Educate me about gauges

[mytight95]

Ok i haven't bought gauges for the interior before, my bud tells me that it is fine to run mechanical gauges inside the cockpit<----lol


So can you run mechanical gauges in the cockpit, such as oil pressure and temp without any issues, or do you have to buy the isolators etc. ? That is what i want to run


i want 2 1/16 oil pressure and water temp, i have a panel made fore the "din" under the stereo, and that is where i will put them.


Anoyone got any recommendations on certain gauges, heres a pic of my gauges,

i have the HVAC to match just haven't installed them yet. so opinions on gauges are more than welcome, what you have and what you do or don't like about them.

thanks,

Jason

 

[Green 94 5.0]

i would never run a mechanical gauge in the passenger compartment. there is something about the idea of oil, coolant, and fuel running into the cockpit that makes me uneasy. at any rate, the only electric gauge that is much more expensive than the mechanical ones is the fuel pressure gauge. i got both my water temp and oil pressure gauges for about $90. wouldnt you feel a bit safer running a wire into the car than hot engine fluids? just my .02

 

[mytight95]

oh i was thinking the electric one were almost 200$.....i had only looked at the fuel pressure one.


i will do some more looking on summits site



jason

 

[illwood]

i would never run a mechanical gauge in the passenger compartment. there is something about the idea of oil, coolant, and fuel running into the cockpit that makes me uneasy. at any rate, the only electric gauge that is much more expensive than the mechanical ones is the fuel pressure gauge. i got both my water temp and oil pressure gauges for about $90. wouldnt you feel a bit safer running a wire into the car than hot engine fluids? just my .02

First off, even Autometer doesn't recommend running a mechanical fuel pressure gauge in the passenger compartment without and isolator. The mechanical coolant temp gauge doesn't have any coolant running to the passenger compartment either. It has a tube attached to it that is filled with a gas that causes the gauge to move. The only one that has car fluids entering the compartment is the oil pressure.

I bought one of the 94-04 Autometer gauge bezels so I can put my temp and oil pressure gauge in the same vicinity as the factory gauges. I will be running mechanical gauges and I have already bought the braided line to use for the oil pressure. I am personally not concerned about leaks as I will be double and triple checking the install before the car is started.

Electrical gauges don't respond as fast and don't have a full sweep, but if you don't like the idea of running lines and hoses or have a saftey concern they're your option. Electrical gauges do install easier. Just run some wire.

 

[illwood]

oh i was thinking the electric one were almost 200$.....i had only looked at the fuel pressure one.


i will do some more looking on summits site



jason

The electric fuel pressure gauge is so expensive because it's actually a little stepper motor that runs the needle and it's a full sweep. Otherwise, mechanical and electrical gauges are in the same price range.

 

[95cobradude]

i have an electric fuel pressure gauge and air fuel ratio, and a mechanical water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, vacuum, and boost. the only gauge that allows fluid in the passenger compartment is oil pressure, the temp gauges dont allow any fluid in the passenger compartment. i have 2 1/16 auto meter ultra lites and never had any problems with them.

 

[mytight95]

pics? Summits pics don't really show detail nor can i get an idea of how they would look in our interior. Thanks so far guys

i didn't think coolant came into the engine bay, but that is why i ask,

I will probably run mech. then........ i will check on everything first..

 

[stprorolla49]

electric gauges are also a lot easier to rig up than mechanical gauges in my experience....ive got both electric water temp and electric oil press in the pillar, and i love em....i HIGHLY suggest em...

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Clock Pod..Elect Fuel Pressure and Boost Gauges.

Pillar...Elec Oil Pressure and Water Temp.(ugly old man SW cover no longer there)

RC

 

[Green 94 5.0]

 

[mytight95]

RC, how well do those match your new gauges(speedo), if they match good in day, what about the backlight, do they match the green or the blue of the gauges at night?

i am currently checking on elect. prices, does seem more simple to run wires instead of tubing, etc.

roger, if i still had stock gauge faces, i would prolly get the ones you have those match really well.


thanks guys,


jason

 

[94GTLaserRC]

They match ok in the day...lighting is different at night, but no biggie.
RC

 

[Guero]

how do you put in a shift light but just the light? or were can you get it?

 

[mytight95]

think you could change or color the bulb, i am just curious, don't really want three or four colors going in the interior.....lol that would look like christmas


jason


ps. thanks i am pretty sure i am going with the autometer Ultra Lite style in a white faced design.....looks like they will only be about 95$ for both......... thanks guys

 

[Green 94 5.0]

how do you put in a shift light but just the light? or were can you get it?

i would imagine summit would have it. it runs right from the lamp to the control module where you put the rpm pill. from there it goes to the tach terminal. really simple install.

 

[final5-0]

Years ago, me and all my gear head buds ran mechanical gauges and did so for quite a few years.

None of us ever had any probs with leaking and the like.

I would not wanna run gasoline into my car however, lol.

Grady

 

[Guero]

i would imagine summit would have it. it runs right from the lamp to the control module where you put the rpm pill. from there it goes to the tach terminal. really simple install.

that does not sound simple at all them big werds u usin dere lol

 

[xkuntrycowboyx]

I would not wanna run gasoline into my car however, lol.

Grady

ahhh, comon' Grady, wouldn't it just make things more fun! haha

 

[TSWG00]

I myself would go with Mechanical but Not sure I'm going with the autometer luner gauges. Oil Pressure, Water Temp for now. Although the Phantom gauges have more like Transtemp, Oil Temp, Differential Temperature and so on. Not that I'll even really need them. Maybe when I build my Autocross SN95 car lol