>In reality, the gauges are for actively keeping track of the action, while
>the warning lights are just that, trying to tell you that you have already
>developed a problem, and you better shut it down before it goes "Boom"
>(read EXPENSIVE).
>With more experience, you will be able to remember shift points, EGT
>readings, oil pressure & temp. It just takes practice, and getting used to
>the action around you.
>It is a good, but odd feeling to realize you are bored flying down the
>front straight of your local track, waving to your wife in the stands,
>while running your Roadster to 7000 RPM before shifting.
Gotta disagree, to an extent anyway. As Fred already mentioned, in
competition and especially in auto-x things happen so quickly and your
attention is focused so intently outside the car, you have little if any
time to read gauges. You can glance to see where the needles are, but
digesting the readings usually doesn't happen.
You may have heard the term "in the green". It's an aviation term that
means that critical engine gauge readings are within normal operating
range, not too high nor too low. In addition to numerals around a gauge,
colored arcs were used divide the gauge face. Low range is usually
yellow, normal range green (hence the term), and red for over. You'll
often see race cars with marks or pieces of tape next to a gauge face to
identify the low and high ends of the normal range, and it's pretty much
accepted practice to mount a tach so that your shift point is at the 12
o'clock position. All of this goes to being able to glance at the
position of a needle not to read the gauge, but just to make sure the
needles are they should be.
Having gone through all of that, I'll still probably be using a BIG light
and maybe a buzzer set for the shift point and at least a BIG light set
for around 15 psi for low oil pressure, particularly for auto crossing.
If I'm turning 6K to 7K and the low oil pressure light comes on, I hope
I'll have enough presence of mind to hit the kill switch in as hurry.
FWIW, Ron
Ronnie Day
ronday@home.com
Dallas/Ft. Worth
'71 510 2-dr (Prepared Class Autocrosser)
'73 510 2-dr (Street Toy)
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