Well if you are going to engine monitor
Go with A Grand Rapids Tech (GRT) EIS-4000.
For less than $900 you get:
http://www.grtavionics.com/model_4000&6000.htm
Spruce has it for $843:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/eis8.php
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/catalog/Cat06392.pdf
It is by far the best bargain on the market, been around a long time, GRT is known for great support, has 4XEGT/CHT with lean set point pages, shock cooling alert and will warn you if any parrameter limit is exceeded (Hi or Lo).
The basic system comes with All 4 EGT's & CHT's, Tach, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp and Volts. Plus it has flight and total engine hour timers.
With this basic unit you can add these popular options with the purchase of the probe sensor:
Manifold pressure
Fuel levels L&R
Fuel Pressure
Fuel Flow
Carb T
Amps
All the possible standard and optional functioins are :
Standard:
4 or 6 Exhaust Gas Temperatures
4 or 6 Cylinder Head Temperatures
Tachometer
Oil Temperature
Oil Pressure
Volts
Hour meter
Flight Timer with Interval Timer (switch tanks)
Other inputs (with dedicated channels):
Outside Air Temperature
Carburetor Temperature
Vertical speed (VSI)
AirSpeed (AS)
6 Auxiliary Inputs user configurable can provide:
Manifold Pressure (normally aspirated or turbo)
Fuel Pressure
Fuel Level (using capacitive or float-type sending units)
Coolant Pressure
Amp meter
Ignition Advance, second voltmeter, rotor rpm, etc.
For less than $900 you can start with the basic instrument. If you subtract the all the other gauges that you will not need (OP, OT, Fuel Levels, Tach, Manifold, Hobbs meter, Volt, amp) you will save money. If you already bought gauges? Sell them on eBay. You cut holes in the panel already? Well cut them out and put in sub panels or buy a new panel. Even if you got a few optional senders (MAP, Fuel Pressure) it will be about $1,000. IF you have fuel tank senders you don't need gauges, because the EIS-4000 will monitor it for you and warn you of low level! IF you go all EIS-4000 you will save money of seperate gauges and save panel space.
G