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mechanical vs. electric gauges?

  • Thread starter Thread starter manpowermustang
  • Start date Start date Nov 4, 2004
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manpowermustang

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Nov 4, 2004
#1
  • Nov 4, 2004
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I going to finaly get some gauges and was wondering if or what the benifits are to either one. I have always had mechanical one in the pasts. Any thoughts....
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
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#2
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #2
quality electric gauges these days are probably as good as mech gauges. i like the 270* sweep of mech gauges, but a few manufactures (ok atleast AM) are making elec gauges with the big sweep.

otherwise, with oil pressure atleast, elec means you dont have the possibility of hot oil spraying the interior of the car.

really a personal choice.

good luck and enjoy!
 

tunedin302

I AM the law!!!
Jul 29, 2004
1,251
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Pennsylvania
Nov 4, 2004
#3
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #3
Or do a mechanical oil pressure guage outside your car.
View attachment 520970
View attachment 520972
 

PhLoBuS

New Member
Aug 15, 2004
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Beverly, MA
Nov 4, 2004
#4
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looks pretty nice
 

90NotchBack

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Loxahatchee/Pembroke Pines, FL
Nov 4, 2004
#5
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #5
All my gauges are mechanical besides the volts gauge.


I have a fuel pressure, oil pressure, water temp, and trans temp mechanical guages. Also a volts gauge.
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
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i had a really hard time wiring in my mechanical voltmeter.
 

Goldmember

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Nov 4, 2004
#7
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is it safe to put a mechanical fuel pressure gage in the interior? is there any risk of fire in case of an accident? how safe are they?
 

04sleeper

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Jun 22, 2002
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89
Dallas, TX
Nov 4, 2004
#8
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #8
Goldmember said:
is it safe to put a mechanical fuel pressure gage in the interior? is there any risk of fire in case of an accident? how safe are they?
Click to expand...
You can do so safely with a fuel isolator. Like this.
View attachment 520966
 

Goldmember

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Nov 4, 2004
#9
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #9
thanks sleeper. just had a lil doubt inside my mind. i will surely get one of those. i know that mechanical gauges are very accurate compared to electric plus the mechs are much cheaper. by the way where can i get one of those isolators? thanks.
 

RydeOn

Licensed to Chill
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Nov 4, 2004
#10
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  • #10
The isolators are not that accurate I heard. Plus you spend $100 for the isolater and $50 for the gauge itself. You might as well just spend $180 for the electronic fuel pressure gauge. Thats what I have in my dash and its very accurate, I love that thing. They are easy to hook up to. For anything that transfers fluid into the cab I would go electric, otherwise go mechanical.
 

FrdMustangCpe

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Sin City, NV
Nov 4, 2004
#11
  • Nov 4, 2004
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id prefer electric except for fuel or even oil psi. easier to install IMO. and if the temp gauge were to crack or somethin. can you say, hottt coolant in you car?
 

Goldmember

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Southen California
Nov 4, 2004
#12
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guess im leaning towards electric again. just really dont want to bother running steel braided lines into my interior. plus like RydeOn said. might as well spend on electrical and get it all-in-one and plus convenience.
 

Mavrick

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Collingwood, ON
Nov 4, 2004
#13
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FrdMustangCpe said:
id prefer electric except for fuel or even oil psi. easier to install IMO. and if the temp gauge were to crack or somethin. can you say, hottt coolant in you car?
Click to expand...

Temp gauge doesn't work like that. It uses a capillary line to feed the gauge.. something fancy, i'm fairly sure coolant doesn't goes through the line.

I am a fan of mechanical gauges.. they give me a more confident reading. The last thing i want is a bad reading from some stupid electronic sending unit, or pile of garbage.
 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master
Apr 10, 2002
9,039
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79
Charlotte, NC
Nov 4, 2004
#14
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #14
VDO makes a new mechanical clock powered by the earth's rotational gravity that measures metric time.
 

Mavrick

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Collingwood, ON
Nov 4, 2004
#15
  • Nov 4, 2004
  • #15
Michael Yount said:
VDO makes a new mechanical clock powered by the earth's rotational gravity that measures metric time.
Click to expand...

That's rad.
 

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!
Jul 3, 2001
10,262
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0
Mill Creek, WA
Nov 5, 2004
#16
  • Nov 5, 2004
  • #16
I've had mechanical before, and had an oil line loosen up and make a mess.

AutoMeter says their electrics are just as accurate as their mechanical gauges -- so that's the way I'm going.
 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master
Apr 10, 2002
9,039
6
79
Charlotte, NC
Nov 5, 2004
#17
  • Nov 5, 2004
  • #17
Metric time. Anyone?
 

Goldmember

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Southen California
Nov 5, 2004
#18
  • Nov 5, 2004
  • #18
89MustangGX said:
I've had mechanical before, and had an oil line loosen up and make a mess.

AutoMeter says their electrics are just as accurate as their mechanical gauges -- so that's the way I'm going.
Click to expand...

Thats exactly what im trying to avoid. You really cant get any better than autometer so they should be just as accurate as the mechs.
 

90NotchBack

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Feb 15, 2004
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Loxahatchee/Pembroke Pines, FL
Nov 5, 2004
#19
  • Nov 5, 2004
  • #19
FrdMustangCpe said:
id prefer electric except for fuel or even oil psi. easier to install IMO. and if the temp gauge were to crack or somethin. can you say, hottt coolant in you car?
Click to expand...

The water temperature gauge doesn't work like an oil pressure gauge so you wouldn't have hott coolant in your car.
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
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129
Nov 5, 2004
#20
  • Nov 5, 2004
  • #20
Michael Yount said:
Metric time. Anyone?
Click to expand...
Michael, i dont know much about metric time. it is something that is used for computers and such, no (helps to deal with time changes, leap years, etc, i think)? i dont know enough about it to catch your drift or joke (if there was one there). please share what you mean.

BTW, it reminded me of the old comedy skit about the 3 day week.
 
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