What does each aftermarket gauge really do?

[MrPlow]

Okay, not sure if this is stupid but can you guys state (apart from the full sick look of having gauges on your bonnet that arn't even connected) what each gauge does, and the benefits of knowing from inside your car what these gauges show...

Gauges like: Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, Water Temp, Fuel Temp, Fuel Pressure, Vacuum, Exhaust Temperature, Volt Meter ect ect....

thanks!

[XXpl0Sive]

I think most the guages aren't applicable to what the owners have under the bonnet.

Eg. They don't even have to know those statistics as they don't have the hardware under the bonnet that will require constant monitoring.

The only guages you probably really need is Oil Pressure I'd assume.

[HRV-80Y]

i'd have to say they do exactly what each one is 'named' to do....

Oil Pressure, read the temperature of oil in good use e.g. driving along on a sunny day the oil temp all of a sudden leans towards the red section which is obviously getting hotter...you see it lean towards the red so you may think again if you were about to plant your foot on the accelerator which may end in a big bang and smoke (engine blowing) instead you shoujld pull over and check if anything is overheating...

same sort of fing goes with water temp, fuel temp, fuel pressure, vacumm but in a diff sorta example to wat i gav for oil temperature

Exhaust Temperature, displays the temperature of your exhaust system in good use e.g. driving along on a sunny day the exhaust temperature leans towards the red section which obviously means hotter...you see it lean towards the red so you can come to a conclusioin that all of a sudden maybe sumtin inside my engine bay is heatin up making my exhaust temp to max, you might want to get mechanic to check it out or simple pop open the bonnet to have a look yourself as soon as possible saving from any further damage if there is soething wrong...

Volt Meter, volt meter displayed the voltage of the device it is attached to most are atteched to your main 12v source i.e. car battery, in good use...if you know you car battery is in need of a new one...and you notice the volatge decreasing ever so slighty to abnormal level i.e. <10 when engine is on you may want to get your battery changed the next time you are free or face having 2 b late for work or a date because of the battery un-expectedly dyin nex time u go and start up your car...

btw most of these guages arn't necessary mainly for rice !! otherwise car manufacturers would have them on vehicles as a stock standard item / instrument...

haha correct me if im wrong peoplez ? or if i dont make sense !

[MrPlow]

yeh sweet, all good!

[PhatSol]

IMO the right time to get a guage is when you change something from stock. A gauge can help monitor the modifaction and ensure that it is working correctly. For example, if you wanted to fit an oil cooler. An oil temp gauge would be a good idea so you can get an idea of the need for the cooler. After the cooler is installed you can use the gauge to make sure it is operating correctly.

There are some gauges that are good even on a stock motor though, and these days car manufactures are putting less and less instrumentation into new vehicles. Our old EA series falcon S wagon even had factory oil pressure and volt gauges! Oil pressure is something which is nice to have on any car really.

[88crx]

Exhaust temp can be used to determine if you running
lean or rich, i think.

voltmeter is good to see how much juice your stereo etc
is taking up. And to see if your alternator is working.
eg 12v - 14.3

also vacuum gauge is like negative boost
can help diagnose problems.

[SPEEDCORE]

IMO the right time to get a guage is when you change something from stock. A gauge can help monitor the modifaction and ensure that it is working correctly. For example, if you wanted to fit an oil cooler. An oil temp gauge would be a good idea so you can get an idea of the need for the cooler. After the cooler is installed you can use the gauge to make sure it is operating correctly.

*nods*


Only problem I have with factory guages is people tend to put too much trust into them when they have done a fair amount mods to their car. Lets say for example the water temp guage....... I have heard (yes could be hearsay ) that they have the potential to start showing hot signals when it is already too late.

So in saying this I would tend to think that aftermarket guages would have a certain improvement on accuracy and speed in showing changes.

I personally would go with water and oil temp and oil pressure in a Honda, that was being taken to the track everynow and then. Then again you could always look at it in a different perspective that is possibly just as justifiable.

What cracks me up is guages on stock cars that just cruise the streets......Instead of spending $400 on a water temperature guage to see if your car is cooking... why not spend that money towards an upgraded radiator or thermo and switch setup..... and actually have improvement in cooling as opposes to "Hmmmmmmmm I'm running hot....... according to my uber expensive guage!"

[McChook]

*nods*


Only problem I have with factory guages is people tend to put too much trust into them when they have done a fair amount mods to their car. Lets say for example the water temp guage....... I have heard (yes could be hearsay ) that they have the potential to start showing hot signals when it is already too late.

So in saying this I would tend to think that aftermarket guages would have a certain improvement on accuracy and speed in showing changes.

I personally would go with water and oil temp and oil pressure in a Honda, that was being taken to the track everynow and then. Then again you could always look at it in a different perspective that is possibly just as justifiable.

What cracks me up is guages on stock cars that just cruise the streets......Instead of spending $400 on a water temperature guage to see if your car is cooking... why not spend that money towards an upgraded radiator or thermo and switch setup..... and actually have improvement in cooling as opposes to "Hmmmmmmmm I'm running hot....... according to my uber expensive guage!"

I agree and well said both of yas

However - hot water temp can normally been seen if you look out of the windscreen.... and see steam.... Rarely will there be no visual sign (steam) that water is boiling