Mechanical or electrical gauges?

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doogievlg

doogievlg

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I'm about to buy a three gauge cluster for temp, oil pressure, and volts and was curious what everyone prefers for water temp and oil pressure.
 
Although I think mechanical are more accurate (reliable) I prefer electrical (oil pressure) so that there's no way I can get an oil leak inside the cabin.

Treblig
 
Mechanical. You can use something called a snubber between the gauge and the hoses to take care of any concerns with oil, trans fluid or other fluids from entering the cabin area
 
Temp pressure and volts; where are you gonna mount them?
If they are not in-your-face, when something goes wrong,they will never tell you something you don't already know.

Example1;
you're driving along and a puff of smoke comes up from between the hood and the fender. Immediately your brain thinks; was that water? So you look at the gauge and sure enough it says "not normal". See, it verified what you already knew.

Example2; You're blasting thru the gears and you hear this noise that sounds like a rod-knock. Chit! So you check the pressure gauge and sure enough it says "not normal". Again it verified what you already knew.

Example 3;
You're driving along at night and suddenly the lights go dim. Chit! Your brain says;I think my alternator quit! So you check the volts gauge, and sure enough it says "not normal".

I always wanted a guage-pack in my Barracuda, But I've been driving without since 1999. The factory gauges are still in there and working just like the factory designed then to. And I almost never look at them. Well except for the pesky gas gauge,lol.

Since 1969 when I got my Drivers, I've had oil-pressure failures, cooling system failures and charging system failures. And the gauges never ever told me anything that I didn't already know. So
I vote the cheapest gauges you can find, cuz after the novelty wears off, you will rarely look at them.lol. Until something goes wrong. And by then you will already know what.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Temp pressure and volts; where are you gonna mount them?
If they are not in-your-face, when something goes wrong,they will never tell you something you don't already know.

Example1;
you're driving along and a puff of smoke comes up from between the hood and the fender. Immediately your brain thinks; was that water? So you look at the gauge and sure enough it says "not normal". See, it verified what you already knew.

Example2; You're blasting thru the gears and you hear this noise that sounds like a rod-knock. Chit! So you check the pressure gauge and sure enough it says "not normal". Again it verified what you already knew.

Example 3;
You're driving along at night and suddenly the lights go dim. Chit! Your brain says;I think my alternator quit! So you check the volts gauge, and sure enough it says "not normal".

I always wanted a guage-pack in my Barracuda, But I've been driving without since 1999. The factory gauges are still in there and working just like the factory designed then to. And I almost never look at them. Well except for the pesky gas gauge,lol.

Since 1969 when I got my Drivers, I've had oil-pressure failures, cooling system failures and charging system failures. And the gauges never ever told me anything that I didn't already know. So
I vote the cheapest gauges you can find, cuz after the novelty wears off, you will rarely look at them.lol. Until something goes wrong. And by then you will already know what.
Click to expand...

I check my gauges every few minutes when I'm driving. Even in my new truck I am constantly looking at my gauges. I had no idea I had low oil pressure until I noticed a slight noise one day and decided to change the oil. I had metal in the filter so I put a gauge on it in the garage and saw I had no pressure. Would have been much easier to glance down at an oil pressure gauge and see a drop in pressure. Could have kept extra material out of my engine as well. My factory temp gauge works but I would much rather see the temperature in numbers than a needle pointing at a random place on a gauge.

It will be a pain finding a place to mount them but I will probably go under the dash with it. I will have to take my eyes off the road for a split second but we all do that every time we look in the rear view mirror.
 
You must be a lot younger than me.
At my age there is no such thing as taking my eyes off the road. It takes a second or two to refocus on the interior, a second or two to read the gauge, and a second or two for my eyes to refocus on the hiway. Do the math.At 65 mph I am traveling at 95.33 feet per second. At 65 the only gauge I look at is the speedO, and only long enough to set the cruise.
If you're checking your gauges every few minutes,all I can say is ; "I'm so glad we don't share the same driving space."
95 feet per second.
 
Mechanical.
Use copper line on the oil pressure guage. Route the line right and you will never have a problem.
You don't need a heads up display, hang them under the dash. A good driver's eyes are always moving, bet you never wreck from reading ANY guages.

Oh, and buy quality guages. If you can't trust them, what's the point?
 
