cant decide on gauges, please help!
06-28-2010, 02:07 PM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 38
Car Info: 04 sti
cant decide on gauges, please help!
I have been looking at gauges for awhile and cant decide on a brand. I know defi's are the best but no way im dropping 250 per gauge. been debating on going with prosports or aem digital. Any recommendations? can anyone put pics of there set up so i can get an idea. greatly appreciated.
06-28-2010, 02:14 PM
#2
What type of gauges are you looking at getting? boost? egt? oil pressure? AFR wide band?
IMO
1. defi's
2. AEM digitals
I have been running Defi's in my Suby for 5 years now with no complaints or issues. To be honest the way the Defi's match the stock sweeping motion of the cluster on the STI is well worth the money. On top of that the back lights match too. It always drives me nuts when guys use other colors that don't flow with the STI gauges. Like the green Auto Meters.
I recently went with AEM digital boost and AFR wide band gauges in my EVO X. So far no issues and they look really nice.
IMO
1. defi's
2. AEM digitals
I have been running Defi's in my Suby for 5 years now with no complaints or issues. To be honest the way the Defi's match the stock sweeping motion of the cluster on the STI is well worth the money. On top of that the back lights match too. It always drives me nuts when guys use other colors that don't flow with the STI gauges. Like the green Auto Meters.
I recently went with AEM digital boost and AFR wide band gauges in my EVO X. So far no issues and they look really nice.
Last edited by 4080wrx; 06-28-2010 at 02:18 PM.
06-28-2010, 08:32 PM
#10
i have a set of indigo colored Defi gauges that were in my WRX when i got it... i hate the color i want like red or something lol... i have a set of GlowShift gauges in my cavalier and i like em... dunno if anyone else on here has used those before or not...
06-28-2010, 09:53 PM
#11
I've always liked these, similar to Defis/stock cluster with the blackout and opening ceremony I think.
http://www.daddysscp.com/category_s/2.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7Fe6...eature=related
http://www.daddysscp.com/category_s/2.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7Fe6...eature=related
Last edited by uptheundagrnd; 06-28-2010 at 09:55 PM.
06-29-2010, 04:24 AM
#15
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Ewa Beach Hawaii
Posts: 1,049
Car Info: 2015 CWP STI
Gauges are hard to look at when you're going this fast!!
vvv
j/k,
The most important gauges in a boosted car in relavent order IMO is:
Boost - Any turbo car should have it, how do you know how much you're pushing and when you're reaching your limit? Plain and simple.
AFR - You got more air going in the cylinders, sure you have supporting fuel mods. Are you mixing it right with your timing?
EGT - This goes hand in hand with AFR. Too hot at max load = too rich/too much retard. Too cold at max load = too lean/too much ignition advance.
Oil Pressure - Shows your oil pump health. You lose oil, you spin a bearing, blow your motor, or your turbo.
Fuel Pressure - You can tell if your fuel pump is failing if pressure falls while going in boost.
Oil and Water Temp - Both will rise together if something is bad (i.e. overheating, blown headgasket/cracked block, pump(s) failing, etc.) choose either one.
Voltage - Is your electrical power or charging system working in order?
Clock (optional) - To tell you when "its about that time"
My mentality is "I have to know as much as my ECU does"
Choices from experience:
Personally, as cool (*cough* and expensive) as Defi gauges are, Auto Meter gauges are pretty reliable. They tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, without God helping you. The only downside is how you install them. Use zipties for boost lines, teflon tape for sensor pipe threads, solder your wire connections, and tighten your leads well, you shouldn't have any problems.
So far I have had no abnormal readings and they provided me a piece of mind at the fraction of the cost of Defi or other gauges.
vvv
j/k,
The most important gauges in a boosted car in relavent order IMO is:
Boost - Any turbo car should have it, how do you know how much you're pushing and when you're reaching your limit? Plain and simple.
AFR - You got more air going in the cylinders, sure you have supporting fuel mods. Are you mixing it right with your timing?
EGT - This goes hand in hand with AFR. Too hot at max load = too rich/too much retard. Too cold at max load = too lean/too much ignition advance.
Oil Pressure - Shows your oil pump health. You lose oil, you spin a bearing, blow your motor, or your turbo.
Fuel Pressure - You can tell if your fuel pump is failing if pressure falls while going in boost.
Oil and Water Temp - Both will rise together if something is bad (i.e. overheating, blown headgasket/cracked block, pump(s) failing, etc.) choose either one.
Voltage - Is your electrical power or charging system working in order?
Clock (optional) - To tell you when "its about that time"
My mentality is "I have to know as much as my ECU does"
Choices from experience:
Personally, as cool (*cough* and expensive) as Defi gauges are, Auto Meter gauges are pretty reliable. They tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, without God helping you. The only downside is how you install them. Use zipties for boost lines, teflon tape for sensor pipe threads, solder your wire connections, and tighten your leads well, you shouldn't have any problems.
So far I have had no abnormal readings and they provided me a piece of mind at the fraction of the cost of Defi or other gauges.