I initially got a Defi gauge system for my car, just because it was available and the dial color was the same as the rest of the gauges in MR2. I just had the main unit and the boost gauge to check if the supercharger was faulty. It wasn’t. ๐
Then, one day when I was driving back from somewhere, Defi started to act weirdly and suddenly stopped working and I was, once again, without gauges. I took the wiring off my car and thought if there was way to check which was broken, the gauge or the main unit.
Maladar had some Pivot Compo-X gauges on the shelf, and I bought them and tried to forget the Defi. I only bought Boost and Water Temp, just because I didn’t have more money to spare at the moment. I was confident that I would buy the rest of the gauges later.
Much later I realized that I eventually would need the gauges, I asked Maladar about the rest. He looked me terrified and said that the Compo-X series wasdiscontinued.
๐
I think I looked every other brand from Japan (Greddy did look nice) but Maladar said that he couldn’t import it for me, which turned me towards AEM gauges.
AEM AFR Gauge:
AEM gauges are pretty nice and there is a plethora of different models to choose from. Still, I think the looks are essential and AEM gauges give me a impression of the eighties. I do have the the needle version of the UEGO gauge, just because its quite close to the Pivot gauges.
Then, suddenly: I was visiting Mr. Sensei who promised to make me a subwoofer box between the seats. He noticed my gauges and asked where I did get them, because he thought he had similar gauges at his garage. My initial question was “are you sure?” followed with three more questions “which gauges? still in box? how much?”
Mr. Sensei had Water Temp, Oil Temp, Oil Press and Fuel Press! And he sold them to me! Wooooo! Wooooooooo! With sensors and everything! ๐
He told me, that he had just taped them once in his showstopper Civic and after that they had been collecting dust. All the wires were untouched and in mint condition.
I’m still missing Volt and EGT gauges, but I might get those from AEM.
The gauges:
Later, I did find out which one was broken in the Defi system. It was the gauge. Beldin had a full Defi setup in his RX-7 and he had blown the main unit, which was replaced with my main unit.