So I picked up this: as an add-on with another order. I figured $40 was low enough to risk considering what I wanted to do with it.

The goal is to integrate it into the oem clock housing so it is just part of the dash. More on that later.

Meanwhile, since I have the thing I thought I'd plug it in and see what it was like. VERY cool little widget, surprisingly readable in most lighting, much nicer than I thought it would be.

 

Just figured out how to make the lettering white to match the G''s instrumentation. Neat thing is that the temps start out blue for cold, and around 140F switch to whatever you've set the color to for 'normal'. Supposedly it switches to red if you overheat, but I don't have an easy way to test that.

 

Ignore the warning lights.

 

How fast does this gauge function?

 

Oh this is nice. What other functions does it display?
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Interesting! Looking forward to your review of this after you've had it a while.

 

here's a (horrid) vid I shot that cycles through the parameters it can pull and display: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KakXrEiEGiWUUQrt9 (Skip to the 1:00 mark or so)

here's a slightly better one that shows the reaction time. https://photos.app.goo.gl/MS3jiY3pDaUB6MvR6

Here's one that shows startup (car is on but not started) https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cy4EhFnQHqfD43jN6

I wouldn't use it for anything where dynamic parameter change is important - RPM, boost, oil pressure. But things that change at a slower rate - coolant, oil temp, fuel trim or O2, etc it is fine.

Personally, I'm planning to just use it for coolant. I've got a full-featured OBD2 scanner for maintenance, and oil pressure is a planned needle-style gauge. I doubt I'll ever turbo this car, and if I need EGT I've got a separate gauge for that as well.