★★★★George Graves★★★★ Project Blog for e30 Gizmos and Gadgets - 2025 UPDATE

[So Live]

SICK!!!! I havent made a gauge holder for my boost gauge yet cause i want/need the econo-boost gauge. Any intentions of having a vac scale too? I know a few of us would love to have it.

[TwoJ's]

I like the method you used for data collection. Nice work.

[z31maniac]

Excellent. Let us know when the one-touch windows are done.

[So Live]

Oh i had another question for ya...

Could you do something like the e36's and newer with the auto windows with the key thing? Where you hold the key one way and it opens or closes all the windows.

[evil_twin]

subscribing.

[Fidhle007]

I still want my SI lights to be my shift lights! When you run a smaller steering wheel you can't always see the tach...

[george graves]

You know what would be cool for the SI lights? - parking distance

[Bimmerman325i]

You know what would be cool for the SI lights? - parking distance

YES!!!!! That would be great, I'd pay for that in a heartbeat.

[Nicademus]

Subscribed. Cool to see there is someone like this on this Forum (I'm obviously a total E30 newb by the way :))

[SpartanTiger81]

I guess I could buy one for my dog to beta test like she did with the interior dimming modules.

:roll:

[devonjordan]

You know what would be cool for the SI lights? - parking distance

So when I get another e 30, Im buying everything you make...

[george graves]

SICK!!!! Any intentions of having a vac scale too? I know a few of us would love to have it.

So George whats your take on the vac + boost gauge? Reading through tuning manuals and stuff, tuning for max vacuum is a very good indicator of how well the motor is running. The Vac addition might be a deciding factor for someone like me who tunes their own car.

OK, I must admit, I don't understand this need. Can someone tell me why vacuum gauge is important when tuning a turbo motor? Correct me if I am wrong, but a turbo motor that is NOT on boost, is identical to a NA motor as far as it's fuel requirements are concerned. No? Can anyone suggest some further in depth reading for me?

[m3_eater]

You know what would be cool for the SI lights? - parking distance

LOL! Makes it sound like E30 drivers are a bunch of old guys who can't tell where their car ends. I've never driven an easier-to-park car than the E30 in my life - and I've owned/driven many, many cars.

I'm looking forward to the one-touch windows and LED-varieties of hazard switch gauges though!

Oh - and on a (somewhat) related tangent, have you ever driven a Corvette? I loved them until I got in one. What a nightmare trying to figure out whether you're about to hit that curb or not.

[So Live]

Your right its not so much the turbo aspect of tuning a motor, its tuning a motor in general. The more vacuum your motor pulls at any given time (except when in boost obviously) the stronger your motor is running, in theory. Its very useful for getting things idling nicely.

I mean i understand its a whole nother thing to get figured out but when your making something like this how much more work is it? I know id rather pay more for a boost/vac gauge.

And the itll be cool for ricer kids :) then they can haz teh boost gauge that does something even with out a turbo.

Its also wicked cool to see the needle move so far from a good vac to 0 into boost.

Im just asking you consider it.

[Rogan]

Some possible gauges that could be installed inside of one of these:

Air/fuel ratio
Voltage
Oil Pressure
Oil Temp
Ammeter (how much current your battery/alt is delivering)
Boost
Nitrous Pressure (or pressure of anything)
Temperature (of about anything)
Exhaust gas temp
Parking distance
Air intake temp or degree of change before and after the inter-cooler.
ect, ect...

Audi 4000 quattros, coupes and such in the 80s had similar 'bar-LED' gauges for oil temp, oil pressure, water temp, in the console. I really liked them, and hey, they'd be 'PC' in the E30 ;)

I likes, btw.



edit: wowz.. 14pgs deep! I should've read to the end before posting.. but then, I'd forgotten what I was gonna say in the first place.. Getting old is hell..