Hi there, how necessary does anyone think EGT sensors/probes are on a single turbo (street) setup?

A friend is doing some work on my manifold / down pipe setup and asked me if I want a EGT probe(s), and if so how many, and where?

I hadnt really thought about it. I guess id assumed it was more of a "nice thing to have", rather then a requirement as most manifolds don't come with anywhere to put them (unless requested).

Iv done some research and I understand they can be a useful tool for logging / tuning, enabling you to fine tune the mixture between rotors.

I can understand it would be a useful tool for initial tuning, or for a racer/ or someone who may often do minor adjustments to the tune before races, after practices etc etc.

But is it something that I would really need on my street car?
I don't see myself adjusting the tune once its done or anything like that so It sort of feels like it would be a one off thing the tuner would use when initially tuning the car, and I would probably never use again. I would not want gauges or anything like that.

What does anyone think? I would personally rather go without, to save come cash, time and complexity.

 

I think its a good data point to have, especially if you're running an advanced ECU (LR/Syvecs, AEM, Motec, Haltech Elite, etc., etc.) that can fully integrate the data. That being said though... these engines survived for years without EGT input feeding the ECU, so I wouldn't say that they are a requirement.

If you're going to do it, do it right and add a probe to each manifold pipe pre-turbo.

Here's what mine looks like:

 

They are VERY useful in tuning and diagnosing issues. A single probe in the downpipe isn't very useful, but still better than nothing. You want a probe in each manifold runner.

 

Either put one in each runner and have it read by an advanced ECU that can do something with the reading or don't bother IMO.

 

Guys, I'm going through the same thought process, so I sympathise with the OP's dilemma. I have a street car with an EFR 7670, say 350 rwhp/400 bhp, and always look at cost & benefit, albeit I'm now caught up in a cost spiral (spending double on something leads to spending double on everything else to keep things in balance).

For what it's worth, to help the thread, I did think of having just one EGT sensor, on the rear runner because that is likely to run the hotter, but decided it was a sensor on each runner or nothing. My research suggests that people do get big differences between the 2 runners, up to 150 F, but those who take care to have the sensors at the same depth have much lower differences, say 20F. I'm still a bit concerned over the life of sensors on affordable gauges ($250 ish) rather than the better ones ($1,000+) that some people have in competition-orientated cars.

By the time I've paid to get bungs welded into my runners even with cheaper EGT guages like the AEM I'm still looking at over $600 for 2 EGT gauges, perhaps less if I can switch between 2 sensors on one gauge. That's a lot of money that I could put towards upgrading my Apexi PFC to a more modern Adaptronic unit.

My first build is a 13B REW in an RX8, for which the longer runners make the chances of damaging the turbine through high EGTs that much less likely, but I'm shortly following that with an FD single turbo conversion. I'm still undecided so will probably toss a coin.

 

I run these in my turbo diesel work pig and my rotor. Very affordable and functional. The K probes are bulletproof.
Auto gauges, EGT Boost : auberins.com, Temperature control solutions for home and industry

 

I would not waste the money on EGT gauges. Get sensors and a signal conditioner so your ecu can read/log them directly. Gauges are rather pointless when it comes to EGTs.

 

Thanks.

The single turbo conversion that I'm completely redoing came with an Apexi PFC and no EGT sensor or gauge. I believe the Apexi PFC doesn't take EGT readings and, if that's true, I'd have to use gauges. That said, I may change the PFC for an Adaptronic which I believe takes EGT inputs.

 

I wouldnt say egt gauges are completely useless. Im running an old school microtech and like to keep an eye on things. Was planning on upgrading to adaptronic, probably wont happen, but for the sake of $100 a side, ive got two egt sensors and gauges, the probes are as good as anything else on the market and can be used with a better ecu, and the gauges can be used for all manner of intake temps, pressures and whatnot.

 

For what its worth, I completed my build and did not install any EGT probes/sensors. (i do have an advanced ECU that could use it if required)
Iv done about 3000km in the month or so since I finished it.

Looking back at it now, i feel its something that the tuner MAY have used briefly while tuning and that would be it. I would be driving it around right now with a couple of fairly expensive (useless to me) sensors.

They have their place no doubt, but IMO not required for a "tune-it-and forget about it" street car.

 

They have their place no doubt, but IMO not required for a "tune-it-and forget about it" street car.

That is how I think of it too.

I had dual EGT gauges and it is handy for when you are thinking "that motor/exhaust smells hot!".

Look at EGT gauge, "Yep, I'm not imagining it." Pull over and hook up trailing plug wire that had poor connection or backflush fuel filter to unclog it (widebad was helping diagnose that one too).

Yup, been there.
Maybe If I hadn't had EGT I would have kept driving and wondering if it was really hot or I was imagining things.

I want that bullet proof street car that doesn't have problems, but I might put the EGT probes and gauges in the next build too. Because... I got addicted to power.

 

I certainly wouldn't pull my car apart to weld in a couple of bungs, but would certainly keep it in mind if the manifold had to come out for any reason. Cost isnt really an issue with the auber instruments stuff.

 

we're finishing up putting together a 25 hours of thunderhill car, second time for us, ??? for the car. the car is a miata, and its fully instrumented, it came with 4 EGT's, among other things.

this time we didn't put the EGT's back on it, because its running a stock ecu, per the rules, and thus A, we can't tune it anyways, B don't care, it needs to finish regardless of what EGT's are. last year a coolant hose popped off*, and we blew the head gasket about 90minutes into the 25 hour race, but we made it run the whole race anyways.

i realize an FD is different, and if you can't collect enough data to make ascii ****, then you're doing it wrong


*do the coolant reroute they said, it'll be more reliable they said.