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!!

 

[MindBlowin03]

Autometer does make electric oil pressure gauges, and Im sure they are accurate. Only problem with them is that they only read up to 100psi and turbo DSMs can and will go beyond that at times.

 

[CyberEye]

Autometer does make electric oil pressure gauges, and Im sure they are accurate. Only problem with them is that they only read up to 100psi and turbo DSMs can and will go beyond that at times.

does anybody make an electric one that reads high enough? I'd like to stay with the Autometer Z series since it's what I already have in the car, but it's not that big of a deal.

 

[Ntrain2k]

I run a unit from Nordskog that I'm pretty happy with.

As far as fuel pressure going over 100 psi, I don't have a need for a gauge to read higher.

I keep mine lower with much larger injectors and a lowered base fuel pressure.

 

[CyberEye]

I run a unit from Nordskog that I'm pretty happy with.

As far as fuel pressure going over 100 psi, I don't have a need for a gauge to read higher.

I keep mine lower with much larger injectors and a lowered base fuel pressure.

So will I be allrigh with 100psi? I'll be going with a 190lph pump, 550cc injectors and an SAFC for a while,.

 

[Ntrain2k]

Personally I would think so, when you start getting into fuel pressures that high bad things start happening, like injectors hanging shut or closed.

 

[99redgst]

Autometer does make electric oil pressure gauges, and Im sure they are accurate. Only problem with them is that they only read up to 100psi and turbo DSMs can and will go beyond that at times.

He is talking about an oil pressure gauge, that will go over 100 psi. Fuel pressure will never go over 100 psi, shouldn't even come close to 100 psi.

 

[CyberEye]

He is talking about an oil pressure gauge, that will go over 100 psi. Fuel pressure will never go over 100 psi, shouldn't even come close to 100 psi.

I didn't even notice he said oil.

 

[tobbern]

Hi!

I was looking at getting some gauges. I want to get an oilpressure and oil temp gauge.

Want i am wondering is if the mechanical gauges force me to run a tube of oil into my cockpit

I'm not 100% sure but it seems like if i had electronic gauges for oiltemp\pressure i don't need to run any oil into the cockpit area because i get the readings from a sensor that relays that reading too my gauge.

Best regards
Tobias

 

[guitarXgeek]

You are correct. The only mechanical gauge I'm using is a boost gauge. I wouldn't run any mechanical gauges that require fluid running into the cabin So yes, get electrical gauges for those

 

[spades_gsx]

i know that it doesnt sound good to run fluid into the cabin but it (mechanical) would be more accurate. even though it would be more accurate if it is not a full blown race car i would use an electrical gauge.

 

[Tsar]

I would choose the electrical gauges as well.

 

[boostedinaz]

I have had a few cars and all my buddies cars have run an mechanical oil pressure gauge inside. After at least 8 years, none of them have failed. I have found that those who automatically say they will fail has never had one in a car let alone fail and spray oil all over the place. Can it happen? Yes, but it is up to you to make sure it is installed correctly and safely.

 

[ClevSilverEclip]

Another advantage of mechanical -

If your electrical system fails, you'll still get readings from your mechanicals.

-A

/

 

[FireyIce01]

Provided the room, I would run the mechanical guage because as mentioned, if your electrical system takes a schitt, you'll know if you have oil pressure.... granted, on our cars, if your electrical goes to hell, odds are the car's going to die anyway, so it's really up to you... I've a history of having aligator clips from the battery to the + on the coil and the guages zip tied into my empty dash, with half my electrical system completely gone in some of my cars... so if I don't need a computer to run the car, I opt for mechanical... choice is really up to you, but neither option is bad.

 

[speedracer91]

i was thinking about that too...because the sending unit for my Stock oil pressure guage tooka crap on me and i was thinking about getting a mechanical one along with an a-pillar guage pod and moving my boost guage up there too.

 

[91boost]

I would choose the electrical gauges as well.

Same here....even for the boost gauge.

 

[LousyDriver]

I agree w/ the assesment so far, electrical gauges are more practical. If you do want mechanical gauges, though, you can get an isolator kit from any good performance shop.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=169638&prmenbr=361

 

[99gst_racer]

I have had a few cars and all my buddies cars have run an mechanical oil pressure gauge inside. After at least 8 years, none of them have failed. I have found that those who automatically say they will fail has never had one in a car let alone fail and spray oil all over the place. Can it happen? Yes, but it is up to you to make sure it is installed correctly and safely.

