gauges

[agreen]

i am buying a sencond instrument cluster as a base i am gonna cut a blank from plastic or thin ally, and i want to make a simple dash for a track car

i want a speedo, a revcounte, and maybe a fuel gauge, i am going to have the temp gauge in tnere also if it will fit

i plan to have some gauges else where in the car where the radio goes or something, ie oil temp, battery volts etc

can anyone surgest some good clocks / dials anyone have any pics of a dash in a track car

thanks guys

links also appreciated

[JimmyC]

Personally i'd save the agro and cost of a new speedo, rev counter etc and keep the standard dash

then add oil pressure, temp, voltage also a water and oil warning light

The centre vents make a good place to house them, as does the radio

Look at Rally Design, they do a good selection at a good price

[UweM3]

I second JimmyC here. I wouldn't bother with a new speedo. For a track car you need warning LIGHTS not gauges. If the red mist comes down you won't read any gauges, but a nice big red light might grab your attention before it's too late.

[agreen]

so i need lights not gauges then is that what you guys are saying like an oil temp gauge and a warning light ?

[UweM3]

so i need lights not gauges then is that what you guys are saying like an oil temp gauge and a warning light ?

yep! Pressure warning light. There are plenty of senders available. I wouldn't go less than 10psi for a oil warning light.

[alan1272]

don't E30s have a buzzer for oil pressure as standard?
i have a oil pressure gauge on my car already, can a light be run off the same sender usually?

[UweM3]

No and No. you need an extra pressure sender. The OEM one is just too low. When that light comes on @ full chat you will have approx nillcommanill seconds to decide if you want to switch your engine off or wait for the bang.

[agreen]

No and No. you need an extra pressure sender. The OEM one is just too low. When that light comes on @ full chat you will have approx nillcommanill seconds to decide if you want to switch your engine off or wait for the bang.

right uwe m3 it is clear i have no idea about this can you get me some links pretty please for everything i need to buy ie water warning light oil warning light etc

also does this mean i dont need oil gauges etc

[Jon_Bmw]

For a track car you need warning LIGHTS not gauges. If the red mist comes down you won't read any gauges, but a nice big red light might grab your attention before it's too late.

I totally agree. Our 200sx has a boost and oil pressure gauge and its near the gearstick(fitted by previous owner) and I can honestly say I have never even glanced at it, let alone looked at it whilst driving at full chat on a track.

[ed325i]

We used a fog light on the stock car I used to race.

[agreen]

cheers for the replys guys i just wanted something that looked nice and simple

after seeing uwem3 dash i now know this can be achived without replacing the gauges

cheers guys

[alan1272]

No and No. you need an extra pressure sender. The OEM one is just too low. When that light comes on @ full chat you will have approx nillcommanill seconds to decide if you want to switch your engine off or wait for the bang.

i have an aftermarket sender on a t-piece with the oem one, would i therefore need a third to run a warning light? i guess just the aftermarket gauge and the oem light would probably suffice for road ralying.

[agreen]

might be just as easy to wirte up a seperate light in place of the radio for exmple

[agreen]

to add to the topic i have just been looking at digi gauges god there hot !!!

[UweM3]

No and No. you need an extra pressure sender. The OEM one is just too low. When that light comes on @ full chat you will have approx nillcommanill seconds to decide if you want to switch your engine off or wait for the bang.

i have an aftermarket sender on a t-piece with the oem one, would i therefore need a third to run a warning light? i guess just the aftermarket gauge and the oem light would probably suffice for road ralying.

read again what I wrote. If you OEM light comes on (because of low pressure and not a failing sender unit) it's TOO LATE. I don't know at what PSI that sender is set too (think 5 or 7 psi), but it's too low to be a helpful warning.
You need at least 12-15psi on your warning light. It's there to WARN you, the OEM light only tells you it's to late. There are sender units with two functions. One for a gauge and one for a light.

have a look here http://www.thinkauto.com/

or here http://www.thinkauto.com/earlywarning.htm

[shorty73]

to add to the topic i have just been looking at digi gauges god there hot !!!

I'm fitting a SPA dual oil temp and pressure gauge to mine. Has two really bright flashing LED's for low press or high temp that has output's that can run external led's as well. User programmable for however low/high you want. No need for tee piece as the light and gauge is in one unit.

Spa analogue water temp. Same again with light and programming.

Stack rev counter. Just 'cos it looked good.

3 gauges and a set of shift lights is all I want so no distractions!

[agreen]

to add to the topic i have just been looking at digi gauges god there hot !!!

I'm fitting a SPA dual oil temp and pressure gauge to mine. Has two really bright flashing LED's for low press or high temp that has output's that can run external led's as well. User programmable for however low/high you want. No need for tee piece as the light and gauge is in one unit.

Spa analogue water temp. Same again with light and programming.

Stack rev counter. Just 'cos it looked good.

3 gauges and a set of shift lights is all I want so no distractions!

any pics dude this sound s good links would be good to dude

thanks in advance

[shorty73]

Try here fella

http://www.spa-uk.co.uk/design/gauges.asp

[agreen]

wow they are expensive !!!

i was thinkming of mounting some gauges where the clock used to be or summat oil temp etc and then in the middle of the standard dash between the rev counter and the speedolike uwem3 has done fit some led warning lights one for oil one for fuel and one for errrr well i dont know what do you think

i just thought the standard gauges were to complicated to busy and wanted something simple

i may change my mind yet i will see what ideas this thread gives me as adding leds to a normal dash will complicate it more

[shorty73]

I've ripped out the standard clocks and I'm going to fill the hole with a carbon fibre sheet ( ebay £20). Should look nice and neat (I hope!) and clutter free.

[agreen]

I've ripped out the standard clocks and I'm going to fill the hole with a carbon fibre sheet ( ebay £20). Should look nice and neat (I hope!) and clutter free.

so in the dash hole you are gonn have what dude

sorry for all the questions

[shorty73]

Just a Carbon fibre sheet. 3 Clocks and some LED's for Rain light (fog) and indicators

[agreen]

sounds good dude the three clocks will be rev counter , ? , ?

sorry for the q's

[agreen]

shorty you have a pm

[shorty73]

Rev counter, Oiltemp/press and water temp. PM replied too

[agreen]

are you having oil pressure lights ??? as surgested above i think sounds like a good idea to me ?

[shorty73]

The lights built in to the digital dials mate.

[agreen]

ohh yeh i rember now