Instruments vs display dash:

[YWW730]

I have an old race car I am preparing and renewing and wondering about the data stuff, both in car and for subsequent evaluation.

I am thinking about going with conventional instruments. How do display dash compare to analogue gauges? Are digital dashes easy to read and pick up data? What are they like to use in daylight/sunlight?

I have looked at a few youtube videos of race cars in action and the digital displays seem harder to see than gauges.

Is the new display technology streets ahead of gauges and I'll wouldn't regret updating? Am I an old fart missing out on a brave new world?

Logging data however is a plus. Is it feasible to run classic instruments and a data logger for subsequent analysis?

[tristancliffe]

Digital stuff is more versatile, lighter, and more complicated. Day/night visibility is actually pretty good in most cases, but onboard cameras don't seem to see them all that well. Your eyes will be better.

But a mechanical gauge is normally easier to see, but perhaps harder to get a true value. You know your oil pressure is okay when the needle points upwards, say, but you don't get to see the actual value. And most of the time the actual value is of little importance.

In an old car, I'd tend to stick with the type of instruments it had originally. If they were mechanical gauges, stick with it (but maybe add shift lights or a standalone laptimer).

Having a data system alongside is pretty easy. You'll have to get separate water/pressure sensors, but that's not a big problem. AiM Evo4s or Race Technology DL1s are a good place to start to get into datalogging, and you can keep the period dash.

[andrewc]

And in some race series, datalogging is prohibited. Its easier for a scruitineer to stick tape over the memory card slot of your datalogger (or to disconnect / remove it) then it would be to sort out an alternative to a digidash.

[RICE RACING]

I made the slow transition from many gauges to semi gauge (stack dash) to full data display.

The answer to your and my question is in the quality of the display you run

I went with a Cosworth ICD as it fits with my Pectel MQ12 but lots of people run them stand alone.

Cosworth modified it for me with a custom center gauge that I really still react better too, and I spent allot of time making the other pages far more readable and intuitive than any analogue combo I have ever had previously.

I highly recommend the Cosworth ICD, here are some old screen shot of how I have mine configured.

These are shots of the ICD set up's and some pages I use















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv8Szo_6j70

Time to

[greenamex2]

I have a Cosworth 'D1' in my old race car and a Stack display in the 'current' race car.

The D1 was all LCD and visibility was never an issue.

The main advantage of a basic dash such as the Stack is the warning lights. Having the ability to have an alert light for things like oil pressure, water temperature, fuel pressure etc as well a decent shift light could save you thousands in engine damage. And then going on to things like lap timing, data logging just adds to the list of benefits.

If you are set on normal analogue gauges, some manufacturers (eg Stack) do ones with warning lights so you get some of the benefit, but it will probably be heavier and near the same price.

[RICE RACING]

This was my Stack Dash in my RX3 many years ago... was not a ad unit.











Even though she was an 'old car' has bespoke Race Logic Traction Control unit (mil spec connectors) and Autronic CDI and SM2 engine management system.

[Notso Swift]

Definitely value if you data log correctly and utilise it
Good gauges aren't that cheap, although some things need to be more accurate than others (ie Tacho) most other things just need an idiot light

I will warn you to be careful of having an expensive fashion accessory, though

[RICE RACING]

These are some of the pages I have finalized, white on black works best in all conditions and layout etc, color gradients etc, a sample of what it looks like...

[Casper]

This looks interesting if AIM ever get it onto the market. In typical italian fashion it was supposed to be out some time last year.

http://www.aim-sportline.com/eng/pro.../mxg/index.htm

[EfiOz]

The WiFi connectivity makes it illegal for most competition vehicles in Oz, at least.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by EfiOz

The WiFi connectivity makes it illegal for most competition vehicles in Oz, at least.

Why? It can't be used while the vehicle is in motion.