16 replies to this topic

[Curley]

Pro's vs Con's?

 

 

I've been thinking about what gauges I should put in the dash on my 'race' car. I've been considering adding an Amp gauge but I'm concerned about running full current wires.

[Carlos W]

Easier to install a volt meter

[KernowCooper]

Yes a volt meter is better now we have moved on from Dynamos and will tell you the same thing and far easier to fit.

[mininuts]

Agree, a volt meter would be a better gauge to fit for all the reasons above.

[nicklouse]

why bother with either?

 

they will not tell you more than the red light on the dash.

 

on a race car there are only 3 things you really need to know.

Revs. Water temp, Oil Pressure then if it is a road based race car you need a means of showing the road speed and a fuel gauge is useful.

[Steve220]

If you fit an amp gauge, you might as well go ahead and fit another novalty gauge - like a vacuum gauge.

As above, fit oil pressure. It's one of the saviour pieces of info you'll need.

Edited by Steve220, 08 December 2014 - 02:53 PM.

[Guess-Works.com]

I'd say a vacuum gauge has a little more use than an ammeter, at least for those who are economy concious then it can improve their MPG.

[nicklouse]

I'd say a vacuum gauge has a little more use than an ammeter, at least for those who are economy concious then it can improve their MPG.

yep for one of those regularity runs.

 

boring as F though.

[Cooperman]

A race car which is road-registered needs a speedo, a tachometer, an oil pressure gauge with a 22 psi oil pressure switch and large amber oil warning light, coolant temperature gauge, charge warning light, fuel gauge and, not vital but possibly useful, a voltmeter (battery condition indicator).

[nicklouse]

A race car which is road-registered needs a speedo, a tachometer, an oil pressure gauge with a 22 psi oil pressure switch and large amber oil warning light, coolant temperature gauge, charge warning light, fuel gauge and, not vital but possibly useful, a voltmeter (battery condition indicator).

no it does not NEED most of those.

 

but again what use is knowing that your battery/alternator is failing? what you going to do. just the same as when the charge warning light come on. keep on going.

[Steve220]

I'd say a vacuum gauge has a little more use than an ammeter, at least for those who are economy concious then it can improve their MPG.

 

In a race car?!

[Cooperman]

You can all put what you want into your own competition cars, but I certainly want to know what revs I'm pulling, what my oil pressure & coolant temp is and have some advance warning of oil pump failure with a BIG amber warning light at 22 psi.

I certainly like to know if my alternator is not charging as this might indicate a belt failure which will cause a temperature problem quite quickly and to risk seizing an expensive engine is a bit foolhardy. After all you are not going to be watching the temp gauge especially diligently, but a sudden ign. warning will make you do so for the next minute or so until you know whether it is the belt or the alternator.

If it is to be road registered it will legally require a speedometer and I like to have an idea of how much fuel I have when driving on the roads, but risking running out is entirely optional .

[Curley]

Thanks for all the amazing input 
 

If you fit an amp gauge, you might as well go ahead and fit another novalty gauge - like a vacuum gauge.

As above, fit oil pressure. It's one of the saviour pieces of info you'll need.

 Funny you should say that... I've been looking at a vacuum/boost gauge
 

A race car which is road-registered needs a speedo, a tachometer, an oil pressure gauge with a 22 psi oil pressure switch and large amber oil warning light, coolant temperature gauge, charge warning light, fuel gauge and, not vital but possibly useful, a voltmeter (battery condition indicator)

Yes it will be a road-registered race car. So far I have a 120mph speedo, 8K tacho, fuel gauge, elec oil pressure & 22 psi stat, water temp and volts gauge. Other than those needed for a road car I also planned to add a BIG oil pressure light like this one, or does it need to be bigger 

 

 
I notice none of you have mentioned an oil temp gauge?

Edited by Curley, 11 December 2014 - 08:15 PM.

[Cooperman]

That is an ideal size for the oil pressure gauge. If it comes on during a race push the clutch down immediately and switch off.

I've never worried about oil temp during competition. I run a 13-row oil cooler and have a 6-blade export steel fan plus an electric aux. fan manually switched.

I like a voltmeter because mine is a rally car and at the end of a test, or whilst waiting to start one it is good to know that there are sufficient volts to start an 11:1 CR engine which is hot.

I notice you only have one fuel pump switch. Is that because you only have one pump? Personally I like 2 separate electric pumps piped in parallel and individually wired & switched for reliability, but it's personal choice really.

[Spider]

It comes down to personal choice at the end of the day I guess. An Ammeter can be helpful, but as the others have said, a Voltmeter is probably more useful.

 

Long ago, I used to have an almost full 'Smiths Catalogue' fitted to the dashboard, now I couldn't care less, I have a Buzzer on the Oil Lamp and a Clock so I know when it's lunch.