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Auto Gauges - Which to buy - Best Value for my money


bmwohio

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I'm looking to install some gauges on the M3, and want to know what people's thoughts are on the best value for my money. I can see what the most expensive ones are and what the cheapest ones are, but do I really need to shell out $200+ for an electrical oil pressure gauge? Are there pro's and con's to short sweep and full sweep?

 

I've looked through Jeg's catalog and saw that Autometer is the name brand, but what else is out there that I should be considering?

 

I am looking for all electrical, no mechanical gauges. Would prefer to have warning lights on each that I can set, but it's not mandatory. I would prefer it (warning light) most on oil pressure.

 

Looking to buy:

 

Oil Pressure

Oil Temp

Water Temp

 

 

Cliffs:

 

-Looking for new gauges

-Not looking to buy the most expensive or the cheapest (best value)

-Looking to buy some that will last and give accurate readings for years to come

-Which brands are good, which ones should I stay away from?

 

Thanks :thumbup:

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Hard to beat Autometer.

 

Stay away from ProSport... I was never a fan of mine (bought in a kit)

They DO have a great warning though... very loud beep and the face flashes between white and orange... you'll know!

Mine had tinted faces.... hard to read sometimes depending on sunlight/angle. I think they make clear lensed ones though.

 

There is Stewart Warner

 

Marshall makes some nice ones too

http://www.marshallinstruments.com/catalog/performance.cfm

The MINI ones are beautifully simplistic. And if you have orange dash lights they will be spot on.

Edited by iwashmycar
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You can use the UltraGauge

 

http://www.ultra-gauge.com/ultragauge/index.htm

 

Pretty cheap ($60.95), plugs into your OBD-II port and reads a TON of things (74 possible gauges and more it can read).

 

 

Oil Pressure and (maybe)Temp are not read on a lot of applications though. Does not read either on mine for example.

the Ultragauge does have a decent warning you can set for max and min though!

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Oil Pressure and (maybe)Temp are not read on a lot of applications though. Does not read either on mine for example.

the Ultragauge does have a decent warning you can set for max and min though!

 

Yeah, after looking through the possible gauges i only saw Coolant Temp.

 

 

 

Gauges

 

% Engine Load

 

Engine Coolant Temperature (ºF)

 

Engine Coolant Temperature (ºC)

 

Short Term Fuel Trim Bank 1

 

Long Term Fuel Trim Bank 1

 

Short Term Fuel Trim Bank 2

 

Long Term Fuel Trim Bank 2

 

Fuel Pressure (PSI)

 

Fuel Pressure (kPa)

 

Intake Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP)(PSI)

 

Intake Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP)(kPa)

 

RPM

 

MPH

 

KPH

 

Timing Advance

 

Intake Air Temperature (ºF)

 

Intake Air Temperature (ºC)

 

Mass Air Flow Sensor 1 (g/s)

 

Absolute Throttle Position 1 %

 

Bank 1 0xygen Sensor 1 Voltage

 

Bank 1 0xygen Sensor 2 Voltage

 

Bank 2 0xygen Sensor 1 Voltage

 

Bank 2 0xygen Sensor 2 Voltage

 

Run time since last start (hours:mins)

 

Miles traveled with Check Engine Light On.

 

Kilometers traveled with Check Engine Light

On.

 

Fuel Pressure (Diesel & Direct Injection) (PSI)

 

Fuel Pressure (Diesel & Direct Injection) (10kPa)

 

Bank 1 Wide 0xygen Sensor 1 Lambda

 

Bank 2 Wide 0xygen Sensor 1 Lambda

 

EGR Flow %

 

EGR Flow % Error

 

Evaporative Purge %

 

Fuel Level % of full

 

Number of Warm-ups since Check Engine Light Cleared

 

Miles traveled since Check Engine Light Cleared

 

Kilometers traveled since Check Engine Light Cleared

 

Evaporative System (PSI)

 

Evaporative System (Pa)

 

Barometric Pressure – Inches of Mercury (inHg)

 

Barometric Pressure – Inches of Mercury (kPa)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 1 Sensor 1 Temperature (ºF)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 1 Sensor 1 Temperature (ºC)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 2 Sensor 1 Temperature (ºF)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 2 Sensor 1 Temperature (ºC)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 1 Sensor 2 Temperature (ºF)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 1 Sensor 2 Temperature (ºC)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 2 Sensor 2 Temperature (ºF)

 

Catalytic Converter Bank 2 Sensor 2 Temperature (ºC)

 

Battery Voltage (Measured by ECM)

 

UltraGauge Battery Voltage (Measured by UG)

 

Load absolute %

 

AFR Commanded Ratio

 

Relative Throttle Position %

 

Outside Ambient Air Temperature (ºF)

 

Outside Ambient Air Temperature (ºC)

 

Absolute Throttle Position 2 %

 

Accelerator Pedal Position 1 %

 

Accelerator Pedal Position 2 %

 

Command Throttle Position %

 

Boost Pressure, (Relative Pressure) (PSI)

 

Boost Pressure, (Relative Pressure) (kPa)

 

Brake Horsepower 1

 

Brake Kilowatts 1

 

Torque 1 (ft lbs)

 

Torque 1 (N.m)

 

Brake Horsepower 2

 

Brake Kilowatts 2

 

Torque 2 (ft lbs)

 

Torque 2 (N.m)

 

Mass Air Flow Sensor 2 (g/s)– Calculated

 

Instantaneous MPG

 

Instantaneous KPL

 

Instantaneous L/100Km

 

Average MPG – General

 

Average KPL – General

 

Average L/100Km – General

 

Average MPH – General

 

Average KPH – General

 

Run Time – General

 

Miles – General (miles)

 

Kilometers – General (miles)

 

Fuel Used – General (gallons)

 

Fuel Used – General (liters)

 

Average Gallons/Hour - General

 

Average Liters/Hour - General

 

Fuel Level (gallons)

 

Fuel Level (liters)

 

Instantaneous Gallons/hour

 

Instantaneous Liters/hour

 

Distance to Empty (miles)

 

Distance to Empty (kilometers)

 

Time to Empty

 

Volumetric Efficiency (MAP vehicles only)

 

General Trip Gauges

 

Average MPG

 

Fuel Used

 

Average Gallons/hour

 

Average MPH

 

Distance (miles)

 

Run Time

 

Average KPH

 

Average KPL

 

Average L/100Km

 

Liters Used

 

Average Liters/Hour

 

Distance (kilometers)

 

Short Trip Gauges**

 

Average MPG

 

Fuel Used

 

Average Gallons/hour

 

Average MPH

 

Distance (miles)

 

Run Time

 

Average KPH

 

Average KPL

 

Average L/100Km

 

Liters Used

 

Average Liters/Hour

 

Distance (kilometers)

 

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I have autometer cobalt electrical oil pressure and oil temp (for trans) gauges and haven't had any issues. I have their cobalt mechanical boost pressure gauge -30 to 30psi and wouldn't recommend it as it always reads a few psi higher than what I am actually pushing.
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Another thing to add, ive used AEM Wideband (Loved it), and have had countless Autometer gauges and have not one bad thing to say about them, there absolutely the standard when it comes to gauges.

 

Also had 2 cheap ProSport gauges at one point and time and didn't have any problems with them, but ive read a LOT about other people having problems with there gauges, senders, all of it.

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id go with the jegs brand gauges, ive used them before with success and im sure autometer or someone good makes them. I usually use autometer gauges cause im cheap and they work ok. and I use an innovate wideband.

 

if I ever strike it rich im going with a race pak dash

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