Cheaper gauge alternatives?

saburai

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Posts
2,201
Reaction score
983
Location
Bokeelia Florida/Catskill mountains NY
Hello all! As some of you may know, I'm flying out the Colorado to buy a new truck. You might not know, I'm driving to Wes's in Texas where we are going to pull the engine do head studs, reseal and swap out my fresh Turbo, baby moose and injectors along with a 4in exhaust. then I'll be skedaddling to Florida to get it registered and then back up to the Catskills. Which brings me to my question, I will be selling Diego, and funds are very tight. I have a full complement of autometer Z series gauges in Diego, about $500 invested. I have a bit of a conundrum, I need gauges for the new truck and to sell Diego without turning the Boost down to stock levels, I can't sell him with a clean conscience without providing crucial monitoring equipment. Ideally, I would just buy new equipment for the new truck. But that is not a financial reality. Are there any inexpensive gauges that provide reasonably accurate measurements and last longer than a week or a month? I was looking at the Hewlett gauges, does anyone have any experience with these? It seems that glow shift is junk, what about Max Tow? Any other bright ideas? Thanks guys!
 

rewbrooks50

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Posts
204
Reaction score
176
Location
Forney, TX
I have the Max Tows. They appear to be working fine. According to others, I guess it’s a matter of how long.


Rick
 

MtnHaul

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Posts
616
Reaction score
258
Location
California
The Auber Instruments are a good value and I am very happy with my pyrometer from them. FWIW my cheap-o Equus mechanical water temp gauge has held up just fine for $30 at NAPA.
 

genscripter

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
584
Reaction score
358
Location
Inglewood, CA
I used auber for my boost and egt. I had to calibrate it myself. Not that hard.

I still run their boost to this day, but after a few years I bought different pyros. The auber probe eventually failed. After a series of crummy pyros, I'm current using an expensive autometer. But the auber system lasted the second longest. And it was half the price.

The nice thing about the auber is you can program it to do other things. The old auber pyro is now my volt meter.
 

MtnHaul

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Posts
616
Reaction score
258
Location
California
One nice option the Auber gives you is the ability to wire in your own idiot lights/alarms. My pyro alarm goes off at 1100 so i don't have to watch the gauge constanly.
 

Thewespaul

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Posts
8,796
Reaction score
8,058
Location
Bulverde, Texas
Really I like to spend money on the most important info, so pyrometer I wouldn’t cheap out on. Equus is fine for everything else, especially if you confirm the coolant temp is accurate with a digital laser thermometer
 

saburai

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Posts
2,201
Reaction score
983
Location
Bokeelia Florida/Catskill mountains NY
Really I like to spend money on the most important info, so pyrometer I wouldn’t cheap out on. Equus is fine for everything else, especially if you confirm the coolant temp is accurate with a digital laser thermometer
Thanks for the input. I wouldn't cheap out or cut corners on my own ride but I've got to save money somehow when I sell Diego. I'm certainly not going to recoup all the money I put into it. At the same time I can't in good conscience, sell a hot-rodded turbo without at least pyrometer and a boost gauge...
 

saburai

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Posts
2,201
Reaction score
983
Location
Bokeelia Florida/Catskill mountains NY
Then just turn the pump back a flat or two. Lol

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Yeah that's a option and I might do that. However, from a sales standpoint, it's not a pretty truck, but mechanically it's a rock. From the new Firestone tires to the 2012 ARE super duty commercial aluminum cap. Everything works and at 12 psi hauls a load and unloaded, it scoots pretty good, which imho is a big selling point :dunnowhat to do...
 
Top