Thoughts on Gauges

wspohn · Post by **wspohn** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 5:30 pm

I like the fact that the M has an oil temperature gauge - I've spent lot of time on the track in various race cars watching those and would feel deprived of input if I didn't have one on a race car.

What I don't quite get is why they needed the read out at the bottom AND the lights around the top of the tachometer. Surely the lights would have been sufficient, leaving them the territory at the bottom to stick an oil pressure and/or coolant temp gauge(s). I know that most manufacturers have eliminated oil pressure gauges because their customers panic when they see low pressure when hot at low rpm and this results in untold warranty reports and wasted time, but driving without a coolant temp read out bothers me.

BTW, I have never seen my light show indicate that I can rev the engine above 7500 even though the oil temp reads 210 or so. Is it reading incorrectly or do I need a blistering day in August to have it tell me I can use the actual red line?

On an engine where deteriorating oil pressure from worn bearings is a known issue, seeing the pressure slowly decrease despite never going low enough to trigger a light would be an added information source to let you know ahead of time that you were headed toward bearing replacement.

Too bad I hate the look of add on gauges, or I'd be tempted to go that way.

Any thoughts?

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:13 pm

The lights on the tach reference water temp not oil, that's why there's a separate gauge for oil (and also why they should be ignored). The last light on the tach never exstinguishes from recollection.

Muckinonthesofa · Post by **Muckinonthesofa** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:21 pm

TomK wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:13 pm The lights on the tach reference water temp not oil, that's why there's a separate gauge for oil (and also why they should be ignored). The last light on the tach never exstinguishes from recollection.

You learn something every day! I thought the rev counter lights were rated to oil temp as well.

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:44 pm

It's a pointless gauge really, when those lights extinguish it is NOT ok to give her the beans, only use oil gauge as a guide.
The CSL had these lights set to oil temp rather than water I believe, why the regular M3 and Z4M didn't is a mystery to me.
Re: oil pressure, if your oil warning comes up as red, this is a warning of low oil pressure. Orange/yellow is low oil level.

Angelus666 · Post by **Angelus666** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:37 pm

They were much more useful in my old CSL than they are in the MC....I'd imagine these are able to be recoded using Carly... ?

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:46 pm

......

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:48 pm

I don't think it's that simple unfortunately.
E46 ecu can be coded but it's more involved than using ncs etc, though maybe it's possible on our ecus?

wspohn · Post by **wspohn** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:56 pm

Interesting info, thanks.

I would still like a coolant temp gauge and oil pressure read out, but now I understand what they were doing, if not why.

bmwaddict · Post by **bmwaddict** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:03 pm

I agree a coolant temp gauge would be good, especially with such a costly and sensitive engine. I wonder how complex it is to fit one?

wspohn · Post by **wspohn** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:18 pm

I don't think it is either expensive or difficult, but I don't like the look of accessory after market gauges.

RedUn · Post by **RedUn** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:55 pm

Bluetooth obd reader and an app on your phone might do the job if you just want to keep an eye on it every now and then?

I also believe you can data log etc so could be useful on track?

Beedub · Post by **Beedub** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:58 pm

I've got a really nice setup but sadly photo bucket has given up allowing me to post pics.....

I've got oil pressure, boost pressure and wideband AFR

wspohn · Post by **wspohn** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 11:06 pm

Beedub wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:58 pm I've got a really nice setup but sadly photo bucket has given up allowing me to post pics.....

I've got oil pressure, boost pressure and wideband AFR

What does it consist of and can you post URLs? Sounds interesting.

Some of my other cars have the info I want but I have to cycle through to get it. The Solstice has boost pressure, although I just don't grok metric pressure, so I keep it set on decimal for everything (can't pick and choose), but I also have the read out permanently set on coolant temp since I experienced over temp due to a design flaw (since remedied).

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:27 am

Beedub wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2017 10:58 pm I've got a really nice setup but sadly photo bucket has given up allowing me to post pics.....

I've got oil pressure, boost pressure and wideband AFR

Use the attachment feature for Photos, works really well. No need for third party hosting site.

D4dawg · Post by **D4dawg** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:10 am

What's the thingy that you can have from the states that gives you all these reads outs by replacing the air vent with
It?
Seen it loads of times
Sadly can't remember name

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com