Gauges! Gauges!! Gauges!!!

[my3needsaname]

So even if I might be getting rid of it soon, I have this disconnected feeling from my car. All I see is the engine heat and how much gas I have in the tank...not cool.

I'm just doing a little research on a-pillar vs. dash mounted vs. ashtray mounted gauges. I want to put in an oil press. gauge and volt gauge at least. A/F is also in the mix...maybe unless I can get one that's a bit more useful.

Where's the best place to mount?
What should be my 3rd gauge?
How much does it suck to install them?
How badly does it obstruct visibility?
I want to go blackout gauges but whatever looks cool is a good recommendation.
Anything else useful is, well, useful!

(of course, how rice am I going to be since I'm not turboed and basically bone stock? lol)

[Red Blur]

So even if I might be getting rid of it soon, I have this disconnected feeling from my car. All I see is the engine heat and how much gas I have in the tank...not cool.

I'm just doing a little research on a-pillar vs. dash mounted vs. ashtray mounted gauges. I want to put in an oil press. gauge and volt gauge at least. A/F is also in the mix...maybe unless I can get one that's a bit more useful.

Where's the best place to mount?
What should be my 3rd gauge?
How much does it suck to install them?
How badly does it obstruct visibility?
I want to go blackout gauges but whatever looks cool is a good recommendation.
Anything else useful is, well, useful!

(of course, how rice am I going to be since I'm not turboed and basically bone stock? lol)

I did a center pod with three 60mm stri gauges. I went with a Defi style pod and molded it into a center dash piece so I could put a 60mm gauge in. The pod doesn't distract me when I'm driving, at times I don't even know it's there. Color matches perfect and has a blacked out face when off, the gauges also have a peak warning feature as well. I went with boost, oil pressure and egt to fill up the pod. Gauges were a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Installation wasn't hard just time consuming. Here are a couple of pics!

[mazda03protege]

i have the A pillar guages...i have oil pressure guage, a/f, and vacuum..it doesnt really obstruct your vision..i love the look of A pillar guages and as far as your 3rd guage maybe do a vacuum guage? then you can see if you hav a vacuum leak anywher or a trans temp guage? i prolly didnt help ya much lol

[NCZ13]

oil pressure is an important gauge to have, I dont think the idiot light is enough, and all cars should come with an oil pressure gauge.

Volt isnt so importnant, the car is new and stock, and you would know if ou were having any battery issues.

If your going to get a AF ratio gauge get a wideband. a narrowband gauge is a pointless lightshow. especially on a car with no mods. It tells you absolutely nothing that you wouldnt know about the car otherwise. (lean, stoich and rich fuel condtions)

[my3needsaname]

I'm pretty set on doing oil press and voltage because in CA when your battery dies you get no warning...the car just doesn't start. So it would be nice to monitor on my end.
I have no idea what a vacuum gauge would tell me. lol
Trans temp was the other one I was thinking of but how would that get wired?

I think an a-pillar setup would be more my style. The center pod thing looks less smooth and I can't mold it into my factory center piece well enough for it to look good.

[mazda03protege]

well i got the vacuum guage for free so i just hooked it up to fill the other spot in my pod...at least ik if i have a leak i guess lol

[Wagonbacker9]

I recommend a greddy turbo timer for a volt gauge... get some real function and a gauge in the same package, and you can mount it wherever you please.

[mazda03protege]

and yes the A pillar is my style to..i love the look of them..i got my triple guage pod from pillarpod.com..it was $36 shipped

[my3needsaname]

and yes the A pillar is my style to..i love the look of them..i got my triple guage pod from pillarpod.com..it was $36 shipped


well i got the vacuum guage for free so i just hooked it up to fill the other spot in my pod...at least ik if i have a leak i guess lol
Cant argue with these prices. free and $36, you sir, are a true bargain hunter.

Thanks for the recommendation wagonbacker9, I will definitely check it out.

[Wagonbacker9]

np. I put the greddy in my msp, and set the timer. I flipped it into volt mode (which I never thought I'd use) because I was getting some weird intermittent headlight dimming, accidentally left it there and was pleasantly surprised when it started its normal countdown when I shut it down. I just need to make some electrical mods so I can use the keyless to lock the doors and arm the alarm with the TT still running.
In my opinion its a VERY handy thing to have. I'm not sure if its just because I haven't calibrated it yet because mine doesn't work, but you can actually use it as a speedo (KM/h only) too..

