95 4Runner A-Pillar Pods (dual)
07-01-2010, 07:04 PM
#21
Registered User
Obviously you are an inexperienced mechanic. You can never have too much information about an engine. Most people don't bother because it is too expensive to upgrade the "idiot lights" to actual gauges.
Here are some examples of why a stock vehicle could benefit from gauges:
Knowing your fuel pressure is not just to see if the pump is going out.
When the oil light comes on, there has been a problem for a while, while when oil pressure drops a problem is beginning.
An A/F ratio gauge (especially wideband) can help to diagnose many problems starting such as: problems with the fuel delivery system, problems with electronic sensors, problems with vacuum lines, etc.
So don't attack the guy just because he wants a little more assurance when ho drives his vehicle. After all it's not like his post is about mounting an aluminum wing on the roof, or how to apply carbon fiber fender vents properly.
Here are some examples of why a stock vehicle could benefit from gauges:
Knowing your fuel pressure is not just to see if the pump is going out.
When the oil light comes on, there has been a problem for a while, while when oil pressure drops a problem is beginning.
An A/F ratio gauge (especially wideband) can help to diagnose many problems starting such as: problems with the fuel delivery system, problems with electronic sensors, problems with vacuum lines, etc.
So don't attack the guy just because he wants a little more assurance when ho drives his vehicle. After all it's not like his post is about mounting an aluminum wing on the roof, or how to apply carbon fiber fender vents properly.
07-01-2010, 07:05 PM
#22
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07-01-2010, 07:14 PM
#25
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07-04-2010, 10:15 AM
#28
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If you have a big stereo and just wanna watch how much power its drawing just for fun, cause when you put all that money into an amp that needs a fire hose of electricity to operate, (I have a 15" w/2100w amp run with 0 guage wires and 2 farad capacitor
) its nice to see it work better than the volt meter on the cap that bounces around with the bass.
You can run an analog amp meter (digital will go all over the place never settle down) with the appropriate sized "SHUNT" in line with the amps big positive power wire able to handle the amp load and send the right amount of signal to the guage then you dont have to run but the smallest wires to the gauge itself. The gauge must be in the range of the amps draw and the SHUNT must be in range with the gauge. Its a cool effect watch your amp suck the massive power it needs other than that an amp meter is pretty pointless.....but basically my point is that you can do this without running big wires into cab to gauge.... my $.02
) its nice to see it work better than the volt meter on the cap that bounces around with the bass. You can run an analog amp meter (digital will go all over the place never settle down) with the appropriate sized "SHUNT" in line with the amps big positive power wire able to handle the amp load and send the right amount of signal to the guage then you dont have to run but the smallest wires to the gauge itself. The gauge must be in the range of the amps draw and the SHUNT must be in range with the gauge. Its a cool effect watch your amp suck the massive power it needs
other than that an amp meter is pretty pointless.....but basically my point is that you can do this without running big wires into cab to gauge.... my $.02
07-04-2010, 12:15 PM
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07-04-2010, 12:30 PM
#31
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A shunt that is large enough to handle that looks kinda like some bars with terminals for the main wire on each end then smaller terminals on each end for signal wires.... basically in some magic way (electricity is magic to me) as the amperage passes through these bars a smaller amount of current is generated in mv that goes to gauge. So if you had a 0-100 amp gauge that responded to 0mv-100mv (i just threw those numbers out as example) you would need a shunt that had exact same numbers to read correctly.
read this
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...o+a+DC+Ammeter
or search "dc shunt ammeter"
its kinda an industry thing I have never seen anyone else do it in their car (my system is actually all disconnected the car that housed it has since died but it will live again one day!!)
its expensive stuff but it comes up on ebay alot for cheap.......
P.S. I worked in Oak Harbor for years... Goldie Road right by the base.... hate those damn Jets!!!!!
read this
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...o+a+DC+Ammeter
or search "dc shunt ammeter"
its kinda an industry thing I have never seen anyone else do it in their car (my system is actually all disconnected the car that housed it has since died but it will live again one day!!)
its expensive stuff but it comes up on ebay alot for cheap.......
P.S. I worked in Oak Harbor for years... Goldie Road right by the base.... hate those damn Jets!!!!!
Last edited by 87tonkatoy; 07-04-2010 at 12:31 PM.
07-06-2010, 06:58 AM
#35
Whats the point of gauges on something stock? I've never understood that. Does it look cool? Who needs water temp, you've got a factory gauge. Why do you need oil pressure? You've got a light that would come on if it where to ever drop too low. Why do you need fuel pressure guage? Is your pump going out? Test it once and be done. And what good would a blinky AFR guage do if your running stock ECU?
Dude, don't rice your truck out....for Heavan's sake
Dude, don't rice your truck out....for Heavan's sake
As has been pointed out some gauges are for information of the current status and can help in situtations of prevention. Manufacturer go away from gauges to lights for a reason, they are cheaper to install then a gauge. To each his own. Enjoy, its your ride!
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