wmtheflash

My Areoforce Tech Gauge arrived in the mail today. Talk about easy to install. The "hardest" part was taking apart the vent and installing the vent pod. It's very, very easy. The gauge is definitely plug and play.

Some observations:

Pros:

- High Quality Display. It seems to react quickly with no lag.
- Logical Menus. I didn't even need to read the directions and I was using this gauge. Display menus are easily customized.
- Tons of paramters to read. I haven't even been able to through them all, yet!
- Vent Pod. Easy to install good quality part. Ventpod.com has awesome service.
- Quality Part. Looks nice and feels nice. Fit and finish is wonderful. It's a quality part from the LCD display to the wiring that comes with it.

Cons:

-Switching between parameters. You have to hold the button for a second in order to switch parameters. You don't just click the buttons once.
-Not really safe to cycle through parameters manually while driving. Unless you consider texting while driving safe, I wouldn't do it. Besides, you can program the gauge to scroll it for you!
-Performance Meter. I haven't tried to do it, yet. However, you have to scroll through several menus to get to it. You have to plan your run. You don't just decide you're going to time your 1/4 mile time at a stoplight.
-Vent Pod. Moves less air than the stock vent (duh). You won't have to worry about not being able to shut off the vent. Instead, you might not want to go this route if you like air blowing directly on you.
-Numbers are a little hard to read from the vent. Reading the parameter is hard for me, the numbers can be read, but are somewhat small. I have bad eyes, though, so that might be part of the problem. Really, this gauge does best when mounted at eye level in a pod.

EDIT: Turning up the brightness makes the screen much easier to read at a distance.

Other Observations:

I was tracking ambient air temperature and intake air temperature. When driving on the highway there was only about a 5 degree difference between the two. When idling through traffic there was as much as 15 degrees between the two (ouch!).

I actually have an ambient temperature gauge already installed. The Aeroforce Tech gauge read no more than 2 degrees different than my other gauge and many times it read the same. You can definitely use it as an outside thermometer.

Speedometers read a little high on a lot of Mustangs. I've read this on other boards have been able to prove it emperically using the trip and my GPS. Now, I can actually read the difference.

My speedometer reads about 2 mph high and sometimes 3 mph high. The computer is logging a different (correct speed), but the speedometer needle is a little off depending on the speed. Interesting. No big deal, definitely well withink SAE specs.

Instantenous gas mileage and average gas mileage are useful. I already can display these using the computer, but it's cool to see an actual number for instanteous mileage. Fuel level is given as a percentage. It's easier to read than stock, that's for sure.

I have an automatic, so I didn't get to try out the built in shift light. It is pretty cool to see what gear the auto is in, though.

Oil temperature seemed to read the same as the coolant temperature. Does that sound right? By the way, the stock coolant gauge isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Here's the youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uGSgMzSkdw



[IMG]local://upfiles/37741/E2740FB64C8C4FF4B877D7D70D3F70D7.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/37741/F956CE4E0F7B4FF4815C329525928CE5.jpg[/IMG]

hammeron

excellent write up as always wmtheflash

i'll probably get the next generation, when
it comes out

looking good

SatinSilverStang

looks nice, +1 to getting Gen2 when its released

Wally39

I didn't know they were coming out with a next generation. What's the difference?

wmtheflash

Me neither! Oh, well, if version one is this good, then version two must be incredible.

I can't wait to get my 1/4 mile time.

SatinSilverStang

i'm just under the assumption, where theres a gen1 theres most likely gonna be a gen2

wmtheflash

I forgot to put one thing in the review. The gauge has customizable splash screens. Great attention to detail.

When it starts up it can either display "Interceptor", the GT-500 logo, SVT logo, or the running Pony. It doesn't show up in the video because the display is a little too bright for the camera.

PLstang

Nice Gauge! Nice looking set up! However, I live in Houston and like my cold air! I'll have to pass!

wmtheflash

You know, I figured out why this product is so well made, but expensive... it's MADE IN THE USA!

Anyway, I've gotten a few PM's. Just to clear things up, here are the supported data streams according to Aeroforce Tech.

You can choose from about 66 monitoring parameters (+2 analog, some parameters are repeated more than once for use on different cars), but only the ones below supposedly work. I will tell you, some of those 66 work, but aren't in the list. For example, Current Gear works great on my automatic. It always shows which gear I'm in. It's only supposed to work on diesel, but my Mustang supports it just fine. Ambient temperature also appears to work.

Note that oil pressure and temperature are not supported on Mustangs. They don't have the proper sensors from the factory.

Here's the list courtesy of the Aeroforce Tech instructions:

A1C- Ford Supported Parameters (PID’S)
1. INTAKE AIR- Intake Air Temperature
2. INTAKE AIR TEMP. 2 (intercooled applications)
3. COOLANT TEMP- Engine Coolant Temperature
4. TRANS TEMP 1- Transmission Temperature (gas powered automatics)
5. TRANS TEMP 2- Transmission Temperature. Can be used if Trans Temp 1 is not
supported.
6. RPM- engine Revolutions Per Minute
7. MAF SENSOR LB/M- Mass Air Flow (lbs/min)
8. MAF COUNTS- Mass Air Flow sensor raw output in counts
9. FUEL LEVEL – 0-100 %
10. MANIFOLD PSI- Manifold Air Pressure (psi)
11. THROTTLE POS PCT- Throttle Position percentage (0-100%). Will typically read
around 10-90%.
12. PEDAL POSITION – Similar to Throttle pos. but is rescaled to read the full 0-100
range.
13. MILES PER HOUR- Miles Per Hour
14. KNOCK RETARD- Knock Retard (degrees) 4.6L 4v non-SC’ed
15. IGNITION ADVANCE- ignition timing advance
16. SHORT TRIM B1-short term fuel trim bank#1
17. SHORT TRIM B2-short term fuel trim bank#2
18. LONG TRIM B1-long term fuel trim bank#1
19. LONG TRIM B2-long term fuel trim bank#2
20. OXYGEN SENSOR B1-O2 bank 1 sensor in millivolts
21. OXYGEN SENSOR B2-O2 bank 2 sensor in millivolts
22. BATTERY VOLTAGE- Alternator/battery output voltage
23. ENGINE LOAD-calculated Engine Load (0-100%)
24. FUEL PRESSURE
25. FUEL PUMP DUTY CYCLE
26. CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE
27. OIL TEMPERATURE – not widely supported on Fords.
28. Calculated Engine Torque (Auto trans)
29. Transmission Slip (Auto trans)
30. Miles Per Gallon – instantaneous fuel economy
31. Calculated net horsepower
32. FUEL STATUS – Displays “Open” or “Closed” to indicate open or closed loop
fueling.
32. Analog 1 – analog input #1
33. Analog 2 – analog input #2
Note that parameters ending in “ps” on the gauge setup screen (not shown on this list) are
for Power Stroke diesel only.

06Saleen3V

Very nice writeup. Mine is on the way