I agree with this 100%. About 90% of my co-workers are racers and they ALL swear by mechanical gauges. They say that the only people that have 'problems' with fluid line in the cockpit, are people that arent using braided line and AN fittings. I get pretty good deals on Autometer, and I checked prices on both. I would rather have an electronic gauge too, but if I can get a nice mechanical for $33 and the electronic one is $155, it's an easy choice for me.....

 

[orzech]

allright before i start, DO NOT tell me to go to eltric gayges. I did a search and read the info i needed to realise that they will get a good readings, and if i get oil in the cockpit, then i will change to eletrical.

anyways, i have mechanical oil psi, water temp and oil temp and i was wondering the best place to tap into all these for. I read i can pull the stock sending unit off by the oil pump and replace it with my new oil pressure sensor?

as for the oil temp, i dont want to drill a hole in my oil pan and risk it leaking. Is there anyplace on hte block or something around where i can get an accurate oil temp reading. I saw some little screw on the front of the block that looks like a possible place to screw in a sensor.

lastly the water temp, where shoul di tap that one into? thanks a lot.

idk if it matters but this is all on a 6 bolt engine

 

[tsitalon92]

and if i get oil in the cockpit, then i will change to eletrical.

I read i can pull the stock sending unit off by the oil pump and replace it with my new oil pressure sensor?

I would recommend using SS Braided Line then. I'm also running a mechanical oil pressure gauge. I am using SS Braided Line. It gets expensive, but well worth it.

Yes. That's exactly what I did. Just unscrewed the stock sending unit, and replaced with the oil line.

as for the oil temp, i dont want to drill a hole in my oil pan and risk it leaking.

Can you weld, or know a friend that can weld?

lastly the water temp, where should i tap that one into?

You can tap into the thermostat housing. If you have an aftermarket radiator with metal end tanks, you could tap into that.


Hope that helps.

 

[bigemrich]

What did you do with the stainless steel line? I have the autometer mechanical oil pressure and Im not sure I trust the nylon tube they provide. Could you possibly indulge a little more on how to use stainless steel lines? Like where to buy it, what size, or anything else I may need? Thanks alot.
Also, does anyone know what we need to T the aftermarket and stock sending unit so they both work? What size fittings and whatnot. All my searches didnt really provide concrete answers, just alot of guessing.

--Kyle

 

[bryant53]

now you guys are saying for mechanical to install a ss line by the pump, what about electric, can the sending unit be installed in the same manner, i havent looked yet, just got the gauge and was planning on (dreading) tapping the pan

 

[booosting92tsi]

Has any one ever installed an Autometer Tranny temp Gauge part #5757 in their 1g dsm??
>any thing i should know? any how to faq's out there how to do it????
>
>where do i tap in?

 

[tmizer]

#4357 is what I used. Same as #5757 but is Ultra-lite series. 250F 90deg sweep Trans Temp gauge.

I made a sensor block out of a chunk of aluminum, drilled 2 intersecting thru holes 90 degrees to each other. In retrospect, after tapping all 4 holes (in/out/temp/pressure), I probably would've just spent the $18 John wants for them at IPT (although his may have room for only one sensor). I then used -6AN hose to connect to it inline. 2 dellorto carb fittings use the same 12mm x 1.25 thread on the tranny side, and have -6AN nipples on the other. Cooler has AN fittings. I'll try and take a picture of the sensor block later and post it.

Alternatively, you can use a 3-way t-fitting with ends chosen appropriately for your type of tranny hose. AN hose ends are so much easier to work with than barbed hose ends IMHO. E.g., my oil temp gauge is plumbed off my head from the former turbo supply using -4AN hose, into a -4AN t-fitting, with the t-end being 1/8NPT male into a female 1/8NPT coupler, with the Autometer sender screwed into that coupler. The hose continues on into the car for the (head) oil pressure gauge...let's hope it doesn't leak. I've already leaked coolant from the fuel pressure isolator onto my stereo (gauges on top)...hate it when that happens.

 

[tmizer]

Above - engine oil temp sensor off head, tee'd into -4 engine oil pressure gauge hose.
Below - trans oil temp gauge inline with -6 cooler line.

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