john banks

Anything else I have to add: (think I've covered most predictable disasters )

Knocklink
Boost gauge
Fuel pressure
Oil temp
Low pressure oil pressure switch for dash light

Plus setting up with Delta Dash, EGT and WBO2, but the above is continuous monitoring.

Figured I could check coolant temp on track with Delta Dash the first few times, should have the rest of the options covered.

What oil pressure figures are commonly seen on the standard engine with standard oil pump/rebuilt engine with Roger Clark oil pump?

With above list all I have to buy is an SPA combined fuel pressure/oil temperature gauge, and a low pressure oil pressure switch. What pressure should I go for and where can I get it?

nom

With that little lot, I'd personally prefer an actual oil pressure monitor (values) rather than the 'panic' light! Largely because there are too many variables - below 4 bar isn't good at 4000rpm, say, but equally above 4 bar isn't very good at idle! And until you measure the pressure (with the particular oil you use in the car), you don't know what it should be, so don't really know what to set the 'alarm' at...
As a point of interest here (yawn ), I found that changing from Motul 300v to (can't remember what went in at the last service but a good fully synth somethingorother ), the pressure at idle dropped from around 2.5 bar to pretty much dead on 2. Which meant my little 'pressure warning' light blinks whenever I'm in a queue. And, incidentally, shows what a difference a change of oil can make on the same engine... [now I'll make a quick note to change oil ASAP ]

john banks

Well I could go for the SPA boost and fuel pressure, and oil temp/pressure, and ditch my original boost gauge. Any suggestions on pods which don't require hacking of the A-pillar which would fit on more sensibly?

Forester_GP

John i like your idea, but can we get some compound information from all the experts as to what the normal operating ranges would be from all pressure and temp sensors (either standard or add ons) along with their suggested limits(both in value & time)??? I'm interested in knowing these as i can set'em up in labjack and have them trigger other events if i want to. Maybe we can talk Steven into incorporating some user defined alerts on DD?

George

nom

The SPA boost gauge isn't much fun to map on (have no idea how you do yours though so I can't really comment!); it's very accurate, but the digital nature means that it does hop about somewhat if you're trying to hold a boost - takes a bit of getting used to!
Hacking about with the a-pillar is good if you can get round the initial "don't want to"; a 3-pod with the LambaLink & KnockLink mounted within the A-pillar is very easy to "see without looking" if you see what I mean (ickle holes drilled in the pillar for the lights for the 'Link products - ahhhh vewy pwetty - & the pods at the bottom - very compact).
Could you do oil temp/oil pressure, boost/fuel pressure (two double-gauges) & the 'Links? I can't remember what denominations the SPA stuff comes in

hypoluxa

I would suggest an analogue display of oil pressure.

FWIW I have oil p, fuel p, oil t, water t, egt and boost x2. Most are both analogue and digital, I find the analogue gauges more useful for pressure readings, and the digital ones for the temps.

And yes, I do suffer from paranoia

swan

John, Nomad racing sell a replacement a pillar with gauge pods - simply take your old one out and put the new one in.

Ex_Pug

Has anyone considered, or had experience with the PSi3 box of tricks advertised in the banner above? It certainly looks very smart, althought the display is a little small. I was also wondering what sort of refresh rate it had for the various T's and P's (including boost), or are these digital displays fairly instantaneous?

DubaiNeil

Ex-Pug,
I have the PSI3 unit fitted, and it is really good. Be aware that the PSI3 unit does not have any external sensors (at present) and reads info from the ECU, using the OBD connector.
The only issue I am aware of is that as it is reading from the standard ECU, any piggy-back units etc will not be acknowledged by the PSI3 unit. I am not sure what effect boost controllers etc would have on the boost readings either.
The unit updates at some horrendous speed, like 100's of times per second - it is accurate, but does jump around.
The display is fairly small, but there are alarms for important thresholds (boost, water temp, revs, speed etc) which are all user definable.
The display can be changed from a numerical display of 4 values to a bar chart of a single value (like boost presure), which is larger and easy to read.
I have no connection with PSI3, other than being a happy customer!
If you have any questions on the product try the PSI3 web site.

Ex_Pug

Thanks for that. I've been through their web site a couple of times (as you do), and they have an awfull lot of 'coming soon' type features listed. I suppose I ought to give them a call and find out how soon, so that I don't end up buying a unit just before it gets replaced with a new and improved version... which I have a habit of doing!

PSI3

Hi Neil, glad your happy

Ex-pug give me a call

Simon
PSI3

07796 992992

[Edited by PCB - 2/27/2003 6:45:09 PM]

MorayMackenzie

To this John Banks,

Are you the John Banks who, as I understand it, is a (part time i guess) "professional" engine mapper, or is that another person with a very similar username who also posts here?

Moray

MorayMackenzie

PS: Maybe an EGT reading might be of use in ensuring you dont **** your engine.

[Edited by MorayMackenzie - 2/27/2003 7:34:33 PM]

john banks

I have an EGT display, but not permanent as I don't want my dash looking like a cockpit

Don't get the bit about the names. If I can't admit I don't know something or am not totally experienced with something and seek my valued friends' opinions in a public forum because I am a "professional" that would be rather sad.

I did not actually intend to start ECU mapping commercially at all, but it was offered to me since I was considered most suitable to do it in Scotland, and was prepared to learn, and I became the first mapper using Ecutek tools outside Ecutek themselves. The original intention was to do five or six cars with standard maps to pay for the software so I could play myself, but it just continued. I was actually not going to take on the new cars and stick with the 99/00 since that is the model I am passionate about and sticking to as an enthusiast, but took it on at the request of a group of customers who got together. Why do I carry on? Because I enjoy it, it pays for my modifications, and means I can do this instead of working quite so much out of hours as a GP. I prefer the variety.

90% of the customers' cars I have tuned have been on standard turbos with very conservative increases in power. The vast majority are happy and I have destroyed no engines, perhaps this is because I stick within my limitations rather than make it up and pretend I know something I don't. I make no shame about admitting that I have tried everything first on my own car before doing it on anyone else's car. We all have to start somewhere, and I believe that in a growing (and still immature) tuning industry that is how everyone started, since there are no qualifications on ECU mapping.

Now if you have great pearls of wisdom about what monitoring to do on my rebuilt engine (which I admit is totally new territory to me as is doubling the factory power output) please share. If anyone thinks they know everything about tuning and monitoring Subarus to double factory power let them stand up and educate us all.

If I misunderstood your obscure remarks forgive my outrage

[Edited by john banks - 2/27/2003 8:56:05 PM]

MorayMackenzie

Funny, none of that seemed like "outrage".

john banks

Wind up merchant in which case

Or are you wanting to express a serious opinion regarding my business which might be better taken off line or at least not expressed in riddles?