How do these sound

[VicRattlehead]

Im planning on getting some gauges this spring/summer and this is what im thinking. What do you think?

Type Electric(E)/ Size Autometer Price
Mechanical(M) Part number
Gauge Pod
· Air Fuel (E) 2 1/16” 4375 $49.95
· Fuel Pressure (M) 2 1/16” 4413 $104.95

Custom Gage Cluster
· 160 Speedo (E) 3 3/8” 4493 $89.39
· 10,000 Tach (E) 3 3/8” 4497 $88.95
· Oil Pressure (M) 2 5/8” 4423 $63.95
· Voltmeter (E) 2 5/8” 4491 $38.95
· Fuel Level (E) 2 5/8” 4418 $39.95
· Water Temp (M) 2 5/8” 4432 $64.95

Custom Din Cluster
· Nitrous Pressure (M) 2 5/8” 4428 $65.95
· Oil Temp (M) 2 5/8” 4441 $63.95
· Trans Temp (M) 2 5/8” 4451 $69.95

 

[Blown306]

I would get the electric fuel pressure gauge (which I did).

It's much easier to run a wire than a fluid filled hose IMO...

The A/F meters are not accurate unless they
are wideband...probably not worth putting it in.

 

[VicRattlehead]

well, i posted this same list on tccoa and Winston sent me an email about the info panel that he and Big Scott are working on. Here is is post about it on the corral...

http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35740

MN12 Ford Information Panel.

Before I get flamed for this let me say that I did not consider this information panel as having any commercial value, I just designed it for my buddy's mn12 Cougar, my TBird and my 2002 GT.


I just finished the AF Ratio software package using the stock O2 sensor, crude, but it costs nothing except my time to write the software.. haha. I have set it up so that if you feed it the output of the DIY Australian board and be more accurate You could use the Info Panel as a display device and would not have to buy the display that they are selling.

I am working on adding fuel pressure readings using the Ford 99- stock fuel rail pressure sensor. The sofware is written and the transfer funtion is loaded , I just have to get this pressure sensor fitted to my fuel rail, feed it 5 Volts and manifold vacuum and it should work fine. I am thinking about adding a tach and a tach adapter feature for the later Ford cars. Oil pressure could be added but the pressure sensors cost a small fortune at $100 a pop.
PCB is being taped out by a friend at the moment and should be done by the end of this week. Boards will be etched in 3 weeks, and I should have a more 'reliable' style working in 4 weeks time.

In case you are wondering, the unit displays the following on a LCD or VFD screen:

1.TOT (Transmission Oil Temp), ACT (Air Charge Temp), ECT (Engine Coolant Temp) using a copy of the Ford thermistor transfer function.

2.MLPS, EEC Commanded gear and Torque converter State, using SS1, SS2 and TCC. This can be remotely displayed at the dash for the drag boys on a set of 7 segment LED displays.

3.A/F Ratio from the stock O2 sensor (crude but works over a limited range and does not require an expensive sensor which burns out in a short time) could be more accurate if you tie in a Australian DIY wideband board and use this unit as a display. I have got to scrape together $200 and order one of those kits to play with ,minus the display.

4.Fuel Rail Pressure using the Ford fuel pressure sensor.

5.MAF Voltage, A/D Count and Mass in KG/Hr using the MAF transfer function.

I am considering adding a tachometer and subsequently a tach adapter to drive a tach in my 02GT. I am not going to pay $300 or even $100 for one as I think that I can design one for about $5 in parts. Oil pressure gauge or boost gauge is a possibilty if I can find a cheap enough ratiometric transducer that the processor likes. The fuel pressure gauge was dead nuts easy and the price of the sensor was good ( free ) as the Ford sensor is sometimes tossed when the guys go back to the return style fuel system.

If you are into electronics e-mail me and I will let you know the details of how to do it.


__________________
'97 TBird Sport 4.6L: EEC-Tuner ..supertuned by me, Tweaked 4R70W, AED 6 psi FMUless SC 272RWHP/322FT-LB TQ,
Silver 2002GT Stock..Heads CNC P&P SS valves, springs, Ti retainers,... being built.

If he starts to produce these things i think ill get one.

 

[Blown306]

Ahhh...sounds pretty cool. That's not to drive
Autometer gauges though...having a color LCD screen
in place of the gauges would look cool, but as
far as guages are concerned, I'm an analog guy myself ;-)

I can't see how the A/F guage can be more accurate
if the DIY WB is used, it's still expecting a certain
voltage from the sensors to create an output...no
matter what, a 'switching' type of O2 sensor is
going to oscillate between rich and lean,
regardless of what board and drivers are behind it.
I'm curious about that one....:-?

 

[VicRattlehead]

here is a pic of some of the different screens. Ill still probably pick up some regular gauges also but ill have this too.

 

[Tydlwavs]

Keith, my advice to you is simple....Sit down with a pen and make a plan. You have a lot of parts that still need to find their way onto the car. You have some really good ideas at times.

I had to sit down and limit what I bought to suspension so I could get that part done. I now have a LOT of money in parts and I'm looking forward to getting that done. One part/piece at a time. The gauges are a nice touch, but worry about the interior if you go that route. It's a LOT easier if you design a system for how you wanna work on the car. Then, when deals come up...jump on em. Either way you do it....good luck. I needed a kick in the pants to get started. Thank god I've got one stage almost done!

PS...Jeff...that digital thing actually fits in a DIN opening. They might have something else now, but last I talked to Scott they were workin on one for the DIN opening. It can read numerous functions. To me that's too into the wiring of the car. Too damn cornfusing to me!!

 

[VicRattlehead]

todd, yea yea yea, i hear ya, i picked up that damn autometer gauges book from wow and now i want them, ive got a plan for gauges so in the future ill do something about it. First thing first get the fender taken care of, then the wheels, then the hood. that will get me through the next month or 2.

 

[Blown306]

It looks cool, but I agree, might be to difficult
to use while driving...who knows. This is the unit
I'm mounting in my DIN location. I should have it
any day now...nice big numbers from a wideband and
a graph off to the side.

Vic, Todd is right...if you don't make a plan
(and stick to it as best you can) you'll be all
over the place with your car. I still have my
original "shopping list" for my car that's almost
3 years old. I decided what and how I wanted the
car to be, made my list with part numbers, seller,
and best price and used it as my plan. If a deal
came along and the price was good, I would get it.
The big example was the heads. Summit sent out 10%
off coupons last year...10% off a grand is pretty
substantial, so I went for it. The important thing
was that it was on my list...