Aftermarket Guages vs Stock Guages

[stakie]

A number of MKIII owners have said in the past (or maybe it has been proven) that the stock guages are unreliable, thus installing aftermarket guages.

My questions are:

1. When you install the aftermarket guages (in my case, Defi Temp, Oil pressure and Boost) how much "off" are they from the stock?

2. Did you "unplug" the stock guages when you installed the aftermarket ones?

The reasons why I ask is my temp and boost guages are close, both stock and the Defi ones. But the oil pressure ones are off from each others. The stock is at 40+psi @ 3000rpm, but the Defi one says 20psi @ the same time. (Yes, I have check and do check the oil on the regular basis.)

3. Does it matter where the oil guage is installed on the engine, to get a right reading, or is it connected to a wire from the engine. I'm not sure how this works, or maybe I'm not picturing this right.

Let me know if there are any concerns if you have any or some positive feedback.

Thanks in advance,
Gregory

 

[souprat]

1. i have a boost guage, not really "off" from the stock one. just much faster reacting.
2. no
3. i think people plug in the aftermarket one where the stock one goes. but i dont really know about that.

 

[supratkfy]

1. aftermarket reacts much faster then stock but not much off.....in my case its boost, and temp

2. no u don't, boost u can tap into the stock one and keep the stock one working. water temp, i tapped into one of the housing...and the stock one still works n as stated above aftermarket reacts faster...oil pressure i think u have to remove the stock one and put the sending unit into the stock location...

3. i have an automter oil pressure that i haven't installed but i plan on removing the stock sending unit and installing it there...meaning stock pressure gauge will not work...the sending unit is on the side of the block below the PS reservoir bracket, intake and stuff....kinda hard to get to..o yea it doesn't just connect to a wire i believe...there has to be sending unit that sends the reading...i have an electrical one. mechanical pressure gauges are not good for an oil, water temp because u'll be running them into the cabin....

hope that helps

 

[IJ.]

With stock gauges it's more a case of you get used to where it reads in normal conditions then if there's something wrong you react.

Stock gauges are good for this as they're consistant.

As the guys have said they're slow to react but even with a good gauge usually by the time you react to a catastrophic failure it's too late and the damage is done.