What is the closest-to-stock-looking boost gauge?
 

Please, help me chose the closest to stock looking boost gauge. I would appreciate it if anyone who can give me some suggestion, would specify:
- black background (yes/no)
- stockish looking silver ring (yes/no)
- illumination color (green/amber...)
- needle color (white/red/silver...)

The pictures would be very informative (altough they don't tell about illumination). One more important data, I need the information for 2 1/16" sized gauges.

Thanks everybody!

search button is your friend :)

try the PFS and the Defi

There is also the RE Amemiya one but that is not so easy to find.

I have a Pettit (Autometer) black surround one that does not look out of place in daylight but (like all cheap Autometer gauges) looks like crap at night with fuzzy out of focus backlighting.

d-d-d-defi :)

Unless I am mistaken, the Defi silver ring one only comes in 60mm though so cannot be used in a steering column mount.

alberto:
I tried the search function but it isn't very useful. Pattern 'boost gauge' return every boost problem anyone ever had (that's about half of the threads around here) and 'gauge' is too general and doesn't yield the right results...

How about PFS? Is that one autometer too?

Check eBay right now. I think there are a couple. I will try to get a link for you.

VDO gauges match stock very nicely, and are not expensive. Get an orange bulb cover, and the lighting matches perfectly.

http://www.egauges.com/vdo_mult.asp?...s=Vision&Cart=

PM me if you would like me to e-mail a pic of my gauge installation.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WD1V

http://www.defi-shop.com/product/meter/meter_type.html

However, I thought it was the red backlighting. My apologies. Still available for us imperialists that use PSI, or Metric in 2 1/16

The Autometer SportComp lin is a good match also -

Defi
 

The boost is the one on the bottom. If you have a 93 it would be a perfect match.
http://www.teamfc3s.org/forum/member...hp?img_id=3394

anybody tried the autometer nexus? I'd like to get a full set of them

check out autometer traditional chrome.. http://www.specialtiesperformance.com/ShoppingCart.asp

looks pretty similar although i don't know what the backlit color is

SPI as well

If you can find an older style of Blitz gauge, it is dead-on down to the backlighting color, indicator, number "font" and chrome trim:

There are some really cheap ($18.99) new SPI boost gauges for sale at the moment on eBay. Don't know if they are the same SPI gauges that PFS resells for $100 but they do look very similar to the stock gauges.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=38660

Which series of Defi is that? That looks real nice.

Jeremy

Defi D-gauge

kooool

you could try the apexi
black face

Yeah like Anthony said the SPI looks just like a stock gauge...I guess it looks pretty much exactly like the DEFI.

That's cuz you were searching wrong ;) Search in the interior/exterior/audio section (where this thread should really be), and "boost gauge stock" should bring up about 75 results :p: To save you some time, BY FAR the closest to stock (practicaly an exact match) is the Defi BF gauge. And they just came out w/ the amber backlighting on the BF's so now it's practically a 100% match to stock.

I seen the defi gauges pop up in the F/S section from time to time. I want the Defi D series black face.. those are really nice

...and they're 60mm. *ahem* :D

Yea...they're the nicest gauges IMO. :bigthumb:

Are they really? 60mm ONLY? I didn't know that... I stand corrected. In that case, Defi D-gauge is the way to go!!

here are the VDO gauges, IMO the closest match to stock...the defi lighting looking a lil orangish compared to the stock lighting....these are on point with the light bulb condom thing that comes with them.

http://img115.exs.cx/img115/2755/00007099gr.th.jpg

dp

You're kidding right? C'mon...those gauges only match a 93 tach (because of the tiny marks), and not too well IMO. Def. don't match the rest of the gauges in the instrument cluster.

Have ya seen the BF? It's so close to stock, if ya didn't know better, you'd think it was made by Mazda. Really. As for the amber backlighting, yea, it's a tiny bit off, but not enough for you to really notice the difference unless you're looking for it. Besides, the D-series gauges are sooo sweet lookin! :bigthumb:

now my question is this. is the 2 and 1/16 size gauge equivelant to 52mm.

thanks guys

Thomas

Thomas, you're a lazy bum :p: (j/k)

1/16 = 0.0625
+ 2 = 2.0625 inches.

2.0625 in X (2.5cm/in) X (10mm/cm) = 51.5625 mm ;)

well i did the conversion. I am not that lazy. what i guess i should have asked is this.

