Electrical or Mechanical Gauges? [Merged 9-6]

[TSiAWD91]

Ok i ordered an autometer mechanical oil pressure gauge today on accident.i wanted to get the electrical,but for some reason i picked the mechanical.anyways,i was wondering if the mechanical gauge is a PITA to install and if i should send back the one i ordered to get the electrical gauge,or if its not too bad of an install.thanks for any help!!

 

[92mitsuboost]

the vdo is only 25$ and its te only gauge i can find that has 0....5....10....15psi intervals. the autometer is like 0 ..........10.........20.........30psi. i like the 0 5 10 15 because i wont make over 15psi anyway and because it is easier to glance and tell what psi you are running.

 

[blackmirage]

ok, please help me settle an argument we are having. Wish is the better guage to use.. Mechanical or Electrical... or maybe we are both wrong and it doesnt even matter? I searched with every term I could think of and kept coming up with MBC stuff.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

I really depends you want some mechanical and some electronic, the electronic is nice because it doesnt have things like gas and oil going inside the cabin to show you a reading.

Dustin

 

[blackmirage]

Ok, well lets say its a boost guage. you want a mechanical right?

 

[andymoraitis]

Mechanical for boost
Electrical for oil, fuel pressure and EGT

There are some people who make mechanical oil and fuel gauges work well without running into problems, but I'd rather not have fuel or oil inside the cabin as Dustin mentioned.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

They all work the same but mechanical has a hose bringing ____to the guage to be measured. They have both mechanical and electronic for boost, which ones better or which one you prefer is up to the user, Im going with some electronic and some mechanical.
EDIT: Andy you sure are quick.

Dustin

 

[blackmirage]

ok well im going with mechanical boost and electric a/f... friend thinks I should just go all electric.. thanks for settling the argument somewhat.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Go mechanical for boost, and electronic for EGTs, oil, gas, ect...anything you wouldnt want to get sprayed with if a line breaks go electronic, and mechanical for the rest.

Dustin

 

[SinaiTSi]

Dangit, you guys are too fast.

As for the a/f ratio gauge, the general consensus there is that they're a waste of money and just provide a light show for you.

 

[blackmirage]

really. so the egt is better?

 

[SinaiTSi]

A heck of a lot better. A heck of a lot more expensive too.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Go EGT because the A/F ratio guage will only work if the ratio is really out of wack, and there is so much room on those things but they aren't accurate enough to justify getting one.

Dustin

 

[blackmirage]

Cool... I found some that are not very expensive at all.. 87.99 for egt..Only thing is, I know what being rich and lean and how to read a a/f guage.. but with an EGT Guage... whats it doing and what am I looking for.. I've heard they are better...but....why?

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

Exhaust Gas Temperature, hence EGT... It monitors your operating temperatures. Failure to observe these limits will often result in melted engine parts and other bad SH*T, trust me.... I have the Greedy EGT, and you want something that measures past 1600 F, these cheapo's arent the ones you should be messing with... Do it right and do it once....

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Yep thats right, it will melt the cast internals if the temps get too high, and I wouldnt get that 87$ one, go to SBR and get the EGT guage with the K-thermocoupler, its $148.95.

Dustin

 

[blackmirage]

The 87.00 one goes to 2500....
http://prosportgauges.com/Performance Gauges-Amber.htm
found the link on these forums.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Looks to be of good quality, I would get it, and see if it truely is good, and for 87$, its cheap enough.

Dustin

 

[blackmirage]

ok, i'll let you know how I like it, and how good it really is.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Take pics, and keep detailed record of what you do to install it, and post up a tech article on what you did to instal it, and how it has been working for you after a few weeks.

Dustin

 

[x35 laro]

alright i just got my mechanical oil gauge i havent even opened the box yet i was just curious of someone could tell me whats involved in running threw the oil sending unit and how hard it is to do so i know what im getting my self into later tonight

 

[Lordpaxin]

it would be advisable to swap to a Electronic guage.

Not for instrumentation reasoning but mainly because you will be pumping hot oil into the cockpit.. a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Send it back, and get an electronic, you don't want that hot oil to start spraying inside the cabin.

Dustin

 

[boosted86]

i dont know why everyone doubts the mechanical gauge so much! if you do the install properly your not going to have any problems,,,i have had mine for 2 1/2 years...problem free. if it it was that much of a hazard do you really thingk autometer would take that risk?

 

[FORMONTOYA]

if you do the install properly your not going to have any problems

And that's the problem. Not that there's a lot that can go wrong, but if something does.....then the interior and possible a person is taking a hot oil bath. No matter how fast you shut it down, it's going to be a real mess.

They may be cheaper, but I'll take an electrical gauge over mechanical any day of the week (except for a boost gauge).

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Yeah Ill take a mechanical boost guage too. But for stuff like gas, oil, EGs I would say electric, I don't want to end up in the hospital from oil burns for being part of a ___% of guage failures. Also sure your saving what 25$? I think you will be spending much more if the mechanical guage malfunctions and sends oil all over your interior ruining seats, headliner, carpet, maybe even causing you to crash.

Dustin