are aftermarket gauges worth it?
are aftermarket gauges worth it? I have autometer water temp, and oil press electronic gauges and see it is a pita to install on these cars. Is the stock cluster really inaccurate enough to be worth installing these? I dont go crazy in my car its just a cruiser that sees some "spirited" driving from time to time and the occasional race.
I have autometer water temp, and oil press electronic gauges and see it is a pita to install on these cars. Is the stock cluster really inaccurate enough to be worth installing these? I dont go crazy in my car its just a cruiser that sees some "spirited" driving from time to time and the occasional race.
It's a matter of preference. Aftermarket oil pressure gauges are true pressure indicators where many times stock gauges are just go, no go, dummy gauges, where minimal pressure will allow the gauge to read normal. Don't need the water temp. There is the dash gauge + a separate temp indictor to the PCM.
Also, depends on mods. For example; w/forced induction; I would use all aftermarket gauges.
IMO I would only spend the time and money putting in aftermarket gauges if I modded the internal engine to the point where I would want to monitor it more closely (big cam, heads, etc). IMO with a stock bolt on car the stock gauges will let me know if there is anything wrong.
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If you're used to seeing your gauges respond in a certain manner....as an example, if your stock oil press gauge usually sits right in the middle.... and it is responding differently than you're used to seeing, that there is cause to pay closer attention.
This also applies to any other stock gauge.
In a similar way, you can buy aftermarket and apply the same principle.
For this reason, I wouldn't bother with aftermarket.
This also applies to any other stock gauge.
In a similar way, you can buy aftermarket and apply the same principle.
For this reason, I wouldn't bother with aftermarket.
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10 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,317
Likes: 20
From: Hurley, VA
My aftermarket temp gauge is showing around 150-160 when my in dash one is at 210. The tach is definately slow. I've hit my limiter (6800) when my stock tach was showing 64-65. The only reason I added gauges was honestly just for the look of having them on the a pillar. After seeing how inaccurate the stock temp gauge is I'm glad I did. After my h/c/i my car started running in the 220-225 range at times. (before was 195) On one instance the temp got slightly higher after running it hard and my check gauges light came on and the stock one started to peg but immediately started going down after I stopped (got caught in construction traffic) but the car never did it again with the stock radiator. The hole time I must have been driving right on the edge. I then swapped in a LT1 radiator and my car usually runs 180 but never goes over 195-200 degrees. For a mild car I wouldn't worry about them but they do look cool lol.
Kinda related question, which factory gauges affect the PCM? While my motor is still out of the car I'm thinking of using the factory sensor locations for my aftermarket gauges. Will the car care if the coolant temp sensor and oil pressure sensor aren't there?
02 Camaro if it matters...
02 Camaro if it matters...
I had a gauge pod with automated gauges in my trans am and they worked well and I like them a lot. With this car I don't want a pod and I'll pass on all those different gauges so if I do one it will be the Aeroforce Interceptor and that's it.
+1 
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 196
Likes: 1
From: Pensacola, Fl
Just get a ScanGuage II. I got one an love it. Takes less than 2 minutes to install and gets you nearly 40 gauges that all read directly from the computer. It will display up to 4 gauges at once. I have one and am very happy with it. They are less than $200.
Here is the site.
Here is the site.
Just get a ScanGuage II. I got one an love it. Takes less than 2 minutes to install and gets you nearly 40 gauges that all read directly from the computer. It will display up to 4 gauges at once. I have one and am very happy with it. They are less than $200.
Here is the site.
Here is the site.
