Automotive/after-market gauges

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Expert: - 8/27/2007


Question
Hello. Sorry this is not a repair question. I am writing to ask your opinion on aftermarket gauges. I can put 3 on the left window channel, 3 under the dash.

Autometer has a wide variety of gauges. Which 3 or 6 would your recommend.

The car is 06 Dodge charger, used, with V8. I drive mostly highway, some city, hot and humid weather.

Answer
Answering other than repair questions is just fine - FUN, actually!

A definitive name-brand standard for instrument-grade automotive gauges has, for years, been Stewart-Warner; having said that, very good instruments are also made by AutoMeter, Hastings, and Smith Instruments, among others.  

Where metal packaging is available as an alternative to plastic, my preference is for metal-enclosed instruments, but I would not forego a plastic-encased meter if it was otherwise a quality instrument and, in the main, that meter offered exactly what I wanted in terms of measured variable, sweep arrangement, visibility, and uniform lighting.

As to which meters to get, I would suggest that you ask yourself what your instrumentation needs are.  The OEM instrumentation fulfills the majority of the basic requirements in any auto.  While there are some instruments that can add to these, one should never buy instruments just to fill in available mounting bays.

Having said that, I would suggest that some instrumentation that can be added, if NOT already present in the OEM panel, might include the following:

   Battery Condition meter (10-16VDC trend responding)
   Oil Pressure gauge (actual psig or kPa)
   Engine Temperature gauge (actual degrees F or C)
   Hour Meter  (good for logging events, and
                scheduling servicing)
   Transmission Temperature gauge (if trailer towing)
   Tachometer
   Manifold Vacuum gauge

The last is very helpful in staying on top of engine performance.  A vacuum gauge will be the first indicator of vacuum leaks, ignition misses or valve problems.  As well, driving to maximise vacuum is a great way to run at top fuel economy.

None of the above have to be particularly expensive (unless one is looking for glamour options).

There is one more practical, albeit pricey, instrument.  One could augment the vacuum gauge with a wide-band Air/Fuel Ratio meter.  These continually track this ratio under a range of operating conditions, verifying stoichiometric operation under idle and cruise conditions and, properly interpreted, can highlight and aid in identifying system problems in their incipient stages.  In general, this gauge could save one from a bad emissions test.

So, what can I say but "Consider your needs and wants" and happy shopping!

Cheers ... EGK

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Ernest (Ernie) Kenward

Expertise

The challenges I most enjoy are thoughtful technical questions of a trouble-shooting nature in both electrical, power electronic and mechanical systems, mainly automotive but also machine control and small-machine PLC applications. Please note, however, that I am NOT a walking shop manual! I DO, however, make it a point to have those manuals and other service literature for those vehicles I DO own, and highly recommend that anyone serious about maintenance or modification of their vehicles do the same; MOST of your answers WILL be found there. For that matter, I do NOT go out of my way to acquire shop manuals for any vehicle I do NOT own! That being the case, any general query to me along the lines of "What is the meaning of this code read from the ECU of my 2015 XYZ?" or "Where is the fuse for the windshield washer pump found?" (try your car's electrical distribution panel for a start!) will not go far. What I do offer is a pretty good collection of literature, insights and hands-on experience with 1950s to 1980's Ford products (plus a developing database of information and practice with the Mercedes diesel cars), along with an engineering perspective and the ability to design and implement custom control, electrical and mechanical subsystems for vehicles. For that reason, I am happy to make my thoughts and efforts available to those who are of like mind and/or are seriously making a point of learning about their vehicles. Use the Opportunity to Learn!

Experience

A key skill in my work and hobby pursuits both is STRATEGIC TROUBLESHOOTING. I am a senior instructor in Electrical Engineering Technology at a leading Canadian polytechnic, my areas being Electrical Power and Industrial Control, electrical and electronics design and manufacturing, and AutoCAD and related CAD/CAE software - plus equipment problem-solving and new equipment design and prototyping. Hobby-wise, I have 30-plus years of experience in auto restoration, mostly in electrical and mechanical systems. Ongoing projects include a 1959 Edsel Corsair, my 1978 Ford E250 class-B motorhome conversion, and the care and upkeep of my Mercedes 300CD. My vehicles become engineering test beds for electrical and mechanical upgrades as ideas present themselves. This includes the design and production of circuit boards to restore or enhance features for which no OEM replacement parts are obtainable, or where better specifications or reliability can be had via newer concepts. Regarding the E250 RV conversion, I designed and continue to revise a custom power distribution system, managed by a Programmable Controller (PLC); this has made most revisions as easy as uploading new firmware as I develop it. The "mini" PLC is a powerful device for custom automotive control systems. One good example (there are many) would be the Moeller "Easy Relay"; these offer a wealth of control, monitoring and variable-and-status display options for such projects. A good example project which has worked well is that one for my RV noted above, which has been on the job - revised in firmware only - for a decade now. It is a load management and charging control system to avoid the sulfation-induced early failure that often befalls deep-cycle batteries used in RV power applications. The battery installed in 2003 lasted long enough to more tnan pay for the PLC that contributed to its longer life ... and the PLC will be there for the next battery as well!

Organizations
IEEE - senior member ... past WCC Student Activities; SME - senior member ... past chair, greater Vancouver chapter chair 318; Edsel Owners' Club - have served in various capacities on chapter executive during seventies; have been Power and Driveline resource on the Edsel Owners' Club "E-team" for more than a decade.

Education/Credentials
Graduate of UBC

Awards and Honors
Certificates of appreciation from IEEE and SME for work in student and chapter activities

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