What are some useful gauges to have?

cwilliamsws6

cwilliamsws6

Joined
Feb 27, 2018
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Idaho
My 2014 Pathfinder has a relatively basic gauge cluster that doesn't really tell me a whole lot (just tach, speedo, fuel level, coolant temp) so I was wanting to get a 4-gauge A-pillar pod and add some more gauges to help me keep a closer eye on things. Plus it would look neat.

I already plan on adding a volt gauge, trans temp, and oil pressure. What else would be useful to have to populate the 4th spot on the pod?
 
I'd add coolant temp. Many of the gauges in the dash tend to be "idiot" gauges that dampen the response or otherwise filter so that driver's won't be alarmed by something otherwise normal (ie, engine temps going up or down while driving, just like oil pressure going up or down with rpm).
 
supton said:
I'd add coolant temp. Many of the gauges in the dash tend to be "idiot" gauges that dampen the response or otherwise filter so that driver's won't be alarmed by something otherwise normal (ie, engine temps going up or down while driving, just like oil pressure going up or down with rpm).
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Come to think of it, my coolant gauge that is already in the cluster always takes the same amount of time to show "running temp" regardless if it's 10 degrees outside or 90 degrees. And when I'm driving it always stays exactly in the middle and doesn't move. Didn't think much of it until you said that.
 
cwilliamsws6 said:
My 2014 Pathfinder has a relatively basic gauge cluster that doesn't really tell me a whole lot (just tach, speedo, fuel level, coolant temp) so I was wanting to get a 4-gauge A-pillar pod and add some more gauges to help me keep a closer eye on things. Plus it would look neat.

I already plan on adding a volt gauge, trans temp, and oil pressure. What else would be useful to have to populate the 4th spot on the pod?
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everyone including myself waiting for this guy to finish up his bluetooth guage...he updates on myg37.com

watch his vids hes been at this for about a year..you dont need to hardwire a physical trans temp oil pressure sensor if you have an automatic



 
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I'd like to have all of them. Lambda, oil temp, oil pressure, transmission temp...
 
I prefer torque pro. Depending on the make there's pre-defined PID's that can tell you a lot about your vehicle. My dash tells me plenty but I've got Oil Pressure, Transmission Temperature and few others on the list.
 
Oil temperature!
That way you know when engine actually reached operating temperature.
Coolant temperature is really irrelevant. All modern cars have safe mode that prevents overheating. Warning will pop out before driver notices overheating.
 
edyvw said:
Coolant temperature is really irrelevant. All modern cars have safe mode that prevents overheating. Warning will pop out before driver notices overheating.
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I’ll disagree, my VW was driving happily along, until I hooked up my SG for fun. I then realized it was running at 160F, the 190F thermostat had apparently given up at some point. Being a diesel it might not have made much of a difference, probably why it didn’t toss any codes, but still, the dash was indicating all was fine.

Couple years later I blew a coolant line and drained the system down to some level that was still above the sensor. I was able to drive the 10 or 15 miles to get home. I could tell the coolant was still covering the sensor by how it was reacting to my throttle. At this point I think I had the SG hooked up all the time, so I could monitor stuff like this.

Most of the time, I’d say you’re correct, nothing bad is going to happen—but to me, someone who drives pedestrian Toyota’s, a coolant temp gauge is going to tell me more than an oil temp will.
 
supton said:
I’ll disagree, my VW was driving happily along, until I hooked up my SG for fun. I then realized it was running at 160F, the 190F thermostat had apparently given up at some point. Being a diesel it might not have made much of a difference, probably why it didn’t toss any codes, but still, the dash was indicating all was fine.

Couple years later I blew a coolant line and drained the system down to some level that was still above the sensor. I was able to drive the 10 or 15 miles to get home. I could tell the coolant was still covering the sensor by how it was reacting to my throttle. At this point I think I had the SG hooked up all the time, so I could monitor stuff like this.

Most of the time, I’d say you’re correct, nothing bad is going to happen—but to me, someone who drives pedestrian Toyota’s, a coolant temp gauge is going to tell me more than an oil temp will.
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Hmm, VW should pop out CEL if the engine does not reach operating temperature after a certain time.
I had failed thermostat on Tiguan. VW changed the water pump under recall but they did not thermostat. So after 3 years of water pump replacement thermostat failed. It stayed open, and after 20 min of starting the car, I got CEL with the appropriate code. Since Tiguan has a coolant gauge I could see that thermostat stayed open, but CEL was there too.
But I get that on some cars CEL would not show up.
 
cwilliamsws6 said:
Come to think of it, my coolant gauge that is already in the cluster always takes the same amount of time to show "running temp" regardless if it's 10 degrees outside or 90 degrees. And when I'm driving it always stays exactly in the middle and doesn't move. Didn't think much of it until you said that.
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They’re supposed too, there is a thermostat regulating coolant temperature. My truck runs at a very consistent 203F, regardless if it’s 0F or 100F outside, it just takes longer to warm up when it’s cold.

I’d personally get a small tablet/large older phone and run Torque or something like that.
 
I had a mechanical water temp gauge on my old '90 Bronco w EFI 351.... if nothing else it was fun. You could literally watch it climb to 195 then see the t-stat open

Maybe coolant flow is different in other engines but the near-immediate response of mechanical gauges show your thermostat working, at least on some engines.

I suspect in most engines coolant temp isn't really THAT stable....it builds, t-stat opens, the sudden in-rush of coolant from the radiator causes temps to dive at least 10 to 30 degrees....rinse and repeat.

NOW, do we need to know this or see this? Nah, probably not....but the entire premise of the thread seems to be predicated on a desire for info rather than a strict NEED for info
 
I only use this when changing my transmission fluid in my 15 Tacoma. If I towed or hauled heavy loads I would use it more often. Fusion app and kiwi 3 reader.
 

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In the old days, most cars didn't even have a coolant gauge. I wouldn't want to go back to that.
 
If I had my way, on the led screens all the new cars have, I’d have volts, water temp, boost (if applicable), oil temp, oil pressure, EGT, MPG, Fuel flow in pounds per hour, and a clock.
 
Wrenchturner44 said:
Amp gage. More important IMHO than a volt gage. Volts provide status of charge, not if charge is actually taking place.
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These are great but I think you have to install a shunt on the positive terminal between the battery and harness. At least that's what it looked like for the digital gages I wanted to install on my car. The cheap digital kits (meter w/shunt) from Amazon looked like they would be the weak link in the system. If the shunt goes out then I'm without power and have to undergo roadside repairs.
 
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