Anyone have SPA gauges?

[speedjunkie]

I just got 3 SPA dual gauges. Fuel press/water temp, oil press/oil temp and dual EGT. Had some issues with the water temp messing up before but it hasn't been lately, and in the manual it says that all sensors must be grounded. Not sure how I'm going to do that with the water temp sensor mounted in a t-fitting between two pieces of hose, unless I mount it in the stock location haha. I think I might just do that anyway, and see if the stock sensor can mount where I have the aftermarket sensor right now.

Anyway, this is more about the issue with the EGT gauge. I'm using TSC sensors that are supposed to be quick reacting. I'd like to keep using them but I guess I'll switch to the sensors that came with the gauge if I have to. Anyway, I took the thermocouple connectors off the SPA sensor wires and put them on the TSC wires (yellow-positive, red-negative). When I turned it on, the EG temps were around 150*F, and as I drove the car it only got lower. I figured maybe SPA wanted the wires hooked up the other way so I switched them, and then I got a reading of -86*F haha. So that's not it. I'm going to look into the TSC sensors (I believe they're K type but I could be wrong) and the SPA sensors (which I believe are K type as well). They're both 2-wire sensors, I'm just not sure why they're not working.

I just looked on their site and it says the temp is limited to 1000*C, which is 1832*F, but IIRC that is because of the sensors and not the gauge. Although the gauge reads 4 digits but it's set up as 000.0 and not 0000, so I'll have to see if there is a way to push the decimal to the right one spot.

Anyone have any input?

[Pete_89T2]

Originally Posted by speedjunkie

I just got 3 SPA dual gauges. Fuel press/water temp, oil press/oil temp and dual EGT. Had some issues with the water temp messing up before but it hasn't been lately, and in the manual it says that all sensors must be grounded. Not sure how I'm going to do that with the water temp sensor mounted in a t-fitting between two pieces of hose, unless I mount it in the stock location haha. I think I might just do that anyway, and see if the stock sensor can mount where I have the aftermarket sensor right now.

The stock water temp gauge sender is a one-terminal type too, so it's body needs to be grounded. If you're going to move that one to a T-fitting between rubber hoses, as long as T fitting is metal, you can add a wire to the T fitting (solder or clamp it) and then connect that wire to ground.

[Trout2]

I have my SPA water temp sensor in the stock location on the rear iron for years with no problem so it must need a ground. I've found their sensors wear out every so many years and must be replaced - more so on the pressure sensors.

You should be able to change the resolution on the EGT to read four digits before the decimal. It's cumbersume using the one button to control everything on those SPA gauges.

Jack

[speedjunkie]

Originally Posted by Pete_89T2

The stock water temp gauge sender is a one-terminal type too, so it's body needs to be grounded. If you're going to move that one to a T-fitting between rubber hoses, as long as T fitting is metal, you can add a wire to the T fitting (solder or clamp it) and then connect that wire to ground.

OK good to know, thanks. So I guess I'll either clamp something around there very tight somehow (I'm not too crazy about soldering haha) or I'll move it to the stock location and leave the stock one disconnected. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Trout2

I have my SPA water temp sensor in the stock location on the rear iron for years with no problem so it must need a ground. I've found their sensors wear out every so many years and must be replaced - more so on the pressure sensors.

You should be able to change the resolution on the EGT to read four digits before the decimal. It's cumbersume using the one button to control everything on those SPA gauges.

Jack

So what do they start doing when they wear out, reading funny and all or what? When I first put the water temp sensor in and first started running the car (just got a rebuild recently) it would jump around a lot in temp and then land on 318*C and stay there...I was sure that wasn't right. So I burped the system several times with a Lisle funnel and now it works about 98% of the time without jumping around or staying at 318*, even not being grounded. But if the manual says it needs to be grounded that's what I'm going to do.

I thought I read something about changing the resolution or something on the EGT gauge but I still need to look through the manual again. I agree, that single button is kind of a pain lol. Thanks!

[speedjunkie]

I emailed SPA yesterday about the EGT issue and got a response today. They said I could adjust the resolution (0000 instead of 000.0) by going to HR in the menu and turning it off so it would read without a decimal. I already figured this since Trout2 mentioned it but I didn't get around to it last night. I did this after work today and fixed the issue.

