Are in-car performance readers accurate?

[RSXFMCJWR]

I am thinking about getting one but I am not sure if they are accurate. Some of them say they measure horsepower without having to hookup into anything accept your cigarette lighter thing. Opinions on these?

This is what I am refering to: http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/shop/hi/1290hi.jpg

 

[SID297]

From what I here they are fairly accurate. Off by a few tenths maybe, but they are consistant.

 

[SweetSVT99]

I have that exact model, it is pretty accurate as long as you use it properly. The only thing that was off when I used it was the MPH.

 

[RSXFMCJWR]

How can it tell how much power you have?

 

[SVTHorsnake]

Originally posted by RSXFMCJWR
How can it tell how much power you have?

You enter in the est. weight of your car when you run and it tells you based on how much power it thinks it would take to get a car that heavy past the 1/4. I just bought one, A Beltronics FX1... was it something worth it?


:beer:

 

[RSXFMCJWR]

Originally posted by SVTHorsnake
You enter in the est. weight of your car when you run and it tells you based on how much power it thinks it would take to get a car that heavy past the 1/4. I just bought one, A Beltronics FX1... was it something worth it?


:beer:

But then how does it know when you have gone a quarter of a mile?:shrug:

 

[Firemedic01]

I have one and love it. It is very useful for practicing launching as my car (as most I imagine) would just as soon spin the tires into oblivion. Though it is fun it is a slow way to accelerate and I intend to take my G-meter to the track and compare it to their timer if I am allowed. They have a new one for $250 I believe that does even more than the base unit. I highly recommend it.

It has something called an "accelerometer" that by virtue of the change of g forces on the unit can determine when you have reached 60 mph and also when you have run a 1/4 mile. You can also check braking and handling with it if you want. Personally, I don't care to beat up my brakes so I have never checked that aspect of performance. Oh yeah, it tells you your time for the quarter mile and a trap speed.

 

[SVTHorsnake]

Originally posted by RSXFMCJWR
But then how does it know when you have gone a quarter of a mile?:shrug:

It measures g-force and based on how long it is recieving how much force, it will calculate when you hit the quarter...


:beer:

 

[RSXFMCJWR]

Originally posted by Firemedic01
I have one and love it. It is very useful for practicing launching as my car (as most I imagine) would just as soon spin the tires into oblivion. Though it is fun it is a slow way to accelerate and I intend to take my G-meter to the track and compare it to their timer if I am allowed. They have a new one for $250 I believe that does even more than the base unit. I highly recommend it.

It has something called an "accelerometer" that by virtue of the change of g forces on the unit can determine when you have reached 60 mph and also when you have run a 1/4 mile. You can also check braking and handling with it if you want. Personally, I don't care to beat up my brakes so I have never checked that aspect of performance. Oh yeah, it tells you your time for the quarter mile and a trap speed.

Where are they selling it for 250?

 

[Rearpl8tsinsite]

Funny you bring this subject up. Just last weekend A buddy of mine put this on my car to see what it was capable of for a full 1/4 mile. I have never got an accurate reading at the track due to no roll bar. So we hooked it up to my cig lighter. I warmed up the nittos on a desolate street and tested it with him in the car. (just under 200 lbs)

As the sig says my best time is a 12.17 @ 112 slowing down to be under 11.99. Well the first run the car spun a bit off the line and supposedly ran a 12.2 @ 118. The nitrous felt like it was working very well. The second run I get out of the hole without any spin hit the button at 3000 rpm and turn a 12.0 @ 117. (personal best) I'm not going to change the sig due to the validity of it.

I think it was pretty close in mph and 1/4 mi time given the situation. It still could be off a bit but seemed very accurate.

 

[thehyena]

this one is cheaper :rollseyes
http://www.dsm.org/tools/calchp.htm

 

[RSXFMCJWR]

Originally posted by thehyena
this one is cheaper :rollseyes
http://www.dsm.org/tools/calchp.htm

Since there is no track close to here, I can't really use the online calculator since I don't know the quarter mile time.

 

[RSXFMCJWR]

Has anyone ever ran at a track with one of these things in there car(for comparison)?

 

[Intimidator]

I have the G-Tech Pro Performance Meter. It is very accurate and consistent. The only thing that it is off on is the MPH. It will usually give anywhere between 3-5 MPH higher than your actually speed. It measures Current Horsepower, Max Horsepower, 0-60 MPH, 1320, longitudinal g-forces, lateral g-forces (skidpad)(both in continuous and instantaneous mode), 60-0 braking. Here is a link to the one I have: http://www.gtechpro.com/gtechpro.html

Since it's consistent it is very good for finding out what your mods really add to the car. Anyways, I've been thinking of selling mine in order to get the new one (maybe). If anyone is interested PM me or email me at [email protected].

 

[93Cobra#2771]

The mph reading will alway read higher than the strip. Reason being, it give the exact mph reading exactly at the end of the 1/4 mile.

Drag strip uses two lights at the end of the strip, seems like they are 60' or so apart. The drag strip timers take the time it takes to go from the first timer to the end timer. It then gives the average speed of the car over the last 60' of the quarter mile (I believe it is 60', but I'm not sure). The average speed will always be less than the actual speed at the end of the quarter.

With that being said, they are supposed to be pretty accurate in the 1/4 and 0-60 times. Nice thing about them is that they are very consistent, and thus, a good way to test the latest widget to see if it gave you the 30 hp it claims.

 

[Firemedic01]

There are two models of the G-tech. The latest one is called the G-tech performance meter pro competition. Summit racing (www.summitracing.com) has it for $249.95. That is the going price and I am sure your local speedshop would sell you one for the same price.
I have the older model G-tech and like it very much. If I had a faster car like a '03 Cobra I would buy the latest model. Hope this helps.

 

[Firemedic01]

I just located the website for G-tech. It is www.gtechpro.com. Good luck with your decision. By the way, don't do like my friend and pull over on the side of the highway and be caught messing with it. Fast talk got him out of trouble with johny law but you may not get so lucky.