Electric or Mechanical Gauges

[breakthru62]

Hey guys,

My 80 K-5 is in need of some new gauges......mainly because I want something more accurate that also has some appeal. I know I want the oil gauge to be a mechanical type, but I don't know about the engine temp. What is the difference between the mechanical and the electric??
With the electric, do I have to run any hose back to the gauge, or is it just a wire from the sending unit to the gauge?? How does the electric work??

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks guys.

Scott

 

[lectric80]

The electric gauge for water temp, works just like the stock guage. It has a wire run from a sender on the engine to the gauge. Mechanical water temp gauges work through a heavy wire that directly transmits the temperature to the gauge. The mechanical ones I have dealt with have a spring like material that surrounds the wire to protect it a little.

Personally I don't like running the mechanical oil pressure gauges. Just a little too much risk of getting oil into the interior. I know they are a little more accurate, but a good electrical gauge can overcome that pretty easily.

 

[ryoken]

Here's my general thoughts on gauges...

The #1 fail point of a gauge will be the sender if it's an electric... I prefer a mechanical oil pressure due to the reliabilty factor.. knock on sheetmetal, I've never had a leak in over 25 years..

That being said, I generally prefer electric in most cases, such as water, oil and trans temp... I find the mechanical waters to be just a bit unwieldy with the spring, size, etc...

In the end, my mechanical's will be speedo, oil pressure, fuel pressure, trans pressure and vacuum... With fuel pressure, trans pressure and vacuum being out under the back lip of a cowl hood..

My electrics will be tach, fuel level, dual voltmeters, water temp, trans temp, oil temp and fuel/air....

 

[RootBreaker]

Here's my general thoughts on gauges...

The #1 fail point of a gauge will be the sender if it's an electric... I prefer a mechanical oil pressure due to the reliabilty factor.. knock on sheetmetal, I've never had a leak in over 25 years..

That being said, I generally prefer electric in most cases, such as water, oil and trans temp... I find the mechanical waters to be just a bit unwieldy with the spring, size, etc...

In the end, my mechanical's will be speedo, oil pressure, fuel pressure, trans pressure and vacuum... With fuel pressure, trans pressure and vacuum being out under the back lip of a cowl hood..

My electrics will be tach, fuel level, dual voltmeters, water temp, trans temp, oil temp and fuel/air....

that looks like crap... total junk there... why dont you just send that to me and I will dispose of that biohazzard for you safely...

 

[ryoken]

I'll have to come down and get some mud on it to hide it!

 

[Chevy305]

Its all personal preference...

I run all mechanical Autometers and haven't had a single problem yet and with acurate gauging as well.

 

[ryoken]

right.. I didn't say mechanicals were bad.. in my case, for the clean install, I'll take more frequent sender changing of some electrics.. I would never change my mechanical fuel pressure for an expensive, isolated one.. I like it out on the hood.. vac and trans pressure'll be good out there too..

 

[BKinzey]

I've got to firmly disagree with Ryoken on one point.

Once you go with Mechanical Volt Gauges you'll never go back

 

[ryoken]

increases the candlepower of your headlights....

 

[breakthru62]

Thanks for helping clear that up. One more question

My speedo is off, and I don't know if someone changed the gearing or anything before I bought it. So, how do electric speedo's work?? Do just hook them up and they "program" themselves to be accurate?? I guess what I mean is are they good to go from the time your hook them up?!?!

Thanks again fella's.

Scott

 

[ryoken]

They don't program themselves, but you can recalibrate them easily to use with any tire/gear combo...

 

[supersize75k5]

I look at it this way..


how often do you see a non working electric window?

now how often do you see a non working manual window?....
​

 

[ryoken]

power door locks being the stupidest of all...

 

[G.M.H]

Calibrating the Autometer speedo requires driving a measured distance of 2 miles so it can "learn" your tire size. I used my GPS to measure the distance.
My Autometer electric fuel level, voltmeter,and speedo all fog up in the winter. The mechanicals do not.
The mechanical temp guage uses a capilliary tube,not a wire, so care must be taken not to kink the line, same with an oil pressure guage.

 

[breakthru62]

Thanks for the help guys. I will do a write-up and post pics when I start the project. I'm thinking right now I will go with a electric water temp & speedo, mechanical for the rest.

 

[habitatxskate]

my oil is mechanical, it leaks! idc, i dont have carpet in there anyways, yet..but then again my dad owns a flooring business so i can all the carpet i want..

i ordered a trans temp/gauge the gauge is electrical there is a sender, ground, power to the battery, then if you run a light you tie it into your lights.

and my "redneck trick" for speedos (which i did to determine mine) is you know those radar things the cops setup to show you your speed? i drove around to find one and test my speedo..i was about 5 mph off..check on 4lo.com i think they have a calculator for that

 

[supersize75k5]

for your oil, I use a steelbraided oil line..cant crush like copper, does not crack like plastic, hit up a circle track supply place, or dansracingsupply.com

 

[breakthru62]

Thanks for the tip on the stainless line and the link.

 

[blazinzuk]

I like mechanical gauges, but the only reason I do is because most a full sweep. Thats all. Interesting point my oil pressure gauge on my 73 is mechanical from the factory