I bang on it.

Voltage - Ensures another alternator hasn't bitten the dust.

Fuel Pressure

 

[N/Angel]

I'm working on a custom cluster using the Autometer Race Panel and will put A/F, Boost, water temp and oil pressure in place of the stock cluster.
oil temp, fuel level and a single aeroforce gauge to watch IAT2 sit where the radio used to be.

 

[vladSVT]

IAT temps, air/fuel ratio, oil pressure, fuel pressure, boost

I only have the wideband and boost gauge, plan on ordering one of these nice little interceptors next week :beer:

 

[hiimdrummer03]

Im just running a hilton boost overlay.I need to get more gauges to keep up.

 

[03 Indy Cobra]

I think with these cars and all the alternator problems monitoring the voltage is a good idea.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Here's what I monitor with my Dual Interceptors. These are all available without any additional sensors.

IAT2 - Ensures my IC pump is pumping. Also, on the track, this temperature is the first to climb above safe levels, so it has a warning light set to glow above 145 degrees F.

ECT - Ensures the engine is warm before I bang on it.

Voltage - Ensures another alternator hasn't bitten the dust.

Fuel Pressure

I would say this is the key critical parameters to watch, not sure I would use the same order, order is not that critical with these gauges, they are close together so you pretty much see two at once.

Before EVER using WOT, you should ALWAYS know what your ECT is, many engines have been trashed by not paying attention to how hot the ECT has gotten. Hitting it cold and hitting it hot are both bad.

For any second pulls add a look at the IAT2s they will go up and come back down if you are rolling, if they don't, you have a problem.

Voltage is great idea too, as a general keep an eye on it thing..... for obvious reasons.

I'm not sure if I would bother to watch fuel or even a wide band. Things happen so fast, I don't think we would be able to react quick enough.
If your fuel system is not designed with a reasonable amount of over delivery capacity you have built it wrong.
Because air temperature and the resulting density changes can alter greatly your fuel requirements, you should design your fuel delivery mods around the conditions that would require the most fuel demands.

You should be able to deliver enough fuel for 10 degrees colder than your area will ever see, for WOT, at about 50-100 more horsepower than your car makes.
Because you just never know. If the PCM sees a condition at WOT, and asks for XX amount of fuel pressure, and it is more than your fuel system can deliver, you are going to go lean. LEAN IS BAD!:bash::burn:

 

[MVD]

Only thing I watch it the tach.

 

[Bdubbs]

Only thing I watch it the tach.

Get a shift light and you won't have to watch that.

 

[earico]

IMO oil pressure gauges are a waste. By the time the gauge reads low and you see it the damage is done. Even if you let off the throttle the exact moment the oil pressure gauge drops the damage is already done.

A/F & IAT are most important.

 

[mu22stang]

IMO oil pressure gauges are a waste. By the time the gauge reads low and you see it the damage is done. Even if you let off the throttle the exact moment the oil pressure gauge drops the damage is already done.

A/F & IAT are most important.

So, an oil pressure gauge isn't important because by the time it reads low, the damage is done... but an a/f gauge is important because by the time it reads lean your engine hasn't exploded? Furthermore, most widebands are far from accurate.

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

IMO oil pressure gauges are a waste. By the time the gauge reads low and you see it the damage is done. Even if you let off the throttle the exact moment the oil pressure gauge drops the damage is already done.

A/F & IAT are most important.

This is why you have a warning light that goes off before it's unsafe..

 

[MVD]

Get a shift light and you won't have to watch that.

It's irrelevant. If you don't watch the tach then you have to watch (or keep an eye out for) the shift light.

 

[earico]

This is why you have a warning light that goes off before it's unsafe..

Besides oil pump failure......(which will show up on your factory gauge)....why would you have a drop in oil pressure? Blow by on the rings? Cracked piston? Even if the warning light went off you already did the damage. If you have oil pressure drop significant enough to worry about it will be to late by the time you know.