guages+dsmlink question

[Red95Gs-t]

ok so from now until hopefully about march my car will be in the garage getting a complete tune up and adding some go fast goodies.
im going to be purchasing dsmlink along with a boost guage and oil press. guage, my question was do i need to buy a wideband to complete my gueages or should i look elsewere and just use my link to log my a/f ratio?

Thanks
Jared

 

[Detective Coating]

Buy a wideband. End of story. Some good companies are PLX, Innovative and AEM.

 

[Trelisong]

I actually planned on installing a Blox dash gauge cluster off ebay with a boost and egt gauge

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I chose egt gauge because they are cheaper than a wideband and Ive heard it can be spendy to replace the sensor for the wideband every time it fails, but I have not used a wideband or egt gauge yet so I am not speaking from experience, just what I have read on here doing research, personally if I had the money for it I would use a wideband over an egt but I am really on a budget.

 

[DSM_PWR]

Id rather get a wideband over an EGT anyday, and im sure most ppl here on tuners will agree. Yes the wideband is a little pricey but can you put a price on your car when your safely tuning your car knowing the right a/f ratio. Plus you can log it with DSMLink instead of having to guess

 

[gsxtasy]

Personally, I think a wideband is a necessity. It really is advantageous to have one, as you can actually see the AFR's, link does alright, but isn't accurate enough. I'd just save the money on the EGT and put it towards a wideband. Why do you think the sensors go bad all the time? Unless you're running leaded fuels or running it too close to the heat, they will last. Get a map sensor logged in link along with the wideband, and you'll be set for life.

 

[Trelisong]

Alright then, Wideband and Boost it is.

 

[droppinbottom]

I actually planned on installing a Blox dash gauge cluster off ebay with a boost and egt gauge

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I chose egt gauge because they are cheaper than a wideband and Ive heard it can be spendy to replace the sensor for the wideband every time it fails, but I have not used a wideband or egt gauge yet so I am not speaking from experience, just what I have read on here doing research, personally if I had the money for it I would use a wideband over an egt but I am really on a budget.

Keep reading some more. A wideband is almost a must have if you want to tune a car. I am working on 4years on the same sensor. I do have a backup ready for when mine decides to go but IIRC the replacement I purchased was about $70.

A good company to look into is zeitronix. They make a complete setup where you can get your wideband and a map sensor and best of all it can all be logged by link.

 

[FORMONTOYA]

my opinion only...

With DSMLink you should have a WB and MAP sensor (at least 3 BAR) tied into the ECU for logging. Also a real boost gauge is a must.

After that...oil pressure, water temp and EGT.

I would also like an oil temp, but have not done it yet.

 

[blazebolt]

I actually planned on installing a Blox dash gauge cluster off ebay with a boost and egt gauge

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I chose egt gauge because they are cheaper than a wideband and Ive heard it can be spendy to replace the sensor for the wideband every time it fails, but I have not used a wideband or egt gauge yet so I am not speaking from experience, just what I have read on here doing research, personally if I had the money for it I would use a wideband over an egt but I am really on a budget.

That is the set up I have in my car. Boost and EGT Gauges in a gauge cluster. I have a Innovate LC-1 wideband hooked up to dsmlink for logging purposes. I don't think a WB gauge is necessary as long as your logging it. For daily driving purposes EGT is fine.

 

[Trelisong]

Ok I understand that a wideband is for seeing how rich or lean your car is running.

I did a search on here for wideband controller, and only found 5 posts.

What I am confused about is I thought a wideband was for monitoring, like other gauges, but they are calling it a wideband controller and Im looking on slowboyracing and it looks like it has a little remote for controlling something?

Am I missing something here?

I really like the Idea of running a Boost gauge and EGT for looking at on my dash, and then simply wiring in a wideband for dsmlink to monitor... does this mean I could get away with ordering just the wideband sensor and wiring it in? or do I still need the controller thing?

Sorry I just dont really know what a wideband does other than showing how rich or lean a car is running.

Thanks again for any knowledge you guys can shed on the subject for me.

 

[blazebolt]

I really like the Idea of running a Boost gauge and EGT for looking at on my dash, and then simply wiring in a wideband for dsmlink to monitor... does this mean I could get away with ordering just the wideband sensor and wiring it in? or do I still need the controller thing?

