Gauge Questions

[John_Bitting]

I am getting ready to buy my gauges. I want to keep it simple. I will use the GPS as a Speedo since the blazer will be used 99% off road. So far we have figured the main gauges needed would be VOLT, Water TEMP, OIL PRESS, TRANS TEMP and TACH.

My question is from experience are these sufficient? Is there a difference when viewing the 2 1/16 verse the 2 5/8. I noticed the gauges I was looking into come in both sizes. Mechanical or Electrical?

Also what about the 5" 4 in 1 gauge, any experience with those?

I cant afford the Racepak or Stack gauges or I would go with one of those.

Where is the best place? I have been checking Ebay, Jegs, and Summit. Anything else.

[McClintock]

The 2 5/8" autometers are nice, you can get them on summit for 45 bucks/ gauge or so. Ive been happy with them, easy to read.

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

I would also want Fuel Pressure and Oil Temperature. In keeping with the quality of your build, I would go with mechanical gauges.

[J.JOHNSON]

The Gps works good for a volt meter too. I suggest a fuel level gauge. You can make your gauges different sizes, say fuel 2", tach 3", water + oil + tranny 2.625". Done this in the past and works good asthetically and func. mech. Gauges are always good, but it makes for servicing the dash (removal) a pain.
Thanks for coming to the shop last week, sorry I didnt get to talk to you more.

[ShaneR]

Like J.Johnson wrote you can use the GPS for a Volt guage if you want less guages in the dash.
I also agree with Ramsey that you will want a Oil Temp. guage and Mechanical are more accurate but make things harder to work on so far a prerunner that you are going to take car of the mechanical should be good. Also for a prerunner the fuel guage is very important! Trust me!
Size wise we have all ways just used what we could fit in the space we had so that was what choose the size for us, except for the tach. I like the larger 5" tach, just easier to see and the larger ones get you more accurate on the markings. Summit is where we got most of our guages but I do know that Checker carries them in the store and if I rember correctly they were only $1 or $2 more and you got them right then.

[Ryan_P]

2 1/16'' guages are a pain to read while on the go and bouncing around. I run all guages 2 5/8'' with the Tach being a 5''. I run all electronic guages with dummy lights for the alternator and oil pressure(must have IMO).

-Ryan

[C. Bucher]

2 1/16'' guages are a pain to read while on the go and bouncing around. I run all guages 2 5/8'' with the Tach being a 5''. I run all electronic guages with dummy lights for the alternator and oil pressure(must have IMO).

-Ryan

I'm in total agreement!! And yes, that's an 11 car. Bigger will be better for being out there in the wild, bouncing around.

[PBR]

that thing is going to be so bling you need some nice guages... i would spend a couple extra bucks and get the liquid filled autometers... all my non-liquid guages are filled with dust and that thing's going to see lost of it!!! you don't need alt or speedo if your gps is working, but like ramsey said fuel pressure guage is key, and that is pricy because you have to get the isolator to keep the fuel outside the cab. i would run 5" tach and the rest 2 5/8" oil pres, fuel pres, trans temp, water temp and if you need one more do oil temp. i buy most of my guages from summit and they are usually at my house the next day.

[WoodyW]

Fuel pressure is nice to have to diagnose problems...but in a prerunner I'd just get a small 1 1/2" mechanical gauge and put in a #8 fuel press. take-off fitting before the carb. You can eyeball the thing if/when you pop the hood, and it only costs about $50 bucks for the fitting and gauge. Saves dash space anyway...

[Billnis]

Could someone explain to me what the improtance of having a fuel pressure gauge in the cockpit during the race is. I have one in the engine compartment, and it really helps when diagnosing fuel delivery problems. I know the Nascar guys and other motorsports use it in place of a fuel gauge, but they are on a comparitivly short course. If I am out on a 40 mile lap and I am relying on my fuel pressure gauge to tell me when I am low on gas, I'll be out in probably less than a mile and be stuck anyway won't I? What am I missing? I put a fuel gauge in my car and a low fuel warning light that I have set to an 1/8 of a tank. I am sure it will bounce around during the race some, but hopefully when I pit, it will help me figure out how much fuel I need to take and that it actually gets in the car before I leave.

Thanks,
Bill

[FABRICATOR]

I am getting ready to buy my gauges. I want to keep it simple...So far we have figured the main gauges needed would be VOLT, Water TEMP, OIL PRESS, TRANS TEMP and TACH. Where is the best place? I have been checking Ebay, Jegs, and Summit. Anything else.
Just add a gas gauge and go. Use the bigger gauges. If something is questionable, use a temporary gauge, sort it out, then get rid of it.

[JESSE_at_TLT]

i would spend a couple extra bucks and get the liquid filled autometers... all my non-liquid guages are filled with dust
Mine too. Sport Comps are filled with dust.

Bought new liquid-filled Pro-Comps 3 3/4" Tach & Speedo (street-driven vehicle), 2 5/8" Oil Pressure, Coolant Temp, Fuel Level, Volt, and small Fuel Pressure gauge underhood.

[PBR]

Could someone explain to me what the improtance of having a fuel pressure gauge in the cockpit during the race is. I have one in the engine compartment, and it really helps when diagnosing fuel delivery problems. I know the Nascar guys and other motorsports use it in place of a fuel gauge, but they are on a comparitivly short course. If I am out on a 40 mile lap and I am relying on my fuel pressure gauge to tell me when I am low on gas, I'll be out in probably less than a mile and be stuck anyway won't I? What am I missing? I put a fuel gauge in my car and a low fuel warning light that I have set to an 1/8 of a tank. I am sure it will bounce around during the race some, but hopefully when I pit, it will help me figure out how much fuel I need to take and that it actually gets in the car before I leave.

Thanks,
Bill

it is strictly a diagnosis thing for me... you don't need one in the cockpit but that's where i like it, it's just one less thing to pop the hood for.

[FABRICATOR]

John, why not be the first on your block to run a RTPM system? ;).

One type...http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/smartire/smartire2.jsp

Another...http://www.schraderelectronics.com/downloads/download_common.cfm?file=ACF27E.pdf&folder=brochure

There are variations, some read a limit, some read actual pressure. Some use valve stem transmistters.

This, or something like it, will probably be on every upper-end race car within a year.

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/accessories/smartire_2nd_gen_bigger.jpg

[ntsqd]

Just add a gas gauge and go. Use the bigger gauges. If something is questionable, use a temporary gauge, sort it out, then get rid of it.

My thot too. Put gauges under the hood if you have to have them. Use lights on/in the dash.
If you really want to be sure, wire the lights so that they are ON unless there is a problem, in which case they go out. That way a bad bulb/relay/sender won't go unnoticed until the engine spews or seizes.