Re:Essential gauges
 

I disagree. When the mixture preignites, it slams into the piston earlier than it usually would. This robs power instead of adding to it and the potential energy in the mix is turned into thermal energy instead of kinetic if you want to know the truth of the matter. Therefore, knocking DOES in fact heat the engine and thus exhaust gasses. True, a lean mix is ONE cause of knocking, but to say it is the only factor would be false. Adding fuel *might* help, but if you want to run at peak efficiency and performance you need to resolve the actual problem, be it timing or something else. Just dumping fuel randomly regardless of the mix could only mask the problem causing you headaches down the road. And don't argue with me. ::) I'm never wrong! At least that is what I tell my wife. ;D

BTW, anyone have experience with SPW gauges? They seem pretty inexpensive and I just wondered how accurate and reliable they are. More $ isn't always better!

Re:Essential gauges
 

get a DIY wideband setup, it's like few hundred.. why not when you invest so much

then you don't have to ------- dyno it, just street tune it and just go to dyno once to check your hp rating or clean up the a/f to get that extra 2hp.

Re:Essential gauges
 

the apexi timer also has o2 and A/F voltage.

Re:Essential gauges
 

yeah my apexi timer has a/f and o2 voltage...how ever the a/f seems to move very slowly...i say still as accurate as my autometer a/f guage...although the voltage maybe accurate im not so sure...

Re:Essential gauges
 

gauges are nice nut if you have too much of them it might look rice.
oil pressure sensor is a pain in the ass to mount.
rather get a iol temp and fix it on your oil outline from the turbo and youll know whats the temp of the oil outgoing from the turbo. thats a helpfull one.
Of course EGT is a MUST HAVE. 8)

Re:Essential gauges
 

EGT looks like a pain to mount too. I am thinking of just using the knock sensor monitoring of my vafc to tune, very slowly and carefully for the time being. I think if I take my time and make small changes while keeping an eye on the knock level, I might be able to get it to run pretty good without EGT or AF gauges. Obviously this isn't ideal, but I'd like to try it for awhile and see what happens. Keeping it from knocking is the first priority, everything else can wait! I'm probably gonna pick up some oil pressure and temp gauges from SPW. Yeah, I was going to mount it on the oil line to the turbo if I can mate it somehow. The oil temp should help me with cooldown and to keep a general eye on how things are doing in the absence of EGT. I may go with EGT in the long run, but like was mentioned, I only want so many gauges in my cockpit! I'm trying to keep it low-key! Does this sound reasonable?

Re:Essential gauges
 

a/f gauge,oil pressure, and BOOST and u r good to go...

Re:Essential gauges
 

EGT and Boost. anymore and you are an idiot because you should have your car tuned and EGT can tell you pretty much if most problems are going to happen. dont be a ricer. 2 gauges is plenty!

Re:Essential gauges
 

some people like myself like to no whats going on in other parts of their cars, its not a rice thing if the all serves a pupose, I have boost,oil pressure, water temp, and af guage, the a/f and boost is turbo related, the oil lets me know the oil pressure I dont have a dummy light, water lets me know the exact temp,because stock guage dont let you know till its late. I also have apexi timer which tells me the voltage because I also have to have heavy thumping music, vafc, shift light, I can admit the shift light is a little ricey, but everyone have some rice in them, its all opinion.