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AJ/FormS said:
You must be a lot younger than me.
At my age there is no such thing as taking my eyes off the road. It takes a second or two to refocus on the interior, a second or two to read the gauge, and a second or two for my eyes to refocus on the hiway. Do the math.At 65 mph I am traveling at 95.33 feet per second. At 65 the only gauge I look at is the speedO, and only long enough to set the cruise.
If you're checking your gauges every few minutes,all I can say is ; "I'm so glad we don't share the same driving space."
95 feet per second.
Click to expand...

If you cant check your gauges with a quick fraction of a second glance and have your eyes back on the road in less than a second perhaps you should have your eyes checked, or be a passenger.
I'm not that much younger than you and its not an issue.
Sure glad I dont share the road with you.
 
KnuckleDuster said:
Mechanical.
Use copper line on the oil pressure guage. Route them right and you will never have a problem.
You don't need a heads up display, hang them under the dash. A good driver's eyes are always moving, bet you never wreck from reading ANY guages.
Click to expand...

Exactly on the eyes always moving...from inside mirror to road to outside mirror to road to dash to road to mirror...

For $20 bucks I'll go with the braided line. Copper will fracture with vibration over time. Avoid the plastic tubing, its junk.
Braided Pressure Gauge Line Kit
 
I think I spent more on the copper, may be a better idea. I might switch, thanks.
 
AJ/FormS said:
You must be a lot younger than me.
At my age there is no such thing as taking my eyes off the road. It takes a second or two to refocus on the interior, a second or two to read the gauge, and a second or two for my eyes to refocus on the hiway. Do the math.At 65 mph I am traveling at 95.33 feet per second. At 65 the only gauge I look at is the speedO, and only long enough to set the cruise.
If you're checking your gauges every few minutes,all I can say is ; "I'm so glad we don't share the same driving space."
95 feet per second.
Click to expand...

Ok
 
Treblig said:
Although I think mechanical are more accurate (reliable) I prefer electrical (oil pressure) so that there's no way I can get an oil leak inside the cabin.

Treblig
Click to expand...

I carry a spare plastic tubing kit in the glove box JIC....
 
doogievlg said:
I'm about to buy a three gauge cluster for temp, oil pressure, and volts and was curious what everyone prefers for water temp and oil pressure.
Click to expand...

I prefer to get 270° sweep gauges for oil and water temp vs 90° sweep...

The 270° sweep are more accurate and easier to read...

90° sweep is good for volts/amps...


Do your homework and shop all the variations before buying to make sure you get what you want...

We went with oil-tep-amps on ours vs oil-temp-volts... We prefer amps...

Gauges 01.jpg


Gauges 02.jpg
 
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krazykuda said:
I prefer to get 270° sweep gauges for oil and water temp vs 90° sweep...

The 270° sweep are more accurate and easier to read...

90° sweep is good for volts/amps...


Do your homework and shop all the variations before buying to make sure you get what you want...

We went with oil-tep-amps on ours vs oil-temp-volts... We prefer amps...

View attachment 1715055168

View attachment 1715055169
Click to expand...


This is a good idea. Wish I woulda thought to do amps vs volts.
 
KnuckleDuster said:
Mechanical.
Use copper line on the oil pressure guage. Route the line right and you will never have a problem.
You don't need a heads up display, hang them under the dash. A good driver's eyes are always moving, bet you never wreck from reading ANY guages.

Oh, and buy quality guages. If you can't trust them, what's the point?
Click to expand...

copper work hardens with vibration and will fatigue and eventually crack...

I prefer nylon and keep a spare in the glove box....
 
krazykuda said:
copper work hardens with vibration and will fatigue and eventually crack...

I prefer nylon and keep a spare in the glove box....
Click to expand...

No one ever plans on things getting too hot in their engine compartment but if I'd did
krazykuda said:
copper work hardens with vibration and will fatigue and eventually crack...

I prefer nylon and keep a spare in the glove box....
Click to expand...

Is there a benifit to nylon over braided in your opinion? I know the engine bay should never get too hot but if that hose got melted and started spraying oil then I would be in trouble.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Since 1969 when I got my Drivers, I've had oil-pressure failures, cooling system failures and charging system failures. And the gauges never ever told me anything that I didn't already know. So I vote the cheapest gauges you can find, cuz after the novelty wears off, you will rarely look at them.lol. Until something goes wrong. And by then you will already know what.
Click to expand...

I like having the gauges to verify that I'm running ok...

Then if you hear the lifters collapse, and look down and see NO oil pressure, then you know to immediately shut it off before doing any damage to the engine... (Been there - done that and saved my 340 when an oil pressure relief valve stuck...)
 
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