My 2004 is getting a set of new rear gears, a new cam/lifters and an A&A supercharger kit installed. I've read some previous threads on additional gauges I should consider but the threads date back a few years. In researching these threads, It was suggested I add a fuel pressure gauge. a wideband AFR gauge and a transmission temp gauge since I'm running an A4.

Also, can anyone recommend where you can buy a custom drivers side A-pillar with integrated gauges, either two or three depending on need? The vent on my existing A-pillar is broken so if I need to swap in a new A-pillar, I might as well make it functional. Any pre-made kits with A-pillar and gauges for this type of application? If you have a similar set up, pics would be great.

Looking for advice on this whether it's even necessary or overkill based on existing dash gauges and DIC readouts.

Thanks!

 

A lot will come down to your personal preference... do you want a lot of data in front of you or nah?

Wideband is a really good idea and important for longevity of the motor with boost. Fuel pressure is also important...but wideband is ultimately the final thing that matters. If you're running lean....first place I would look is fuel pressure, but I don't feel I need fuel pressure in my face all the time, necessarily. Just a way to check up on it if needed.

Something else that's important I think is knock/detonation. A boost gauge is also a fun thing to have and can be helpful detect things like belt slip down the road, etc.

Here's what I would do. Aeroforce intercepter gauge-- it's OBD gauge and can read boost (if you install a 2 bar MAP sensor), knock, fuel trims, IAT, bunch of other stuff. You can view 2 different things at once too (say boost, and knock). You can even set up an alarm (red LED) if there's knock in boost, or something like that. Additionally, I'd get a wideband-- AEM X series is a good bet there. If you get a 3 pod and looking for a 3rd gauge. Perhaps an analog (needle/sweep) boost gauge or fuel pressure if you're just looking for something to fill it with. Aeroforce interceptor also has 2 analog inputs, and you could in theory wire in a wideband and/or fuel pressure sensor directly into that single gauge as well.

 

Thanks for the information.

Also, this is an entirely street driven car with no drag strip runs or track runs. However, it will be driven for longer runs and weekend events and will be running 93 octane gas. My C7Z is supercharged and I don't have any additional gauges so that's why I want to know if adding an aftermarket supercharger requires additional detail and information.

 

The answer is no. Adding an aftermarket supercharger does not require additional gauges. Some add them because they truly monitor the gauges, others feel comforted by having the gauges “just in case” (as if they’re going to catch a catastrophic failure and react timely enough to mitigate it, and others just do it because they think it’s cool. But they are not needed.

In fact when I met with Chris at ECS a few years back to buy my ECS kit he talked me out of adding an A-pillar with pods and gauges. He said “it’s antiquated to add them and mostly a waste of money, but if I want them they’re happy to make suggestions and install them for me if I’d prefer”.

I think they look cool, but I also like the “sleeper effect” (and gauges are typically a dead giveaway), but much prefer not spending money on stuff that isn’t needed when I can allocate that spend for more go fast parts.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I also want the sleeper look as I want to keep my 2004 convertible stock-like in appearance. It's only when you get closer to the car that you realize it's not stock and that it has many performance and cosmetic upgrades. I didn't want to refinish my center console (again) to accommodate gauges, plus if I did choose to add them, I would want them eye level. Even though the gauges on the A-pillar are eye level, they definitely offer up a "Boy Racer" look which is not what I'm going for. Glad they aren't really needed with the new A&A kit.

 

She’s a beauty. Soon she will be a bratty beauty that boogies! I also feel the A-pillar pods are a bit “boy-racer” but truth be told I still think they look cool. But once confirmed, by Chris, the gauges aren’t needed…made my decision to forego them very easy.

My car looks really stock with the exception of being lowered on stock bolts and the trackspec vented hood. Which was added for heat dissipation. I also have the stock hood hanging in my garage. So I didn’t need to hack up my original one. I even stayed with OEM factory painted thin spokes, and left the BSM on the side of the car. As long as my car isn’t running, parked with the hood popped, or it’s just cruising in 6th, you can't really tell it’s H/C/FI. It’s purposely pretty “basic” aesthetically.

It does have Borla pipes out the back but aftermarket exhaust is typical on most of them. I do have a mounted Raptor shift light on the pillar. Oh, and I swap between a C6 shift **** and a Raceseng Signa-Ture **** from time to time in place of the OEM ****. That’s about it for cosmetics.

So she’s “sleeper-ish” sans the hood and entire drive train.

 

Thanks. I also think the A-pillar gauges look cool, especially the new ones available, but they would counter my goal of keeping the sleeper look especially since it's a convertible and the A-pillar is easily seen. If I added them it would be for looks alone since it's been confirmed I don't need the extra gauges with the A&A kit.

 

 

Spiral Grey is such a great color. Kudos for sure.

Gauges.... yes and no. In reality, by the time something has gone wrong and it pings the gauge and you notice it and you prompt a response the damage has already happened right? So I definitely subscribe to the comments from ECS in that regard because it is the computer and tune which will keep it alive. To me, gauges are a way to track general condition across the car and that is up to your preference.

Phones with an UltraGauge or Torque adapter can tell you a lot via OBD2 ports.

Gauges and preference.... I had gone through the market a year or two ago and there are dozens of options for brands and models and appearance. I prize simplicity which in a gauge, to me, translates to efficiency. I really do NOT like seeing flashy LEDs always moving. I just want an easily read at a glance output and an emergency flasher when needed or light activation. There are a number of gauges available which offer 2 to 4 separate data points on one small 2 5/8" screen and these are somewhat attractive.

The sky is the limit.