I have a pf 52mm gauge in my car with the pillar pod. the guage is bad and i want to replace it. i was looking at the vdo link that the guy put up and they are 2 and 1/16 inches.
I was curious if those guages would fit well in my 52mm pod.

I am also gonna by the dual center channel speaker guage pod down the road and it is also for 52mm guages so please let me know if the 2 and 1/16 will work and if not then what is the right size to get.
thomas

LilREd7 What side skirts are those?

The Defis are very close, but cost three times as much as the VDO. My VDO is in a Pettit column mount and blends in very well even though it does not have a chrome ring. I don't think this particular model (O to 15 psi) is still available.

Yes, shouldn't be a problem. As far as application goes 52mm==2+1/16in :D

Even if they were made with those exact sizes (which I have some doubts on), most mounting options have set-screws or have some compression fit scheme that will compensate for the miniscule size differences.

well 7 rocket i have been told that they are oem sideskirts that came on only some rx7's back in the day. hope that helps.

thomas

oh insane gideon thanks. so i guess i shall order some vdo gauges cause they arent to freaking expensive and then i will get the dual center channel speaker pod from rx7.com

True...and usually you get what you pay for. But in this case, that rule doesn't really hold true. I'm pretty sure VDO gauges are damn good, esp. since they make the OEM gauges in Porsche's...

So anyone know why Defi is so expensive? I heard Defi is actually owned by Greddy, but is just their higher line of products...??

Well Trust owns Greddy, and Trust's website doesn't say a word about Defi. I'm not really sure though, may say on Defi's website.

-Alex

I think Defi is related to Tein since there is a Defi promo video on the Tein site.

They are priced that way because people pay. VDO is in a lot of German and US cars, so what, so is Autometer and both are in more demanding industrial applications. Just cause Porsche uses VDO as OEM doesn't mean that your VDO Cockpit is Porsche OEM quality.

i have the autometer sport comp i believe

black bg yes
silver ring - yes
illumin color it has 3 dif colors... green, red, and the stock light
needle is red

The problem with the Defi Boost D-Gauge is it really isn't a very good gauge. I tested mine new out of the box on a dead weight tester in a Metrology Lab. It was at least a half minor division (.625psi - there are only 4 minor divisions between 5psi major divisions) off at all points, and a full 1.25 psi off at full scale ( I also have a Auto Meter boost gauge from Pettit and it was within .15 psi increasing pressure and .25 psi decreasing pressure).

I contacted Defi by email to see if the gauge could be repaired or replaced. Their reply was that they found my data acceptable for a mechanical gauge and that I should get an electronic gauge for better accuracy. If you look on their website now, you will see that the D Gauge boost gauge has been discontinued.

The BF series gauges only come in the 60mm size and the Defi Link gauges only come with a green backlight. I love the look of Defi gauges, but they seem to make stupid decisions in regards to their product lineup.

Unless I'm missing something, the D-gauge is electronic - including the boost gauge. I have 'em all (minus A/F), so I know. Each came w/ ground, power, illumination, and sensor. The boost gauge has the "inspiring opening mode" and has a power wire. So AFAIK, that's electronic. But then again, maybe I have a 1 in a million weird gauge, cuz everyone else I've talked to SWEARS the boost gauge is mechanical, does NOT have a power wire, and does NOT have the "inspiring opening mode." Mine does lol

DEFI-bf series

It's mechanical! :p:

If you look at the directions that came with the boost guage, it'll clearly state that it's mechanical. The boost gauge doesn't have any "self-checking" feature, nor a stepping motor. (Stated on Defi-shop.com)

Not sure why you have an "inspiring opening mode" though, because mine sure doesn't. :confused:

Another reason it's mechanical is because the hose that you attach to the UIM runs into the cabin, and connects to the gauge. If it was electronic, the hose would go to a sensor, and a wire from the sensor would go to the gauge.

Here's something that might be of interest... https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...es+boost+gauge ;) :p:

-Alex

Good point. Point well taken. Thanks Alex :)

I guess I'm just special :p: I drove the FD today, so I'll make sure I check it again when I leave to go home, but I'm pretty darn sure it has it. Will report back.

Ouch! lol. :runs and hides: lol. I know I wondered about it earlier, but I couldn't remember if I had posted about it. Sorry, this past year has really been a blur for me... Good memory!

Right there on the bottom of their site is the parent company.

http://www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/eindex.htm

They're not really owned by anyone but themselves.

I'm curious to know if they're going to replace the mech. boost with an electronic version. That would be tits.