I need to install a set of gauges in my 70 Chevelle. I am curious as to the benefit of one kind of gauge vs. the other. I see mechanical 2 1/16 gauges can be had on the cheap for oil, water and volts/amps but the electrical versons are much more.
Electrical vs mechanical gauges
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Some digital gauges look cool
Failures are rare, but I personally would not want blistering hot oil INSIDE the passenger compartment if the pressure line to the mechanical oil gauge blows.
Water temp and volt gauges are easy and safe to run. Amp meter as well, if the sense resistor is mounted at the battery with just sense wires run to the dash.
So if money is tight, oil is the one that I would save for to get a quality electronic gauge.
Water temp and volt gauges are easy and safe to run. Amp meter as well, if the sense resistor is mounted at the battery with just sense wires run to the dash.
So if money is tight, oil is the one that I would save for to get a quality electronic gauge.
For something like a 70 Chevelle I'd like the appearance of mechanical gauges to be period-correct.
I had an electric oil pressure gauge in my 82 cimarron and the dampening was shot, so it was all "twitchy." The mechanical one in my w123 is perfection, but then it's a different class of car.
OTOH my dad had a mechanical water temp gauge that I think he just stuffed in the outside of the block with its capillary tube-- not too accurate. I'd want one that I could put in an unused/ teed water hole, presumably with an electric sender.
I had an electric oil pressure gauge in my 82 cimarron and the dampening was shot, so it was all "twitchy." The mechanical one in my w123 is perfection, but then it's a different class of car.
OTOH my dad had a mechanical water temp gauge that I think he just stuffed in the outside of the block with its capillary tube-- not too accurate. I'd want one that I could put in an unused/ teed water hole, presumably with an electric sender.
I'm thinking about adding this transmission temp gauge.
https://www.amazon.com/White-Green-MaxTo...ature+gauge+kit
https://www.amazon.com/White-Green-MaxTo...ature+gauge+kit
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I'm trying to imagine what a mechanical ammeter would be like---as opposed to a conventional analog one.
The faces of the gauges all look similar. I was looking at Auto Meter part#'s 2634, 2635, 2645 for the water, oil and volts or Summit sells a set of three under part number SUM-G2889 with a totally different look.
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Mechanical water temp gauge requires a pretty large hole in the firewall for the probe to fit through as you cannot remove the capillary tube from the back of the gauge. You can get isolators to remove the worry of hot oil spraying around for the mechanical oil pressure gauge. I’ve got mechanical units in a car of mine, but would do electric if the extra money wasn’t a concern.
Thanks for all the input! I think I will go with electrical and choose from what I have found so far for under dash gauges.
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Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
Single or dual A piller pod...
https://www.egauges.com/Chevy-A-Body-Pillar-Mounts-s/24209.htm
No pods, just a simple triple bracket mount under the dash.
Single or dual A piller pod...
https://www.egauges.com/Chevy-A-Body-Pillar-Mounts-s/24209.htm
No pods, just a simple triple bracket mount under the dash.
I have volts, coolant temp, oil temp & oil pressure gauges, all electrical.
Purely and simply because if they fail, all they do is fail. If a mechanical gauge fails you can get burns, engine damage, interior trim damage and other nasty situations.
Purely and simply because if they fail, all they do is fail. If a mechanical gauge fails you can get burns, engine damage, interior trim damage and other nasty situations.
I tend to agree
I gave up on Cyberdyne digital pressure gauges. They would each last for less than two years.
My MG has mechanical oil pressure and temperature gauges. One unpleasant failure mode is having the rubber tubing that connects the oil pipe to the gauge fitting burst and it starts rapidly dumping hot 20W-50 oil on the driver's knees
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I used to be a fan of suntune electrics - but the new ones, even the premium lit-thru-dial versions are CHEAP and fail. A Volt meter lost it's backlight, an oil pressure connector got twisted a smidge and broke the internal 30 gauge wire (maybe 1/4 turn?), and separately a recent sun oil pressure sender ruptured and seeped oil out the connector nut. That was 6 gauges across two vehicles in the last 10 years.
Now if I'm going to put the labor into it, I use autometer. The oil drawback with AM is that you must use a automater dimmer module if you wish to dim the backlighting to match your dash. Other than that, zero issues with AM.
-m
Now if I'm going to put the labor into it, I use autometer. The oil drawback with AM is that you must use a automater dimmer module if you wish to dim the backlighting to match your dash. Other than that, zero issues with AM.
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