OK I have a couple questions regarding gauges for my new saleen blower. What is better, mechanical or electric, vacuum/boost gauges? And, what is the difference between the wideband and regular air/fuel ratio gauge? I am going to be getting the autometer cobalt line-up with the sos pillar. Thanks for your help.

 

interesting question.....i know saleen uses a sending unit
(electrical) so maybe they think it's better to have no
chance of crimping the old style vacuum tube......


"What is better, mechanical or electric, vacuum/boost gauges? "

 

My installer had me go with the mechanical instead of electric boost/vacuum gauge. I was able to save myself $150 just by doing that. As far as the a/f gauges almosteveryone is going to tell you to go with wideband if you can afford it because it gives you the actual a/f ratio. The SOS pillar is definately the way to go. Are you just going with the 2 gauges..

 

I think you should definitly look into getting a fuel pressure gauge, Important to have on a boosted car. Electrical Cobalt one from Autometer is like $200. The boost gauge doesn't matter, just get mechanical.

As for A/F, don't waste your time and money on Narrowband. If you want an a/f gauge, get wideband. Its more expensive ($420 I think) but it 500% better then narrowband.

 

I have the full Cobalt stuff. I have an electric fuel pressure, water temp (plumbed into my intercooler line), and wide band A/F (waited a long time for that one to come out!). I got cheap and bought the mechanical vacuum/boost gauge (works just fine). I also have a mechanical pyrometer gauge, but it is just a novelty to fill up my SOS gauge pod. If I had to rank-order them:
1. Vacuum/boost--just have to know!
2. Electric fuel pressure--keeps you safe
3. Wide-band A/F--expensive. If your car is custom tuned, I think your computer-controlled A/F ratio is pretty solid. When I'm really getting on it at the strip, all I watch is the track and my Raptor shift light. It would take a rod spitting out of my hood to get my attention otherwise. In other words, if I was starting to go lean under boost, my first sign would be a BOOM!

 

OK guys thanks for the help, I am in vegas getting married so i couldn't respond faster, but I think I will get the mechanical boost/vacumm and theelectric fuel pressure for now. I am just using the stock saleen tune which i hear is pretty conservative, so I can probably live without the air/fuel for now.

 

Oh yeah one more thing, for the fuel pressure gauge doI need a 0-100psi or a 0-30psi gauge. Thanks

 

The stock PSI is 28-30, so you'll need the 100PSI gauge, unless you want it pegged all the time.