I ended up leaving well enough alone. I have AEMs across my center dash at the top reading AFR, Boost, Fuel Pressure. The afr gauge is the one from AEM which allows you to separately track and map the AFR via their own wideband and set limits vs rpm such that if the engine goes outside of your safety gap it will flip an electronic switch. In my case I ran it to the IAT so that if the AFR went off the map unsafely, it would ping the IAT to come back as high limit temp (255*F?) and flood fuel into the cylinders in a lean condition. This could be equally damaging in practice. Ultimately, not a viable product to me but a nice concept all the same.

 

I went with boost and fuel pressure personally. My gauges have alarm and recall functions, which are perfect for these specific gauges. Alarm beeps really loud in my face if fuel pressure drops below a set amount and recall tells me what my highest psi was after the fact so I'm not having to try to stare at the gauge at redline... In theory, the alarm is great for keeping tabs on fuel pressure, but in practice, may or may not be enough warning. Boost with recall has been great for troubleshooting some inherent issues (belt slip, leaking or seized bypass valve, etc) and just to make sure everything is right on a daily basis. I didn't want the a-pillar look either, but there's not any other mass produced options out there and I really don't mind it at the end of the day. The ONLY thing that really bugs me about the a-pillar setup is how many times I've jammed my finger(s) while turning the steering wheel, now that I could do without lol.

Also worth consideration, if you're sticking with a MAF and stock MAP sensor, an OBDII based gauge will not be able to monitor boost. They're great for the SD tuned guys, but if you're sticking with the stock MAF set up for various reasons (CA emissions for me unfortunately), definitely something you should know before installing an OBDII based setup

 

Thanks. Is all the extra information needed for a street car driven on 93 octane? I could see the importance of this data for a track or drag strip car, but is this information needed for overall maintenance of the car and supercharger?

 

Is it needed? Absolutely not. Is it helpful when needed? I've been glad to have them personally. The fuel pressure alarm gives me some peace of mind knowing it will let me know if the pump craps out unexpectedly (rare, but it happens on mass produced parts) and the boost gauge has assisted me in troubleshooting unexpected "low boost" symptoms such as belt slip (which is a common issue) and where seized or leaking bypass valve. Without the gauge, all you know is the car feels a little slower than it should and/or something doesn't sound/feel quite right. You can definitely get by without them, but they help when you do need them. In a perfect world, I'd have no visible gauges, but the connections hooked up so you could just attach the gauge temporarily when you need to troubleshoot. Could theoretically even hide the fuel pressure gauge under the dash, but keep the audible alarm.

 

Thanks. Are the gauges easy or straight forward to install down the line after the system is installed? I also need to learn what maintenance is required for the A&A kit.

 

Either before or after is fine. You're usually replacing the schraeder valve on the driver side fuel rail with the pressure sensor and tapping into the brake booster hose for boost, so doesn't make a difference ether way. Nothing crazy about the installs, just can be a little tedious.

Only maintenance you should need once it's fully set up is oil changes on the head unit every once in a great while (I forget the mileage interval, but easy to do with your engine oil change when it's time) and occasional belt tightening (or replacement after so long).

 

On a race application where you’re at high rpm for long stretches, yes. I had a large red light on my dash, right in my line of sight that was attached in tandem to fuel pressure and oil pressure sending units. If that light lit up, I would cut the ignition and pray potential damage was prevented or at least mitigated.

For a car like yours, I wouldn’t worry about it. Wouldn’t hurt to have an alert light that didn’t otherwise look out of place, but not a requirement.

 

Autometer has all you need......From A-pillar pod and gauges. I went with the full a-pillar two pod as it fits great. I also went with a boost and AFR gauge. I did insall a fuel gauge on the fuel rail which was only to ensure the pressure.

 

Thanks. Any pics of your A-pillar set up?

Also, I installed a low-temp stat a few years ago as part of a mail-order tune along with my Callaway Honker CAI and Corsa X-pipe. I know the C5 LS1 is designed to run hot and since I just installed a new (thicker) DeWitts aluminum radiator and fan kit, is a low temp stat still a good idea with an A&A supercharger or is it better to run an OEM 180 degree stat?

 

Lower temp tstat is a highly controversial topic, you'll get wildly different answers across the board. I personally ran a 160 before installing the blower and regretted. Just took the car longer to reach operating temp, especially in colder seasons/climates. Problem is, blower bracket blocks it... So I just dealt with it until I had the opportunity to swap blowers and swapped back to stock temp while I was in there. I just drank the Kool aid when I put it in and didn't stop to think for myself what a tstat actually did first. It doesn't control or change your temp limit, it will only change the temp at which it allows coolant to START flowing. It's not going to reduce your operating coolant temp or prevent it from reaching a higher temp if your cooling system is otherwise the same.

Edit: after all that rambling, I realized you said you just installed a dewitts fan and radiator lol. That should affect your upper temp limit combined with the lower tstat. I'd personally swap it out with a 180 or stock tstat. The new radiator setup will do a better job at keeping temps closer to the tstat rating.

 

Thanks. My brain is wrestling with the same thing. I live in Fl and the low temp stat was recommended at the time of the tune due to the Callaway Honker CAI and to the different A4 shift points that were programmed. I still have my original t-stat and was thinking about swapping it back in as I've also read its better for the LS1 to run a little hotter than a little cooler. Adding a blower with the new radiator and my head is swimming.

 

Haha I hear you. I'd definitely recommend getting a new tstat rather than throwing your old one in. For what it takes to replace it once you have the blower bracket on, it's not worth risking dealing with the shorter life span of the old, used tstat. Just a friendly suggestion haha.