They also said I could change the temp readings by going to TYP in the menu and changing the setting to tHi (the setting for 1000 degree thermocouple). I did this and it read higher, but only to around 750 degrees or so once warmed up. I noticed in the manual there is another setting called tEh (for extra high, the 1200 degree thermocouple) so I went back through and changed it to tEh and it is reading around 1080 degrees on the front rotor and 1010 degrees on the rear rotor, which is closer to what it was on my old gauge but I'm still not sure how exact it is. I figure I'll datalog my EGTs at some point and compare them to what the gauge is reading. This should work since the sensor wires will plug directly into the datalogging hardware and bypass my gauges.

Now I'm trying to decide if I still want to mess with the water temp and fuel pressure sensors haha.

I just remembered, the water temp and fuel pressure sensor wires are run together and I used some magnets and hose clamps to keep them hidden up under the lip that runs along the firewall at the back of the engine bay. I wonder if the magnets are messing with the readings on those two. I thought about it before I ever started the car and wondered if it would matter, but I forgot all about it.

[Trout2]

When the sensors go bad, the temperature will jump around or in the case of the oil pressure one last year it read 0. I've been using the water temp/fuel press and oil temp/oil press since 2003 and have replaced fuel and oil pressure sensors once and oil temp sensor once.

I would have gone PLX if it was available back then. Last year I got a PLX gauge and two Team Rip EGT sensors, logging thru datalogit. One of the EGT sensors started reading 0 most of the time a couple of months ago. When I went to remove it from the exhaust manifold it feels like its cross threaded so I left it alone for fear of breaking something off in therre right before DGRR. 900 to 1000-F at idle is normal for me (aspec 500R with long runner manifold on small street port).

Jack

[Pete_89T2]

Originally Posted by speedjunkie

I just remembered, the water temp and fuel pressure sensor wires are run together and I used some magnets and hose clamps to keep them hidden up under the lip that runs along the firewall at the back of the engine bay. I wonder if the magnets are messing with the readings on those two. I thought about it before I ever started the car and wondered if it would matter, but I forgot all about it.

The magnets should not effect the readings fron those sensors. It's just a simple DC circuit, the sensors are basically just variable resistors. If you want to do away with the magnets anyway, why not just use plastic wire ties to secure the cable to one of the hard brake lines or any of the other hard lines that run along the firewall in that area?

[speedjunkie]

Originally Posted by Trout2

When the sensors go bad, the temperature will jump around or in the case of the oil pressure one last year it read 0. I've been using the water temp/fuel press and oil temp/oil press since 2003 and have replaced fuel and oil pressure sensors once and oil temp sensor once.

I would have gone PLX if it was available back then. Last year I got a PLX gauge and two Team Rip EGT sensors, logging thru datalogit. One of the EGT sensors started reading 0 most of the time a couple of months ago. When I went to remove it from the exhaust manifold it feels like its cross threaded so I left it alone for fear of breaking something off in therre right before DGRR. 900 to 1000-F at idle is normal for me (aspec 500R with long runner manifold on small street port).

Jack

Cool, thanks for the info. I really hope I don't have to change the sensors that much haha. Of course I only had my last gauges for a few years but I never had a problem with the sensors and I didn't change anything with the way they were set up when I put these gauges in.

I looked into PLX but their fuel pressure sensor isn't up to par to actually be used with fuel, it degrades apparently. But they said they're working on that issue. I would have gone with them though, need one, MAYBE two gauges at most.

Did you put anti-seize on the threads before you put them in? I did on mine and I haven't had a problem yet. But you've probably had yours in for quite a while longer than I've had mine in.

I'm using the 500R but with short runner manifold.

Originally Posted by Pete_89T2

The magnets should not effect the readings fron those sensors. It's just a simple DC circuit, the sensors are basically just variable resistors. If you want to do away with the magnets anyway, why not just use plastic wire ties to secure the cable to one of the hard brake lines or any of the other hard lines that run along the firewall in that area?

I didn't think they would affect it but I wasn't for sure. Once I started the car I forgot all about seeing if it had any effect. I used to have things zip tied to the brake lines but I wanted to go with a cleaner install this time.

[Trout2]

No anti-seize. I used teflon tape on mine.

PLX gauges can be used with other sensors so I would think any 0-5 V pressure sensor that's fuel safe could work with it. I'm using the PLX gauge for EGT with sensors from another vendor.

Jack