Where to mount additional gauges? (1 Viewer)

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Aug 4, 2003
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Another poll of sorts.... how many of you are running additional gauges beyond the requisite EGT gauge w/ the S/C and/or boost gauge. I've only found a single gauge pod holder for the 80 series, and I'm looking at fabbing up a multiple pillar setup using several of these and some fiberglass and vinyl if I must, but I'd also like to see/hear about what you guys have done. I'd like to run the following gauges:

Boost/vaccum
Voltage
Water temp
Oil temp
intake charge temp
EFT
Air/Fuel ratio
Fuel Pressure
Oil Pressure

So nine in all... any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!
 
You could just take out the passenger seat... ;)


OK, seriously,

The pillar pods are usually what people do for one or two guages. I've seen mounts made for the area between the center shifter console and the dash, behind the shifters. I think there was a pic of this here a while back...

-H-
 
Thought about that already... unfortunately I've got 10 switches already occupying that space... :eek: Lights, air compressor, etc... Hmph...onward!
 
Gauges - I have not been in an 80 in awhile and have no clue where to mount nine gauges however it would be cool if you could run all the gauges into like a small screen (like a small monitor), then you could flip thru the gauges or show them all small, etc. Also, set thresholds for alarms, maybe something out of 24 hr le mans car or rally car may have a setup like this.

Andrew
 
Bill has a $h1t-load of guages on his truck, though I don't think he has nine! There are pics of it somewhere here on the site.

I think he mounted three on each pillar (had to remove the fancy grab handles). So that leaves three more...did you consider putting them around the steering column as in the days of 'yore? Or how about using some combo guages where possible/if available? Lastly, you could always mount a row of them up along the upper edge of the windshield--sort of like an airplane cockpit. Gonna be gettin pretty busy looking in there though... :D

Tom
 
Laptop ?

Wolfpack ,

You own a raceteam right ? Is there any chance that you can port the various sensors to a laptop ? Iow's is there any crossover tech that you could borrow , or adapt from the racing ? I love the idea of a laptop in the 80 . It's usage in the area of GPS is well established in places like Iceland , and perhaps Australia ; with the more remore terrain traverses . It would also provide a solid platform for performance software , no ?

Tyler ( not so new info , as a prod in the direction of my preference 8) :p )
 
Funny you guys mention it... HKS manufactured a piece a couple of years ago, and so did Greddy... it was essentially a sending unit, couple w/ the screen of your choice... (either a flip out nav screen or a mounted video screen) that would output video signals of " virtual " gauges, just like you guys are talking about... pretty trick, and it worked well... I saw it in a few cars out at NOPI a couple of times... unfortunately, the LCD's and such are not durable enough for the kind of wheeling I do. I had an Alpine IVA-C800 in the dash of my 4Runner and a couple of screens in the head rests, and they were pretty trashed after a few runs out at Tellico. The C800 wouldn't even slide out of the dash at the end of the day... So, it's back to the gauges... liquid-filled, of course!
 
Tyler-

Not a bad idea either, but I don't want my laptop flopping around when I'm crawling, and I can't find a laptop mount (even the police ones) that is secure enough. I could theoretically adapt a AEM unit like the AEM PRO, but in order to see real time data and data logging, I'd need a big LCD screen, and there enters the durability issue. For afterwards, its fine, but I don't need the software and data logging capability so much for R&D and performance issues, as I do durability and warning issues. That's why so many rally teams run high-dollar LCD's that are shocked proofed, ALONG w/ the liquid filled gauges. Of course, they just drill holes in the dash, and drop them in too... I don't think my airbag would like that...

J
 
MOTEC does indeed make a system like the one you guys are referring to... Yup... a MOTEC ADL... only $4000, plus the requisite sending units and such... only a $6000 or so proposition... compare that to the $600 dollars I'd spend on gauges, and you can see why I haven't seriously approached MOTEC (who happens to be one of our sponsors) and asked the rep for an M4 or M48 unit to adapt. I'd love to, but I think that even the other engineers that I work w/ would call that overkill...that's a lot coming from an engineer. We don't know that word. Oh, and FYI, that's my day job. I'm an electrical computer engineer. Tee hee hee... and I've seriously toyed w/ the idea of pulling the double DIN and putting in a touch screen... show me a durable one, that doesn't cost over $1000 and I'll do it!

