Celica Forums General Discussion Interior An idiots guide to gauges - why?

For heavily modified racing engines or f/i modified engines I can understand the need for
1) oil pressure gauge,
2) boost gauge,
3) oil temperature gauge (especially for a turbo engine)
4) and air/fuel ratio gauge
5) and maybe water temperature gauge
6) but I don't understand the need for neither voltmeter
7) nor ammeter

For a Celica with an (almost stock) N/A engine, I cannot see any need for any of the above gauges as most car comes with a water temp indicater, will let you know if oil pressure is lacking etc. Please educate me... Of course, gauges will make the interior look cool, so that is a good reason too...

And what kind of gauges do you find most useful in your car (besides what comes standard)?

Voltmeter. My previous car has it as a standard feature.
I want it in the celica, 'cause I have a bunch mods (neons, LEDs, Amp.) I'd like to know if any of them could cause a battery drain...
I also think an oil pressure gauge comes handly, specially on engines with high mileage...

Yea for the average daily driver a volt meter isn't needed, but when you start getting aftermarkt foglights, amps, lights, compressor, it will come in handy if you pull up to a light with everything running and that voltmeter drops real quick you'll know you need to turn something off..

It also helps so when someone knows if an alternator or battery is going out..

I agree with the voltmeter 100%, oil pressure is understandable too seeing as how my car has 104,000 on it id like to have one to keep an eye on it

VOLTMETER GAUGE. I had my old batery died a few times and it sucked, cause I didn't know it was bad. Now I installed a voltmeter gauge and won't have that problem again.

WATER TEMP GAUGE. I don't like just having bars on my bauges like the stock celica does, so I instaled an autometer water temp gauge. Now I will read and see when my celi starts over heating.

I do have a high milage celi so those gauges will help. I also plan on istalling an oil pressure, but don't know how.


By the way, they look cool mounted on a pilar.

i have volt due to neons and all my other cars have that so i woudl liek to make sure everyhtign is copasetic (*sp) and becasue the pod has 2 holes and i liek shinny lights and stuff i am getting air fule. I knwo its usleless but becase its so innaccurate it moves allot and looks spiffy

I agree that my volt meter is very helpful but my air/fuel gauge is pointless. Matter of fact my air/fuel gauges sender wire is not even hooked up, so all it does is glow blue. The crazy idle that happens when it is hooked up is the reason I took it off. Since every other gauge out there is even more pointless I have not replaced it.

So it comes down to eye candy, thats all they are.

yup, mine willb e jsut for eyecandy jsut liek the rest of my car

yeah it does come in handy and its the cheap gauge like the a/f ratio gauge if your doing a dual pod setup.

i got volt and air/fuel, volt is nice to have when the car is off so your battery doesnt die if you have a high wattage system and neons. also, if your system is really loud then it actually moves back and forth while the car is on like mine. i just like knowing how the battery is charged and handling all the electricity. the air/fuel just looks cool and goes crazy when i hit lift lol.
heres a pic..

ok, i can see having a powerful stereo draining your battery, but neons?? even a stock battery wouldnt die from some neons when your driving, even when its off

i hear ya, but when neons in the foot wells and trunk, underglow, tv's, radar detector, and system, it adds up.

i understand that volt meter is very helpful... <---im getting one

BUT

AIR/FUEL meter sounds rice to put in a GT AUTO celica what do you guys think?????

and also where can i get a nice volt meter gauge???

hmm makes me wanna get those two now

I'm getting the voltmeter and a few more as well just for the looks...

wow this thread really helped me decide on wat to get...now im getting voltmeter, water temp, and just need one more since i wanna have three.

anyone else know which one will come in handy???

Good thread. I think i'm gonna get the voltmeter now.

oil pressure

water temp, oil pressure, and volt meter, are the basic gauges. you can probably do a quick diagnostic with those gauges if somehing ever goes wrong.

would the oil pressure be handy??? i have 40k miles on my car...

Volt meter for sure.