[mazda03protege]

Cant argue with these prices. free and $36, you sir, are a true bargain hunter.



yessir...im 1 of those people who doesnt like to spend alot of money on things so when i saw that price i said hell y not

[my3needsaname]

yessir...im 1 of those people who doesnt like to spend alot of money on things so when i saw that price i said hell y not
lol maybe you can help me find some gauges on the cheap with high praise.

Doesn't the Greddy TT have to be hard wired though?

[mazda03protege]

if you want some cheap guages i would search the forums..i got a wideband a/f and a boost guage(that i traded for a vacuum guage to match my car color) for $40 shipped to me

[my3needsaname]

Nice! Will do, you think anybody has an a-pillar mounting piece FS? Although pillarpod sounds better for brand new...

[mazda03protege]

im sure someone does but i would jus get the new one from pillar pod..brand new..36 bux..y not jus go new lol..ull have to send me some pics when urs is all hooked up!

[my3needsaname]

key word: when
other words considered but not yet in your sentence: if, need, money, warranty, something, else, BOOBS!!!

But yes, when it happens I shall make a thread! *stands up tall and puffs out chest*

[mazda03protege]

haha..im sure ull find everything u need in the forum...and IMO the blue on the "faze" guages looks nice lol if ur interested in kind of a cool color

[my3needsaname]

I'm sure I will too.
I want blue/red/electroluminescent to match the car. With starting ceremonies haha.

[mazda03protege]

i love that when all the needles turn when u first start the car..the prosport guages do that but i think those are kind of pricey for my taste

[my3needsaname]

Damn money...that would be hella sick. If the car's needles did it also. They all top out and do the light show and then give you useful information. Awesomeness!!!

[mazda03protege]

ik those are some nice guages lol

[my3needsaname]

I'll see, if everything turns out right then I can go high-end and have light shows every time I start my car. (eekdance)(cabpatch)

[mazda03protege]

well hope all works out for u..ill b awaiting that thread! lol im out tho i got skool in the morning see ya

[my3needsaname]

Yea I hear ya, I gotta do research on it though...get the right equipment for the right price. (and a nice light show)

[Wagonbacker9]

http://01f6bbb.netsolstores.com/gauges.aspx

don't be afraid of the weird lookin link.... but check out this gauge manufacturer... I'm pickin up their premium boost gauge soon....

[my3needsaname]

Sweet find!
Too bad the ones I want are $105. Although I cant get them all in blue/white which kinda stinks...maybe amber/white would work but I don't like the green too much.

[Harley2003]

You guys might not be aware but there is an alternative to the piller pod solution. I have seen and read many threads about a (3) pod 52mm replacement panel for the Mazda 3 series that is as close to a factory OEM replacement panel the will house the gauges of your choice. You can see this at www.cp-e.com. I know the panel is a direct replacement and has the factory texture and color matched to the original panel. It is a plastic injected UV stable Poly Propelene material (I know this because I am the guy who molds this part and i own the mold too) so it will stand up the heat and sun without issues like the "other ones on the market" Plus i have put a lot of effort into the fit and function of this part to satify even the most demanding customer.

Check out the panel for sale at www.cp-e.com. Lots of positive feedback on this modification as well. You won't be disappointed with this product.

[mrjoshyman]

I did a center pod with three 60mm stri gauges. I went with a Defi style pod and molded it into a center dash piece so I could put a 60mm gauge in. The pod doesn't distract me when I'm driving, at times I don't even know it's there. Color matches perfect and has a blacked out face when off, the gauges also have a peak warning feature as well. I went with boost, oil pressure and egt to fill up the pod. Gauges were a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Installation wasn't hard just time consuming. Here are a couple of pics!


those gauges look great. can you give a run down of how much everything cost? guages? pod? custom work to get the pod into the center dash? and about how long the install took?

[Captain KRM P5]

You guys might not be aware but there is an alternative to the piller pod solution. I have seen and read many threads about a (3) pod 52mm replacement panel for the Mazda 3 series that is as close to a factory OEM replacement panel the will house the gauges of your choice. You can see this at www.cp-e.com. I know the panel is a direct replacement and has the factory texture and color matched to the original panel. It is a plastic injected UV stable Poly Propelene material (I know this because I am the guy who molds this part and i own the mold too) so it will stand up the heat and sun without issues like the "other ones on the market" Plus i have put a lot of effort into the fit and function of this part to satify even the most demanding customer.

