Spa Dual Oil Gauge

[daveyboyblack 1]

Here's the background: Car is an mi16 (rebuilt engine) and is now caged and ready for as many trackdays as I can afford this year.

 

I'm worried about the oil pressure/temps so i'd like to be able to keep a close eye on them. Currently I only have the standard oil pressure gauge, and no oil temp reading (due to using an XU10 sump and not having the right sender, although i've just seen the thread about the £16 "Late XU" sender!)

 

I'd like to have a decent pressure/temp reading, and also a warning light for the oil pressure at least.

 

Has anyone had any experience/thoughts on using an SPA Dual gauge such as this one: http://www.spa-uk.co.uk//design/productdetails/?objid=130

As it'll give me all the functions I would like (including LED warning lights) then am I mad considering paying this kind of money on a gauge, or is it a worthy investment?

 

Half of me is thinking that it's a decent purchase as it should be easier to install and I can always remove and put on my next car, but part of me is thinking that I should be able to get decent readings/warning lights for a fair bit cheaper.

 

Has anyone got one of these gauges, or have any thoughts on them? If you have one, then were there any issues in fitting it?

 

Cheers

Dave

[engine killer 6]

for the cheap products, you may not get the "recall" function. you do not expect do read the gauge when you are cornering fast, do you? so a guage with recall function is quite important to me because i am not capable to read guage when cornering fast.

[Sandy 191]

They are very good gauges, I've been using them for years on various cars. Come with a pre-wired loom too, which is nice.

[jackherer 543]

I've bought a couple now on Sandy's recommendation, very good gauges, they are a lot of money but if you've spent a lot on an engine rebuild its easy to justify getting one IMO.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

My mate and I have got one for our car, had it embarrasingly long now and not fitted it yet......

 

Beware buying one second hand without loom, as the loom and sensors from SPA makes it more economical to just buy a new kit complete.

[danpug 1]

Yeah thats a good point, beware.

[nick 3]

Just a note about your oil temp sensor. If you have the two pin sensor in the sump all you need to do is crimp a small conector on the end of the sensor wire and then find which pin works, one does and one doesn't. simple!!

 

Nick

[daveyboyblack 1]

Thanks for the advice everyone

 

I've added it all up and think i'll treat myself to one. The pre-built loom seems good and i've made it a plan to own a caterham/westfield at some point so this would be easily transferred! (Justifying to self is so easy!)

[James_R 3]

I used to have one, and as said very good gauges, but I found the numbers would change, but you wouldn't see it unless you were looking at it, and the flashing light/function to put a buzzer is in pretty cool and adjustable aswell.

 

But I swapped to a 100PSi mechanical gauge, as when the needle moves your corner of your eye (paripheral?) vision will pick up the blip. I also got a 20PSi low pressure switch inplace of the standard item. I preferred the later set up so kept it, and it's about £70 cheaper over all, plus with a mechanical gauge you never have to worry about a wiring fault/damp

 

That's just my two pence. Very good bits of kit though.

[Alastairh 47]

Use to have a pair. Great gauges, worth the money.

 

Al

[Sandy 191]

SPA now make stepper motor "analogue" style gauges too.

[daveyboyblack 1]

SPA now make stepper motor "analogue" style gauges too.

 

I was originally looking at those, as they also have the light etc. For similar money I guess I could have a nice analogue style gauge, led warning, plus the std oil temp gauge, or I could have the dual digital gauge. James's point makes sense about being able to keep an eye on an analogue gauge in the corner of your eye, rather than needing to read the digital numbers.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I'll try to post up the results once i get whatever I choose fitted!

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

It is an excellent gauge. You can wire an external lamp/buzzer as has been mentioned, plus you have recall on it too and configurable low/high limits.

 

One important tip - do NOT plumb the pressure sender direct into the block but mount it off the engine on a bracket/etc and then run a short length of braided hose/unions across to it. I have it on good authority that the vibration of the engine will eventually knacker the sender, I know someone who got through a sender every 2 events before he did this. Unless they've changed the sender design/build, but I wouldn't risk it, I don't believe they're cheap

 

Cannot recommend them highly enough.