You still need a controller. Do a search on the Innovate LC-1, it's all you need (sensor and controller) if you are going to hook it up to dsmlink. It's also cheap and accurate and one of the better widebands out there.

A wideband is used for tuning purposes and will help you accurately dial in your desired A/F ratio. Once it is dialed in, it becomes a pretty light show if you have a gauge. Something I don't need in the car. An EGT will tell you if your A/F is lean when the temperature is too high which is why it is a poor man's wideband. I like to use the EGT for everyday monitoring.

 

[droppinbottom]

Ok I understand that a wideband is for seeing how rich or lean your car is running.

I did a search on here for wideband controller, and only found 5 posts.

What I am confused about is I thought a wideband was for monitoring, like other gauges, but they are calling it a wideband controller and Im looking on slowboyracing and it looks like it has a little remote for controlling something?

Am I missing something here?

I really like the Idea of running a Boost gauge and EGT for looking at on my dash, and then simply wiring in a wideband for dsmlink to monitor... does this mean I could get away with ordering just the wideband sensor and wiring it in? or do I still need the controller thing?

Sorry I just dont really know what a wideband does other than showing how rich or lean a car is running.

Thanks again for any knowledge you guys can shed on the subject for me.

Ok here goes. A wideband o2 sensor by itself is not what you need. You need something that can take the data coming from the sensor and then convert it to a numerical value that we use. Search for Zeitronix, LC-1, LM-1, PLX, and AEM even makes what you need. I currently have a old LM-1. It has a scaleable output that allows me to wire it in through a unused input in my ecu which is how I log it with dsmlink. Mine is rather old and the LM-1 is rather bulky so it stays in my glovebox. Some of the newer ones are not nearly as big and allow for you to put a guage in one of your pillar pods. To me this would be the way to go because if for some reason you do go lean you have the numbers easily visible for you to see. In my case I don't see my a/f all the time and basically have to hope and pray that nothing has changed since my last tune.

Don't invest in the AEM ugeo as it uses a narrow band o2 sensor and doesn't really give you the information you need. I have never run a EGT and am not saying they don't have their place but for the money I would rather use a wideband that has a guage I can see.

 

[Detective Coating]

I've never had a problem with my AEM Uego. Even though I wish I would have went with Innovative or PLX.

Don't get that speedo gauge cluster. They don't fit good. At least the ones off ebay. The backs of your gauges will hit your speedo and your gauges won't seat correctly.

 

[Trelisong]

Thanks for the heads up on the ebay Blox guage cluster... I really do want on that sits around the speedometer,

how about this autometer brand one: 2G Instrument Cluster Bezel

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any experience with it?

 

[Detective Coating]

No experience with it. Do you really want to deal with SBR anyhow? I know I don't. I would think any of them will hit the speedo. What I did was cut the bracket things on the back that stick out of the back of the gauge for it to fit properly. But the ebay one doesn't even line up or sit good around the cluster. Definitely don't waste your money on it.

 

[blazebolt]

I bought the Autometer Dual Cluster Bezel PN: 20012 off of extremepsi. Install was easy and it very clean looking. I had to remove the mounting screws off of the back of the gauges since it hit the plastic.

 

[Artago]

Thanks for the heads up on the ebay Blox guage cluster... I really do want on that sits around the speedometer,

how about this autometer brand one: 2G Instrument Cluster Bezel

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any experience with it?

Standard length gauges wont fit into it... they are too deep and you will have to cut or remove the plastic cover on your instrument panels.

The only way this thing works is if you get slim (Shallow) gauges which are hard to find.

I bought one.. then realized what is required to install gauges into it and got rid of it.

My opinion, don't buy it... just ge ta A-pillar pod.

Tom

 

[niles]

Standard length gauges wont fit into it... they are too deep and you will have to cut or remove the plastic cover on your instrument panels.

I have an Autometer Gauge Bezel with a VDO boost gauge ("'Vision" series, 0-30 In.Hg. to 0-25 PSI version) and a VDO oil temperature gauge and I didn't need to cut or remove anything.
The space behind the boost gauge is very small, but it still fits.

 

[Artago]

I have an Autometer Gauge Bezel with a VDO boost gauge ("'Vision" series, 0-30 In.Hg. to 0-25 PSI version) and a VDO oil temperature gauge and I didn't need to cut or remove anything.
The space behind the boost gauge is very small, but it still fits.

Like I said..... depends on what gauges you get.