Are these EGT gauges any good?

I was in the same boat a while back mate. I ended up going for the (back then Autron) Redarc gauge and it is awesome. Looks good, works good, has alarm features which I'm finding very useful, and i don't regret spending $$ on it. However... At the end of the day, a $80 gauge from super cheap could have probably done the job just as good, minus the features.

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Originally Posted by apalsson

It's just that as much as I would have loved the Redarc gauge, I cannot justify coughing up around $400 for a gizmo that used to be sold for half of that before Redarc got their paws onto it.

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Half the price? I would have loved to have seen a Autron EGT/boost gauge for sub $320 when it used to be Autron. Are you confusing their EGT/boost gaugse with their other gagues like water/oil which were much cheaper ??

Thanks mate, I agree with every word.
These are the exact ones I would have bought if they hadn't cost as much as they do

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Originally Posted by BillsGU

I went through the same trains of thought before I purchased the Autron/Redarc gauges. I wanted to make sure they did the job and were reliable. Years ago when I was a young petrol head all I could afford was the cheaper stuff and they pretty much all failed in one way or another (to the degree that some oil gauges with capilliary tubes would leak oil all over my feet!). Also, most gauges are a pain to install (crawling around on the floor of the car, getting up under the dash, etc) and I only want to do it once!

For me the features of the Autron were exactly what I wanted. They have the reliability of a digital gauge but their analog readout is simple to read. I also wanted a gauge that had the alarm feature. All Autron gauges can be set up to give an audio and visual alarm when the readings reach a set value. That means you don't have to worry about looking at the gauge all the time.

They work for me.

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Buy a McNally and you will never use anything else.:thumbup:

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Originally Posted by mudski

Buy a McNally and you will never use anything else.:thumbup:

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Here is one thinking outside the square - I like that :)

I wouldn't be all that worried about accuracy in regards to a post Turbo EGT gauge.
Reliability IE how long before it craps out, Yes, but accuracy is not a big deal.

EGT gauges are a voltmeter, nothing more.
All they do is measure the voltage across the thermocouple and it is usually the thermocouple and wire that is the greater expense in a basic gauge.

Even if the gauge is out by as much as 5% (which is extremely doubtful) that is only 25 to 30 degrees in the critical area for ZD30's.
You will get bigger differences than that in post Turbo installations purely due to probe positioning.

Due to the huge variable temp losses of 200 or more degrees in the gas stream across the Turbo any post Turbo EGT is only ever an educated guess at what the cylinder combustion temps actually are at any given time.

I don't know where you seen the aurtron gauges for half what they are now.

I got one from aurtron just before they sold out and it was same price as red arc sell em now. Also know a few other people with them paid what I did before me to. I knew a aurtron dealer so got a slight better price but still expensive. Saying that I love it and very glad red arc kept them going. I still want to get another 1 maybe 2 yet to finish off my plans

I paid $1K for the ones I got
EGT / Boost / cabin Temp
Oil Pressure / Water Temp / engine bay temp
Batt 1 / Batt 2 / Amps

also got the main controller, Amps lead thingy, 2 x temp probes (1 x for engine bay, 1 x for cabin temps) and the 3 gauge pillar pod

one of the best investments I have made

@ Bigcol are you an ex truck driver or like many here
just like to know whats happening under the bonnet?
$1k is cheap insurance IMO

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Originally Posted by threedogs

@ Bigcol are you an ex truck driver or like many here
just like to know whats happening under the bonnet?
$1k is cheap insurance IMO

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no, I'm not an ex truckie...........
just rather find a problem before its a problem -
we dont get the Humidity of say - North Qld or the Territory, but we get the heat..... especially north of Geraldton in summer time (or anywhere off the coastal plane really........)

and yes, the thoughts I had before spending the coin was....... is it worth it / will I really need it / can I do it another way cheaper

I had separate gauges for the EGT, Boost (pillar pod), Oil Pressure, water temp - on the dash (Mk I dash)
and wanted something to tell me what was happening with the batteries......... so after spending $500 on Mk I dash - I had to re-think
because
I also have a GPS on the dash
and a 7" reversing screen near the gear lever
where the buggery do I put battery gauges...............???????

Yes - $1K was very cheap now that they have been in 2 years

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Originally Posted by threedogs

@ Bigcol are you an ex truck driver or like many here
just like to know whats happening under the bonnet?
$1k is cheap insurance IMO

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He should have bought a 3rd probe for his skin temp when the A/C cuts out in the Pilbara.
Would be handy records for the paramedics
Skin Temp - 50 degrees
Pallor - Red overall, extreme white at fists
Blood pressure - 200/150
Speech - slurred, expletive ridden, incoherent
Eyes - glazed and bloodshot
Gait and co-ordination - excellent, can easily stand on one foot and kick the shit out of car

Diagnosis?
Normal, it's just a Nissan thing, nothing to see here