Q about Autometer Gauges

vidmaster · Jul 27, 2004

Going to pick up an Oil Pressure gauge and Water temp gauge and an A-Pillar pod. Going to get the 3 gauge pod and I'm looking for suggestions for a 3rd gauge.

I don't really need fuel pressure right now. A/F is useless because I'll get a wideband in the future. Is trans temp useful since I have an auto? Or should I get the volts one to monitor my charging system since my audio system rapes the car already and I don't even have my UDP's on yet What about EGT?

Should I get mech or elec? I was looking at elec just because they are easier to install (less mess!) and theres no track restrictions with elec gauges inside the car unlike mech gauges which need all that expensive high pressure isolator hosing and ****

Lastly, are the Lunar gauges worth the almost 2x price as the Phantom series? I'm torn between the two Then I still need to buy the in-dash white face gauges to match Which ones match the best (I can't afford the $400 gauge pod from autometer right now)

Oh yea, what's the best place to buy these gauges from? Was looking at rpmoutlet or summitracing. Open to other suggestions!

If you read all this, thanks a lot. Thanks in advance for any input!

merc123 · Jul 27, 2004

I would opt for electric. Mechanicals can spring leaks inside the car and oil in your floor isn't cool.

As far as the rest, I would say personal preference?

triggz · Jul 27, 2004

definitely trans temp for your auto.
also get the temp manifold for it so you dont have to weld in a bung for the sensor in the trans pan.

the stock voltmeter is very accurate- no need to upgrade.

electric gauges all the way, mechanical are pointless. some people get them because the face is more often 'full sweep' oldschool style.

i have the z-series gauges (cheapest). theyre are cheap because i'm the only person on the planet who likes simple black-face gauges. heh...but theyre just as accurate/durable etc as the cobalt or whatever else gauges.

GT-03 · Jul 27, 2004

triggz said:
the stock voltmeter is very accurate- no need to upgrade.

Are you sure?

Mine doesn't change its voltage reading depending if the engine is running or not. I would expect a "real" volt meter's reading will vary between around 12v when the engine is not running (raw battery voltage) and 16v when the engine is running (alternator charging voltage). No?

I think the volt meter is only measuring the well regulated dash/computer voltage.

madmatt · Jul 27, 2004

I heard also to go with electrical gauges for safety purposes. They are more expensive but you know what they say, you get what you pay for. I think if you got the phantoms, youd just need some white faced gauges that stay white during the day and at night. If you got the Lunar (my choice when I get gauges) then youd need the indiglo gauges with the dimmer thing so that you can match the greens up. I think most people get em for like 25 bucks on ebay. Good luck.

triggz · Jul 27, 2004

GT-03 said:
Are you sure?

Mine doesn't change its voltage reading depending if the engine is running or not. I would expect a "real" volt meter's reading will vary between around 12v when the engine is not running (raw battery voltage) and 16v when the engine is running (alternator charging voltage). No?

I think the volt meter is only measuring the well regulated dash/computer voltage.

It will read different from the car being started or not. It's hardly noticable, but its different. The alternator only puts out 13v, not 16.

Turn the key to "ON" and turn on the headlights, radio, step on the brakes, etc. You will see the needle move some. It will lean slightly to the right with the car running at proper charging voltage. You can watch the needle drop very slowly if you are draining the battery also (I watched it do this during a hypertech programming (slow pieces of crap))

If the needle is ever straight up or leaning left while the car is running, check your voltage. If it is ever bobbing and moving left- you barely have enough left to crank.

IMO, I would consider a new fuel level gauge before I bothered with voltage.

GT-03 · Jul 30, 2004

triggz said:
It will read different from the car being started or not. It's hardly noticable, but its different. The alternator only puts out 13v, not 16.

Turn the key to "ON" and turn on the headlights, radio, step on the brakes, etc. You will see the needle move some. It will lean slightly to the right with the car running at proper charging voltage. You can watch the needle drop very slowly if you are draining the battery also (I watched it do this during a hypertech programming (slow pieces of crap))

If the needle is ever straight up or leaning left while the car is running, check your voltage. If it is ever bobbing and moving left- you barely have enough left to crank.

IMO, I would consider a new fuel level guage before I bothered with voltage.

A working charging system should have about 15.8v. If you have only 12 or 13v, then you have something wrong and you are not charging the battery. The simple reason is that the "wiring" both internal and external to the battery has resistance, and you need the extra voltage over the battery's base internal cell voltage of 12v to compensate for all that resistance.

If you think of a water analogy, it is easier to get water to flow down hill, than to flow across a flat table top.

The voltage meter on my Mustang sits just over the 1/2 way mark whenever it is 'on'. It doesn't matter if the engine (and thus the alternator) is running. It doesn't matter over the load. It just sits there at the same spot and doesn't move. That is why I am quite sure that like the oil pressure gauge, it is just an "idiot gauge".

This is quite unlike the voltmeter in my Jeep which does change needle location if the engine is running or not (that is how to tell if the alternator is working), and will even move ever so slightly with the lights going 'on' and 'off'.

98SteedaStang · Jul 30, 2004

Yeah get a trans temp gauge and while your at it install a tranny cooler.

Q about Autometer Gauges

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