J
 
How about a military unit like out of a M1 Abrams? They must be even more expensive.

The MOTEC would be a sweet set up if you could find an inexpensive unit.
 
Andrew-

Yeah... I'll get right on that... let's meet at the Guard unit on Western and we'll get us both one... ;)

MOTEC USA doesn't have anything that they'd call " inexpensive ". That's like calling the dealer's list prices on an 80 series " affordable ".

he he he.

Oh yeah... I sent you an email... when do you want to meet?
 
Wolf,
You can fit at least three additional gauges above or below your radio if you pull the double din and replace with a single as I have done. I too would like a few more gauges, but where to put them. I have a trans temp/air to fuel/and an under hood temp gauge. www.yomama.net

Yomama
 
Wolfpack

Currently, I'm toying with installing gauges where you have all your toggles. Looking at mounting 3, 2 1/16" guages, might have to make a small faceplate to make them flush.

I was thinking of using these www.westach.com gauges, some of the dual combination units or even the singles.

I was looking to monitor water temp & oil pressure mainly. Will be purchasing the SC soon (hopefully they will put them on sale again!), and would include boost / vac. I'm also putting a tranny temp gauge using a pod underneath the hand brake handle.

What type of racing does your team do? Could you explain the need for the "Exhaust Gas Temp" gauge, since I thought this was mainly for Diesel applications.

Joe

PS: wouldn't mind monitoring the IC coolant temp, when you get one fabbed up / available for all :D
 
Wolfpack,

I wonder what kind of security system he M1 has? 50 cal?

I think exhaust temp ois measured to make sure the engine is running properly all the time. If it fluctautes to much one way or the other something up. Also, exhaust temp is important in turbo vehicles.

What kind of race team? I have been to VIR fullcourse once, it was insane.

I will send you an email about meeting up.
 
I thought that one of the slickest ideas to come out of this group is the use of OBD-II software on a PDA or laptop as a 'guage system'

It would provide you with real-time access to a wide range of variables (although I'm not sure if it covers all of the ones you have noted). Only other disadvantage is that you may not be able to show all outputs at the same time.

Cheers, Hugh
 
Ahh... racing. I just started doing some impromptu WSB (World Superbike) w/ a Ducati team... I met one of those guys up at VIR. We run SCCA Solo Class, GT1 and GT2. We race Mazda RX-7's, 3rd generation. We also dabble in the MKIV Supra. We recently (as of last year) started w/ drag racing, as it's become immensely popular. I love VIR, esp. since it's been redone, and I also enjoy Road Atlanta and Roebling Road. Summit Int. is nice, but not as nice (or convienent) as VIR.

Andrew is right about the EGT... just another # to reference from, in addition to the A/F and Boost.

J
 
PDA or Laptop into OBDII is great idea. Imagine the info you could collect.

Somebody has to be developing this.
 
[quote author=uzj100 link=board=2;threadid=4169;start=0#msg30899 date=1060285603]
PDA or Laptop into OBDII is great idea. Imagine the info you could collect.

Somebody has to be developing this.
[/quote]

It's already been done, check past posts on OBD-II scanners (something like $200 - $500 for software and connections. One of the list members recently used this approach on a trip to Mexico. I would imagine that you could easily rig a 'semi permanent' solution by leaving the OBD plug in and running the wire inside the dash to the PDA or laptop.

Cheers, Hugh

Cheers, Hugh
 
I could be wrong ??? but I think the unit the other person was referring to was the Auto Xray (not a pda, but that would be cool). It is used for diagnosing/monitoring the ecu and sensors. I have one myself, saved me many times. You can only read one item at a time in monitor mode. You can however do a capture and then upload the results of a time frame to a laptop. Not sure if you can get more readings from having the laptop hooked up continuously, but you would also have to have the Auto Xray connected as well. Too much stuff to find a CLEAN location for.

Yomama
 

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