Help me make a decision here - Combo gage or stock Options

[Mikey914]

I acquired a pretty stock 1.7 that had been retrofitted with a 911 combo gauge. It looks well done. I did procure a correct gauge to replace it but now I'm thinking leave it.

What would you do?

I like the idea or originality too.
Pics to follow.

[sithot]

I acquired a pretty stock 1.7 that had been retrofitted with a 911 combo gauge. It looks well done. I did procure a correct gauge to replace it but now I'm thinking leave it.

What would you do?

I like the idea or originality too.
Pics to follow.

Temperature an Pressure gauge only or a custom affair with a Fuel level too?
I like these gauges as they’re easy to watch.

http://www.nhspeedometer.com/service-restorations-914

[914Sixer]

Leave it, you can never have too much information. It took some extra thought and skill to get the wring done.

[GregAmy]

Leave it, you can never have too much information. It took some extra thought and skill to get the wring done.

^^^...and I'm the opposite. I think you can have too much information to the point it's distracting. I don't care what the value is unless it's out of spec, so I love me some basic gauges and idiot lights. I removed the center console and its gauges and use the basic combo with oil temp and lights.

[sithot]

Leave it, you can never have too much information. It took some extra thought and skill to get the wring done.

^^^...and I'm the opposite. I think you can have too much information to the point it's distracting. I don't care what the value is unless it's out of spec, so I love me some basic gauges and idiot lights. I removed the center console and its gauges and use the basic combo with oil temp and lights.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[BENBRO02]

IMO an oil pressure guage is almost worthless (they do look cool though). I would rather have a buzzer that alerts me immediately about a problem. My VW Jetta had a buzzer that would come on when taking cloverleafs at 55 mph.

[Cairo94507]

I like more information than less. I would leave it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[Cairo94507]

dbl post- sorry

[RickS]

I am in the “information is power” camp, especially with an air/oil cooled car. Just a week ago my alternator light came on and saw that my Voltage gauge was sitting firmly at 12 rather than the usual 14.5. Also when I first added my 6 I could watch the oil temp to make sure the cooler was operating correctly and at high speeds I wasn’t hitting above 210.

Is it distracting? I don’t find the full gauge compliment in my 911 distracting with the .5 sec it takes to check things out compared to the repair costs associated with a rebuild. Same goes for the teener.

[GregAmy]

I don't mean to be combative in any way, but these are the types of things I think a lot about all the time, when designing instrumentation and gauging on my race cars and an experimental airplane builds. And I like the debate on the topic.

Your statement below caught my eye:

....Just a week ago my alternator light came on and saw that my Voltage gauge was sitting firmly at 12 rather than the usual 14.5.

So what you're saying is that you recognized a charging system failure not by the gauge that told you it was at 12V, but by an idiot light that caught your eye. And then you looked over at the gauge, which told you the same exact information (charge bad). And that's my point.

And then you wrote this:

Also when I first added my 6 I could watch the oil temp to make sure the cooler was operating correctly and at high speeds I wasn’t hitting above 210.

...implying that you were using your oil temp gauge as a binary good/bad system: below 210 is good; above 210 is bad.

Would not a light at 210 degrees do the same thing?

There is merit to watching and evaluating trends, but the human brain doesn't really work well as a data acquisition device. When otherwise occupied we're much better with binary good/bad situations. We even use our speedos are binary devices: 70 good, 75 bad. Less than 70 really, really bad, pick it up!!

Automobile manufacturers know this. If your car has a water temp gauge (most do) you'll notice that it's always solidly vertical. Have you ever watched it get there? It's pretty much a binary condition: as soon as the water temp rises to the correct desired range the needle will work quickly to that TDC level.

VW figured this out in the 80s with the Rabbit GTI. They put in aux gauges and started getting complaints from owners that the gauge fluxuated left and right as they were driving around. The Germans were perplexed; after all, no engine coolant or oil reaches a set temperature and stays there constantly, why are people complaining? But the complaints persisted to the point where VW adjusted the electronics in the gauge to where it stayed solidly vertical within the desired range, in effect turning the gauge into an idiot light. And the water temp gauge on my 2011 GTI stays solid vertical all day, whether I'm driving in snow like today, or cruising across the desert last year.

You like gauges? Get 'em, enjoy 'em. But I strongly disagree that they're necessary for safe operation of any equipment. If you want data acq, get data acq (it's actually quite affordable now). Me, I'll pay attention to the driving and watch for attention-grabbing lights to tell me when something's wrong... - GA

[gandalf_025]

Mark, if it is the 4 way gauge,
I’d be interested in talking to you about
buying it from you if you decide to replace it...

[tomeric914]

The idiot light tells you something is wrong, the gauge gives an indication of how bad it is or isn't.

Gauges aren't constantly scanned, but viewed when needed.

Most want the simplicity of installing a gauge and being able to read it (plug and play). That likely comes down to their abilities, want for a specific look, or what they are used to.

I agree that there is some great and inexpensive data acquisition tech out there, but I have no desire to deal with the setup and fabrication for any of my vehicles.

You like gauges? Get 'em, enjoy 'em. But I strongly disagree that they're necessary for safe operation of any equipment. If you want data acq, get data acq (it's actually quite affordable now). Me, I'll pay attention to the driving and watch for attention-grabbing lights to tell me when something's wrong... - GA

[Steve]

I like mine, it looks more stock than others. Mine is the same as this one, but with out the silver dot.

[timothy_nd28]

At night, the stock combo gauge only has a small window of light emitting thru the fuel gauge. It looks inconsistent compared to the tach and speedo gauges. Having dual gauges in the combo gauge looks better in the standpoint that light is evenly distributed thru both gauge openings. It's really a preference thing.

[jor]

Setting aside the informational value of the gauges, I like mine because I think it looks good and it's fun to see the oil pressure needle moving as get on and off the throttle. Okay, that might not add value to this conversation, but it's true.

[gothspeed]

Leave it, you can never have too much information. It took some extra thought and skill to get the wring done.

^^^...and I'm the opposite. I think you can have too much information to the point it's distracting. I don't care what the value is unless it's out of spec, so I love me some basic gauges and idiot lights. I removed the center console and its gauges and use the basic combo with oil temp and lights.

+1 ... I tend to prefer simplicity as well. I was going to add head temp gauges per bank and EGT gauges per cylinder for A/F tuning/monitoring. But for now I'm going to get everything assembled and harness working in OE configuration first. Then maybe add fun stuff as needed .. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Chris914n6]

I find a pressure gauge distracting. I'm always thinking "is that a good number?" Luckily only my Chevys have them. For everything else I figure I either have pressure or I don't and a lite.

For a bone stock 914 just the temp gauge is sufficient.

The only time I can think of that a gauge would have been helpful is on my daily years back. Had a crank seal oil leak, thus a bit low sometimes, and coming down an overpass under sporty braking I think the oil level dropped too low, as I found wear on the cam bearings. Seeing a pressure drop might have changed that outcome.

[Mikey914]

My set up

[gothspeed]

My set up

Looks very 911 ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[sithot]

My set up

Looks very 911 ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

Even the dual gauge 911 Temp/Pressure gauge has an idiot oil pressure light.

I've seen worn out Porsche cars with flickering lights at or near idle when hot.