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Mechnical or Electric Gauges?

d00dz

By d00dz,
in Engines & Forced Induction

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predator Grand Master

predator

Posted
Posted

I can't quite see how a mechanical will be any more accurate or quicker to react as long as the electronic gauge has got decent electronics... and things have changed since the 70's in regards to cheap electronics. Afterall, once the signal is converted to voltage, it then drives the needle - rather than the fluid being sent all the way into the cabin. The speed of light is a little faster than the speed of fluid I would think?

In some ways I am not even sure why everything is getting converted to an electrical signal anyhow, and then it uses that voltage to move a silly analogue needle. Especially when a little LCD display is next to nothing these days.

My mate has a mechanical oil pressure gauge .. The fact that the oil is going straight into the cabin is not good at all if you ask me. Always is uncomfortably warm to the touch.

INASNT Grand Master

INASNT

Posted
Posted
I can't quite see how a mechanical will be any more accurate or quicker to react as long as the electronic gauge has got decent electronics... and things have changed since the 70's in regards to cheap electronics. Afterall, once the signal is converted to voltage, it then drives the needle - rather than the fluid being sent all the way into the cabin. The speed of light is a little faster than the speed of fluid I would think?  

In some ways I am not even sure why everything is getting converted to an electrical signal anyhow, and then it uses that voltage to move a silly analogue needle. Especially when a little LCD display is next to nothing these days.  

My mate has a mechanical oil pressure gauge .. The fact that the oil is going straight into the cabin is not good at all if you ask me. Always is uncomfortably warm to the touch.

That will be fun in an accident if the oil line gets split and you are stuck in the car with 80+ degree oil spraying you.

jaik Mentor

jaik

Posted
Posted

Im interested to know... I have an oil pressure guage thats mechanical that plugs into my sandwich adaptor on the block... and there is already oil in it from the sender entrance to the guage... im thinking tho, that the oil in this piece of 2-3m copper tubing will never reach the same temperature as the oil inside the motor... considering its distance from the heat source, the length of cooling it has by the copper piping etc...

JK

predator Grand Master

predator

Posted
Posted
That will be fun in an accident if the oil line gets split and you are stuck in the car with 80+ degree oil spraying you.

oh, trust me, i keep thinking that.. and i have a nasty habbit of fiddling with stuff.. hehe. Its one of those things installed by last owner, that you just really can't be assed pulling out.. but i am sure it would be a good idea.

err :confused: why the hell is this thread up the top again when i posted it yesterday :confused:

Yorik Community Regular

Yorik

Posted
Posted

With the speed of stepper motors these days it really is of no consequence the speed comparison of the Mech to Elect.. Of course some elect are crap, I prefer Turst guages, but the best are Defi, closely followed by Apexi in my opinion.. I just have a full suite of Trust guages already and refuse to change out as it would cost a few grand for Defi..

Nabil Rising Star

Nabil

Posted
Posted
Question is: What do you guys prefer?

Electric or Mechanical Gauge?

This is for oil pressure and a boost gauge.

On a side note...

What do the stock gauges use? Mechnical or Electric?

I had a Mechanical Oil gauge mounted in the dash on the passenger side of my S13. My mate twisted it a little. After a long drive he said that he needed a tissue. When he opened the compartment underneth the gauge (here the plumbing & wiring may be found) the whole f@#kin compartment was soaked in oil. The tube connecting the oil supply to the gauge fractured. It was a real bad experience.

So if you ask me I would rather use a electrical gaue because I think they don't have oil lines running to them. Also, I have a mech. boost gauge which I think is not 100% accurate; because on cold mornings when I release the throttle on about 5 vaccum (not sure of the unit for vaccum) I here the flutter. Prior to releasing I here the turbo on boost. They are both autometer gauges.

Jordan Rising Star

Jordan

Posted
Posted

Both, Go electronic for the Oil, and Mechanical for the Boost.

A good aftermarket oil guage can read off your stock pressure sensor, or will include a replacement that can be fitted in the stock ones location.

The levels of vacume/boost that you are dealing with are pretty small so you arent in any danger of, say, being sucked into the turbo and killed.

The stock boost guage in the dash of a R33gtst is mechanical I think, I tapped into the vacuume line coming up to the bottom of the dash inside the cabin for my A'pexi EL boost guage. responsive wise, when my foot moves on the accellerator, the A'pexi moves instantly. Its miles ahead in responsiveness than the stock dash guage which lags behind.

For example, at idle and looking at the dash instruments when I rev the car. The A'pexi guage responds first, then the tacho flicks up, the oil guage quivers for a second, and lastly, the stock boost guage sluggishly decides to respond.

The drawbacks of mechanical as opposed to electric that I know of is that Mechanical guages might become less trustworthy after a few (3 or 4) years of use and might need to be recalibrated by professionals.

Oh, and lastly. My preference is on a $300 Jap-branded guage which is super responsive over a $130 Autometer. Sure its cheaper, but in my experience they are slow and sluggish to respond, much like the stock guages

  • 2 weeks later...
R33S2 Grand Master

R33S2

Posted
Posted

In my experience, as a marine fitter, the accuracy of of most gauges is in direct proportion to the quality of the their build and the quality of installation. Cheap quality electronic gauges were a boon in my industry(I've run miles of copper piping) but some are still mech by standards, mainly steam and oil.

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