Check out the panel for sale at www.cp-e.com. Lots of positive feedback on this modification as well. You won't be disappointed with this product.

if you want a deal on gauges, be sure to give me a shout;

http://siteground207.com/~protegeg/index.php?cPath=27

as for the cp-e panel, i offer up a package deal with that pod and the gauges for a very good price;

http://siteground207.com/~protegeg/product_info.php?cPath=160_394&products_id=1543

[my3needsaname]

Thanks everybody!

[BrianFiebig]

Hate to resurrect a dead thread, but better to raise the dead then start a new one. Who besides Magden and MSD makes a gauge system to gets its data from the OBD II port? I would LOVE to have the Magden, but for the slight issue of about $1400 for the control unit and needing to buy the popup screen. The Dash Hawk is nice, versitile, etc, but left on a dashboard where I live screams STEAL ME! I LOOK EXPENSIVE!
That and I like the traditional gauge look. The reason I ask is because at my office, vehicles are subject to random inspection at any time, from either of the guard shacks you have to go thru, to getting a phone call at your desk asking you to come stand next to your car while they perform a random inspection. Its only happened to me twice (both times gate checks) in the three years Ive been there, but the most recent time was just after I installed my Apexcone HIDs and they got REAL nervous looking at 2 black boxes with all sorts of wires poking out of them until I explained it. Dont really want to have to duplicate the experience with a series of extra wires and tubes the next time.
All of that, and I am a DIY'er and while I dont mind splicing wires in a harness (installed car stereos for friends for years), screwing around with the exhaust system for EGT, much less our already PITA oil canister for oil pressure is a bit bigger shyt sandwich then I want to bite into right now.

[Wagonbacker9]

Hate to resurrect a dead thread, but better to raise the dead then start a new one. Who besides Magden and MSD makes a gauge system to gets its data from the OBD II port? I would LOVE to have the Magden, but for the slight issue of about $1400 for the control unit and needing to buy the popup screen. The Dash Hawk is nice, versitile, etc, but left on a dashboard where I live screams STEAL ME! I LOOK EXPENSIVE!
That and I like the traditional gauge look. The reason I ask is because at my office, vehicles are subject to random inspection at any time, from either of the guard shacks you have to go thru, to getting a phone call at your desk asking you to come stand next to your car while they perform a random inspection. Its only happened to me twice (both times gate checks) in the three years Ive been there, but the most recent time was just after I installed my Apexcone HIDs and they got REAL nervous looking at 2 black boxes with all sorts of wires poking out of them until I explained it. Dont really want to have to duplicate the experience with a series of extra wires and tubes the next time.
All of that, and I am a DIY'er and while I dont mind splicing wires in a harness (installed car stereos for friends for years), screwing around with the exhaust system for EGT, much less our already PITA oil canister for oil pressure is a bit bigger shyt sandwich then I want to bite into right now.

that is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. If they are having non car people doing car inspections... they are stupid. Not only are they going to get "nervous" about stupid shit like HIDs, but they're going to MISS professionally installed things that they would in theory be looking for...

[leadf00t]

Save up, buy the magden. Yeah I'm biased what can I say.

[UHATEIT]

no crazy named gauges (stri, defi, or magden) or random wannabe subaru sti guages here. Nice and didnt cost a fortune:

http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/3/web/3087000-3087999/3087711_33_full.jpg

[BrianFiebig]

Hehe, true, the Magdens would be worth it.
Especially as I forgot that places like Salvation Army, Goodwill, ebay, and craigslist are you friends.
That and I suddenly remembered that I DO have an LCD already. Its a Madcatz 7" plus speakers thing that I bought 4 years ago and used precisely once on a road trip from NoVa to Kentucky with my old PS2....its huge, ugly, and would be two hells to mount, but by god its already paid for.

[Wagonbacker9]

Hehe, true, the Magdens would be worth it.
Especially as I forgot that places like Salvation Army, Goodwill, ebay, and craigslist are you friends.
That and I suddenly remembered that I DO have an LCD already. Its a Madcatz 7" plus speakers thing that I bought 4 years ago and used precisely once on a road trip from NoVa to Kentucky with my old PS2....its huge, ugly, and would be two hells to mount, but by god its already paid for.
gut it and glass your own mount.