First step, Monitoring
So the first step to any serious engine modifications is to install a means of monitoring what's going on. This is simply to make sure anything you install doesn't cause you're car to die, blow up, etc and also so you can tune it to get the best performance possible. Last night I took the first step in ordering some new gauges.
After days of searching I decided to go with a set of Autometer Phantom gauges. They have a good rep and cost less than $180 per gauge (like Apexi and Greddy). The first gauge that I needed was a Boost/turbo gauge. Most of the time, if your car has a turbo, the stock turbo gauge is crap and doesn't give accurate readings. The second gauge that I wanted was oil pressure, which is a pretty common gauge to get for the same reasons that I decided on the turbo gauge... accuracy. And the last gauge people get is the Pyrometer/EGT gauge. This is the Exhaust Gas Temp gauge... which measures the temperature of your exhaust. Let me explain why this is important (with help from some friends at dsmtuners.com). When you start modifying your intake and fuel systems, you want to make sure you have an adequate fuel supply in order not to run excessively lean (lean=hot), which will burn up your engine. The EGT gauge gives you an accurate, immediate and direct measurement. It is actually good to run more lean because lean = power, but you have to be careful not to run too lean or else blowing up might occur.
Anyway, here are pictures of my boost gauge, oil pressure gauge, and pyrometer/egt gauge. They will all be mounted in an A-pillar gauge pod, which runs between the drivers window and the windshield; here is a picture of that.
After days of searching I decided to go with a set of Autometer Phantom gauges. They have a good rep and cost less than $180 per gauge (like Apexi and Greddy). The first gauge that I needed was a Boost/turbo gauge. Most of the time, if your car has a turbo, the stock turbo gauge is crap and doesn't give accurate readings. The second gauge that I wanted was oil pressure, which is a pretty common gauge to get for the same reasons that I decided on the turbo gauge... accuracy. And the last gauge people get is the Pyrometer/EGT gauge. This is the Exhaust Gas Temp gauge... which measures the temperature of your exhaust. Let me explain why this is important (with help from some friends at dsmtuners.com). When you start modifying your intake and fuel systems, you want to make sure you have an adequate fuel supply in order not to run excessively lean (lean=hot), which will burn up your engine. The EGT gauge gives you an accurate, immediate and direct measurement. It is actually good to run more lean because lean = power, but you have to be careful not to run too lean or else blowing up might occur.
Anyway, here are pictures of my boost gauge, oil pressure gauge, and pyrometer/egt gauge. They will all be mounted in an A-pillar gauge pod, which runs between the drivers window and the windshield; here is a picture of that.