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General Information => Upgrades (non engine related ) => Topic started by: burningchrome on March 15, 2009, 06:55:15 am

Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: burningchrome on March 15, 2009, 06:55:15 am: When it comes to tuning your engine it's obvious that the 2 required gauges are turbo and egt. As the spot I've chosen can accommodate 3 what would be the best choice to round out the gauges.
Cheers,
Etienne
Title: Re: 3rd gauge
Post by: ein bora on March 15, 2009, 07:44:14 am: Quote from: "burningchrome"
When it comes to tuning your engine it's obvious that the 2 required gauges are turbo and egt. As the spot I've chosen can accommodate 3 what would be the best choice to round out the gauges.
Cheers,
Etienne

I'm doing the same - I chose an oil pressure gauge.
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: Dirtrag2 on March 15, 2009, 12:23:37 pm: X2 oil pressure gauge!

then maybe oil temp and water temp
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: burningchrome on March 15, 2009, 03:00:06 pm: I have issues with my dynamic oil pressure warning system so I was planning on the oil pressure gauge as well but just wanted to hear what everyone else had to say. On that note how important is oil temp when tuning?
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: AudiVWguy on March 15, 2009, 07:39:04 pm: Here's what I did. Summit has there own house brand digital gauges. You can get one gauge and two sending units. This way, with a little toggle switch, you can check two different things, say oil temp and water temp.
Just something to think about.........
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: Smokey Eddy on March 15, 2009, 10:53:22 pm: I have boost, EGT oil temp, RPM (but i'd glady lose the rpm for a good oil temp or coolant temp gauge.

I'm not too bothered with pressure so long as the stock sensors aren't buzzing the crap out of the dash! haha. I know someone here has a "drive pressure" gauge. Which is the exhaust pressure (i dont remember if its post or pre turbo)
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: red64chevelle on March 16, 2009, 05:23:27 am: I have a stupid mk1 with a clock in the dash, so number three is a VDO tach for me.
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: stewardc on March 22, 2009, 04:56:02 am: The more the merrier. This is in my Caddy.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/stewardc/Truck/100_6951.jpg)
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: ein bora on March 23, 2009, 07:29:38 pm: This is in my 94 mk3 1.9 IDI.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/truszip/jettainterior007.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/truszip/jettainterior006.jpg)
ISSPRO oil pressure, Pyrometers and boost. Had to make a panel to get them to fit.
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: zukgod1 on March 24, 2009, 09:10:29 am: Oil pressure would be and is my choice for the third gauge.
Title: 3rd gauge
Post by: VWSmokr on April 13, 2009, 02:45:55 am: Quote from: "red64chevelle"
I have a stupid mk1 with a clock in the dash, so number three is a VDO tach for me.

For early Rabbits, find an Mark I Scirocco dash cluster. With the directions for modding given out by some here you can even use the tach on your diesel engine. As mentioned earlier in this thread, a second (matched) sender into the lube system & a switch will get you oil temp readings on the stock water temp gauge. The 'rocco layout sure improved the appearance of our 1977 diesel Rabbit "Bronze Edition"(VW's code name for their most cheaply-equipped version! The front door vent windows didn't even open!).

Personal preference... the stereo head unit can be moved down to the console, leaving more 'driver's-line-of-sight' space in upper dash location for the important gauges. Makes it easy to observe operating status without taking eyes off the road.

For the later Mk I and Mk II Rabbit/Golf/Jetta vehicles, AFAIK the Econo/Shift light mess can be pulled out (of a Mark II cluster), and a second temp gauge (or fuel gauge?) installed (as most Mk I instrument clusters do have a gauge in that position, rather than the Achtung! light). OTOH it may be possible to trim away most of the case on an aftermarket VDO oil pressure gauge & fit that in there. Will be attempting that mod when adapting in a Quantum TD cluster (w. factory tach, similar to some G/J Mk II TDs) as part of upgrading an '80 VW Dasher TD's cockpit.

Counting on that to leave room for EGT, turbo boost & intake restriction gauges in former stereo head location. Digital voltmeter & WVO tank temp gauge make sense & are slim enough to fit in almost anywhere. Depending on what temps you drive in, an inside/outside thermometer is useful to predict road icing, but again, is available as a slim digital readout & easy to find a 'home' for mounting.

J.R.
SoCal