Which/What gauges should I get? [Merged 12-6]

[EcLiPsEgSt97]

I have a 3 gauge pillar and I dont know what gauges i need to get.. I know i need to get the BOOST gauge but i dont know what other 2 i should...can some one help me????????????

 

[r6speed]

You can log with a laptop with DSMlink which would be your best bet for logging however its not cheap. As for the SAFC II I wouldn't bother mine has never helped me it just sits there. Tell us what kind of setup your wanting to or currently running? Feul mods? Turbo?

 

[lacroixdp]

The logger needs to come before anything else, including the SAFC. I use MMCD personally, but there's other programs out there. IMHO, a SAFC is not worth the trouble when you can spend a few hundred more and get DSMLink. It is an investment that you would most likely not ever have to upgrade - the same cannot be said for a SAFC. I +1 marq95gst's suggestion above, but I would get some AEM gauges personally rather than more Glowshifts like you have now.

 

[Imback]

In this order....Boost...Wideband...EGT...thats it.

+++1 that's exactly the order i have mine in

 

[r6speed]

eBay Motors: DSMLINK 2G 95 - 99 DSM LINK ECLIPSE TALON TURBO 4G63 V3 (item 390018178574 end time Apr-17-09 07:41:20 PDT)

If you get this your golden no matter what you do, however I would highly suggest looking around at some of the dealers that sponser this forum and see if you can get one for around the same price through them instead of ebay cause the customer service is nice with this and also to support this forum!

 

[cookmeup272]

This is the thing though guys. I work hard with two jobs, im not even 18 yet, and i have shit to pay for. Believe me when i say i would love to spend that kind of money for dsmlink plus the socketed ecu, but i cant. This is why i am getting the safc2. What other choices do i have for logging on a laptop?

 

[lacroixdp]

I completely understand. You can play with the SAFC, but at the bare minimum I recommend a Wideband monitor and a Datalogger, plus those gauges listed above. I just noticed you are ODBII - I don't about any of the programs for those but I know you can get the laptop cables cheap on eBay. I'd do a search and look around on here. I completely understand playing on a budget; we just dont want to see you blow up your engine What mods are you wanting to do to your car?

 

[PIMking]

I would go Boost, Wideband and Oil Pressure. EGT isnt really needed with the wideband.

Search for logging software on the site. just go to the top and search Logging software.

 

[cookmeup272]

Well right now i have the FMIC, 550cc injectors, MBC, Full exhaust and a 14b. The 14b, FMIC, and the injectors are waiting to get throw in.

EDIT: PIMKing u posted right before me . So the EGT isnt needed with a wideband...So Oil pressure, Wideband, and Boost is the way to go?

 

[lacroixdp]

A S-AFC would get you by with those mods with some tuning. Do you have the install kit for the 14b? If you're trying to crunch money, you could forgo the oil pressure without any negative effects (provided you don't want to get the EGT). Your dash one would suffice for now, provided you're OK with only 2 gauges
PIMKing - that's a damn good point with the EGT. I think I got a little gauge happy there for a minute

 

[oldman420]

With that setup, you will be just fine with an safc. That said you will need a wideband and some type of logger. I notice you have a 98 read this thread -
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/tun.../326872-mhiscan-new-free-datalogger-dsms.html
Mine go Boost, EGT, fuel pressure. But if i did not plan on getting ecmlink i would def replace the egt with a wideband.

 

[cookmeup272]

Lacroixdp- I do believe that all i need is a J-pipe and i should be good to go. Im trying to find someone that has one used as i dont want to pay 90 bucks for one (anyone have one?).

Oldman420- So with that MHIScan, all i need to do is get one of the mentioned cables and hook it up to my laptop? And its freeware?

 

[PIMking]

Well right now i have the FMIC, 550cc injectors, MBC, Full exhaust and a 14b. The 14b, FMIC, and the injectors are waiting to get throw in.

EDIT: PIMKing u posted right before me . So the EGT isnt needed with a wideband...So Oil pressure, Wideband, and Boost is the way to go?

EGT isn't really needed with a WB.

