Racing gauges (John Rogers, Brad Roberts)

chrisreale · 12-11-2002, 11:54 PM

John, I was watching a few of your video's from Vegas and Willow, and I noticed you have a three gauge combo where the stock ash tray would be. What gauges do you have in there? Brad, since you have experience in racing/building 914 racers, what do you put in your cars?

John Rogers · 12-12-2002, 07:16 AM

I have oil temp, oil press and mixture in the three gauge panel (which is rubber by the way). I replaced the combo gauge with an aluminum panel cut to fit the dash and have a head temp gauge in there. I have a recall Autometer tach and shift light and a very BIG red oil light. The alt(batt) is larger than stock so if I throw a belt I'll know quickly. Oh yea, I leave the speedometer un-
hooked for racing. Good luck.

Brad Roberts · 12-12-2002, 12:49 PM

Autometer gauges.

Tach
Oil pressure
Oil temp
Alt light (like John said) dont want to spin the belt off and lose 6 cyl engine. The next step for me is a belt sensor.. I dont want to run a alternator (gutted case with bearings and shaft)

I have never saved a engine that was going to blow because of low oil pressure....so I personally dont run the large oil light.

I do run a speedo (as a form of cheap data acquisition) I actually run the early 120 speedo that everybody has laying around for free. This gives me an idea of entry and exit speed while testing.

I see cars loaded with gauges and wonder sometimes what they think they can do when they see a gauge.

(fuel pressure) can you increase or decrease it while driving ??
(volt meter) cant change that while I'm racing..

Most of the old school fast guy's shift by feel of the engine...

We do run EGT's on the high strung 4cyl engines (they are carbed)

This is all I can think of.

B

chrisreale · 12-12-2002, 12:55 PM

Cool. Thanks guys. Do you think a Cylinder head temp gauge would be benefitial for a 2.0L mostly street driven, someday autocross car? Like you said Brad, I have seen some guys with a ton of gauges in their car, and it looks like a damn rocket ship cockpit.

Brad Roberts · 12-12-2002, 01:02 PM

Not really. (cyl head temp) this will be argued.

Again.. if you have the gauge .. do you know what to do if the head temps get excessive ?? 90% of the people have no idea why high head temps are generated.

You best bet is oil temp and pressure.

Keep it simple.

Your going to be fine.

B

John Rogers · 12-12-2002, 02:32 PM

The reason I started using the head temp unit on #2 cylinder was due to breaking valves on that cylinder and the cost of the unit was right! It is handy to peek at during a long full throttle run such as Willow Spings or Phoenix. The oil light is a seperate sender from a seperate tap point then the gauge so I have a redundent system with the light all the way at the end of the high pressure engine internals. Good luck.

Brad Roberts · 12-12-2002, 02:36 PM

They are cheap... I thought about running 4 of them ha ha..

Number 2 huh ?? That is kinda weird.

I adjusted my answers based on his question: street/autocross

I see Motec Data logging dashes in my very near future. Then I can "blip" through the screens with a button on the steering wheel. The pro drivers love them.

B