Digital dash / gauges / instruments options?

[deviant]

Hi guys. I am on the look out for some sort of digital display that can display engine parameters and I now digital dashes are popular inthe kit crowd so maybe you can point me in the right direction.

I am not interested in speed, RPM, fuel level, odometer etc. I just want something to display boost, oil pressure, oil temperature and coolant temperature and preferably with warning lights.

I guess something that is like this....but just the LCD display on its own.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Motorsport/Gauges_&a...

Does anybody know of anything like this?

[jason61c]

I think race technology do something like what you're after. Also stack.

[GnuBee]

DASH2 http://www.race-technology.com/dash2_2_31.html

Has the required lights for road legality, configurable display, analog inputs etc. Can be used with their own datalogger and if you are running one of the ECUs on their supported list you can have a direct serial connection between the DASH2 and the ECU to enable you to surface other parameters.

[deviant]

Something like this: http://www.race-technology.com/dash1_2_30.html

I dont need any of the road instrumentation so it doesnt matter if it is there or not, I am after oil pressure and temperature, boost pressure and coolant temperature with warning lights.

I like the race tecnnology kit but I would like to see a few other (cheaper?!) options!

[qdos]

Have a chat with http://www.digital-speedos.co.uk/ they don't have exactly what you're looking for in one item on the site but they seem to be capable of doing instruments to suit most requests from my chat with them at Stafford.

[Porkie]

I use an AIM Pista datalogger. Works very well. GPS laptimer with predictive lap time built in as well. Well over a grand though. its not configured yet in this pic and so just says ch1 instead of OILP for examnple. It will read and say whatever you want. boost, gearbox temp blah blah


they do a cheaper strada version. second hand the strada come up for £500ish

A mate has the ETB digidash. about £350 and work really well!!! I'd look at one of these actually.
http://www.etbinstruments.com/DD2_lite.htm

Edited by Porkie on Tuesday 21st September 11:18

Edited by Porkie on Tuesday 21st September 11:21

[deviant]

Gosh that AIM dash is a pretty looking thing!! Way out of my budget range though. The ETB looks like a good piece of kit and the right price to.

I have sent an email off to digital speedo's so I will see what they can come up with.

Thanks for the suggestions chaps!

Edited by deviant on Wednesday 22 September 00:25

[Josh Smith]

The Etb Digidash is definetly the best option when considering cost and ease of use.

We had one in a Radical and it was a great bit of kit.


Josh

[Stubby Pete]

There was a feature on guages and displays in the August edition of Complete Kit Car. Worth buying the back issue for a fiver.

Links from article.

www.etbinstruments.com
www.spa-uk.co.uk
www.raceparts-direct.com
www.stackltd.com
www.europaspares.com (Smiths guages)
www.revotec.com
www.race-technology.com
www.digitalspeedos.co.uk
www.acewell.co.uk
www.trailtech.net

[jason61c]

The above is what I would go for if I liked digital rev counters, however I don't so went for a stack one. Its worth looking at them in the flesh to see which you find the easiest to look at. Also think about how accurate you want the info on display to be especially regarding temps/pressures/revs.

[Martin Keene]

Another vote for the ETB Digidash 2. Childs play to install and set up, no endless messing around with resistors to get sensors to read correctly as some other systems do

[tribbles]

I also run ETB DigiDash2 (Lite). It was fairly painless - although when I'd temporarily misplaced the connection chart it did look a bit daunting (I think you can download it off their web site).

The only problem I've had is that the amount of plumbing I've needed to do to get the sensors for the oil (pressure and temperature), and the fact that my ECU wanted its own sensors as well means I have a slight oil leak in that section which I need to sort out at some point in time.

[Scott W]

We've got an ETB DigiDash in ours as well and it works a treat. Only thing we've not been able to set up is the fuel sender but that's a limitation of the tank in our car rather than the sender/ETB system.

[Martin Keene]

Scott W said:

We've got an ETB DigiDash in ours as well and it works a treat. Only thing we've not been able to set up is the fuel sender but that's a limitation of the tank in our car rather than the sender/ETB system.

I had the same issue. Baffles going across the tank meant it wouldn't fit. I cut in half, worked out the max length I could fit and then had it brazed back together. The only slight downside to this the gauge reads empty when there is actually a good gallon left. On a 5.5 gallon tank, that's a lot... Still it is a good safety margin!



Edit: The system is compatible with the VDO dip tube type senders which eliminates this problem. But they are quite steep.

Edited by Martin Keene on Wednesday 22 September 18:26

[Scott W]

We have a dividing piece of metal going straight down the middle of our tank and the fuel goes around it i.e. it comes up from the base but doesn't touch the sides of the tank. Due to this being there the float will not fit in to the tank and obviously go up and down with the fuel. It's a bit annoying!

[deviant]

Thanks for the links Stubby Pete, much appreciated

Has anybody ever used these Spa gauges?

https://www.europaspares.com/prod.asp?product_idx=...

They look like a neat little solution that can be placed right on my eyeline.

[Porkie]

Glad you like the Aim. Its all set up now. Works awesomely. pretty sure I could get you an as new strada for £500....

deviant said:

Thanks for the links Stubby Pete, much appreciated

Has anybody ever used these Spa gauges?

https://www.europaspares.com/prod.asp?product_idx=...

They look like a neat little solution that can be placed right on my eyeline.

Yes. I put 5 in my Sierra... they have warning lights and you can wire in a bell type alarm as well. They work ok. Back lights kept breaking though and I found them hard to set up (all on one button)
oh and you need to get them at correct level and angle to see the display at all.

Edited by Porkie on Thursday 23 September 10:31

Edited by Porkie on Thursday 23 September 10:35