I have Boost, water temp, and WB, But I only have boost and water temp on the gauge pod and WB on one of the DINS of the radio. I will probably get a Oil Pressure gauge down there but my stocker works fine.

The reason of the Water temp and oil pressure is they dont give you exact readings. the aftermarket will tell you true water temp and oil pressure.

EDIT:

dont put the Injectors in until you have some way to tune them. SAFC would work for 550's But DSMlink would be the best but more exspensive and ready for bigger and better mods.

 

[PIMking]

Lacroixdp- I do believe that all i need is a J-pipe and i should be good to go. Im trying to find someone that has one used as i dont want to pay 90 bucks for one (anyone have one?).

Oldman420- So with that MHIScan, all i need to do is get one of the mentioned cables and hook it up to my laptop? And its freeware?

Just get a Ebay ETD J Pipe. I got one for my 1g and had to mod it a bit to work because the motor mounts are not the same but they will work on a 2g no problem. (40 shipped)

With that ETD J Pipe your going to have to hit up the Home Depot speed shop for a 1/8th inch NPT barbed fitting (should be around 2 bucks) and the die to thread the pipe for when you drill it.

That will be for the J pipe so you have a boost source to hook up the MBC to the wastegate.

 

[cookmeup272]

OK i think i will order that j-pipe tonight as well as some couplers and clamps. Hopefully that will be all that I need.

 

[cookmeup272]

Ok so I jsut got paid today and i am in serious need of some gauges. I need to stay as cheap as possible, hoping for $250 or less. What gauges would be best? Obviously I want a boost gauge and some sort of EGT/Wideband. I see the EGT is the cheaper of the two. Can someone give me a setup they recommend? I want three gauges and a 3 gauge a-pillar pod. Thanks guys! Great help as usual

 

[bling5tatus]

do you have a wide band controller/sensor already?

I highly recommend getting an Innovate LC-1 w/ db16 gauge... but that's going to be most of your money right there so I dunno how you t hink you're going to get all this other stuff w/ that money.

Forget about the EGT for now, get a wide band.

 

[silverbullett]

I would get boost/vac, oil pressure, wideband. You can find decent boost and oil gauges for $45-$85 from Autometer. The cheapest wideband o2 I found was the one from Prosport. The colors and styles are up to you.

 

[cookmeup272]

Arent EGT and wideband similar as to their function? Except EGT is a lot cheaper?

 

[snowborder714]

They are somewhat similar. EGT's are what used to be used to tune, but almost everyone here would recommend getting a wideband. Tuning from an EGT gauge is not desirable. Plus, you can log a wideband so you don't necessarily need a gauge.

 

[cookmeup272]

Now Im looking around and see that Glowshift has the cheapest wideband in terms of cost. Has there been any complaints or would you definitely not recommend me going with the glowshift gauge?

 

[MetalliHawk]

I have a glowshift oil pressure gauge. Has worked well for me. The good thing about them is you can get a good deal on a set of 2 or 3 through eBay. Obviously the wideband and egt will add a little more to the cost. As silverbullet said I recommend Boost/Vac, Oil pressure, and wideband.

 

[Ceddy]

When buying a WideBand check the lowest reading it will display.
Many WideBands will not read below 10.0 which is not suited for a turbo car when our stock maps go into the low 9s.

I like my LC-1 and XD-16 setup, but its a little pricey.

Also its a good idea to calibrate your new boost gauge with a air compressor, many are know to be off a lot brand new.

 

[cookmeup272]

Yea the glowshift reads to 10.0 but it is a lot cheaper than the innovative. I see that going with a wideband will be much more expensive than an egt as the pod and three gauges i want total $365.

 

[bling5tatus]

the reading below 10 afr is a good point because if you want to use an alternative fuel like e85 and you want stoich to be the proper afr on your display... you're going to want the programability of a nicer wide band controller.

Also, egt is NOT a really accurate way of tuning because you can have high egts from either too lean or too rich. People got by with it a long time ago, but it's not a real "exact" science like tuning with a wideband is. It's maybe nice to have an EGT to supplement your other tuning tools after the fact, but I would not buy one before a wideband.

 

[cookmeup272]

Ah i see. And I do not have to worry about alternative fuels. I will only be running 93.