Aftermarket Guages

[Loose_Nuts_Enterprises]

Autometer Ulta-Lite mechanical Water Temp gauge

http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?target=esearch.asp&N=110&Ntk=KeywordSearch&Ntt=autometer&x=0&y=0

"Notes Includes 6 ft. capillary tubing."

Autometer Ulta-Lite mechanical oil temp gauge

http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?target=esearch.asp&N=110&Ntk=KeywordSearch&Ntt=autometer&x=0&y=0

"Notes Includes 6 ft. nylon tubing."

Yes it runs lines into the interior of the vehicle both the water and the oil temp.

No a mechanical gauge (unless the ubber expensive) is not going to be as accurate as a quality electric gauge w/ sender.

If the gauge had a 'sender' it's no longer a mechanical gauge it's electrical.


"3) "Yes - mechanicals did appear to be more accurate" - another true statement - at the time! Since the mid-1970's, however, the gains in electronic technology, component costs, and assembly methods have made electronic instruments available at a reasonable price and with an accuracy and reliability that rivals even the most expensive mechanical units."

http://www.classicinstruments.net/index.phtml?catid=43

Here's some info I got while researching the "coolant in the tube" theory:
There are two types of sending units. One type uses a Bourdon tube instrument, a capillary tube filled with a special gas, and a capsule, or bulb. The other type uses an electric sender receiver.

The Bourdon tube type works by having one end of the tube attached to the gauge fitting, and the free end fastened to the needle indicator. A Bourdon tube is a round, hollow metal tube. Putting pressure on the hollow end causes it to try to straighten, so that the other end moves the needle on the gauge. Because it is placed in an engine water jacket, the pressure from the coolant temperature causes it to move, which, in turn forces the other end to move the gauge needle. When the coolant cools, the lack of pressure allows the needle to swing back to cold on the gauge.


Taken from: http://www.partsamerica.com/Auto101Cooling2.asp

 

[RichP]

Yes and no on the tube being correctly ran. Does the tube expand/contract, does ambient temperature affect it, does pressure affect it? Compare that to T'n off of the factory oil pressure sensor and adding another oil pressure sensor?

Actually the oil pressure gauge that uses the tube comes in two flavors, plastic and copper. Personally I use copper when running them but I also put the correct sprials in place when turning corners and such for stress and vibration relief. The plastic always made me nervous because I had seen several leak or detach from their end adapters or get worn thru from friction or sharp edges. The gauge itself is reading real time pressure inside, remember that type of gauge has real live engine oil in it and when one lets go at 10,000rpm at 60 or 70 psi the spray of oil in the dashboard or engine area is to say the least, impressive. Response in pressure changes is almost instantanous vs the electrical sender type that has dampening built into the gauge so respone to sudden pressure changes lags about 2 seconds behind the true pressure both going up and down. At high rpms 2 seconds is a l-o-n-g time and if a pump is failing you can't see it with a dampened gauge, with a dampened gauge all you will see is a gradually declining oil pressure, with a live oil gauge you will see the pulses as the pressure goes down, how well you see it is based on the quality of the gauge hence the price difference between a $10 RAC/Sun made gauge [which was sold by every store that had an auto dept] vs a $50 Stewart Warner which was sold by real speed shops, those prices by the way were in 1970 dollars which puts that SW gauge about in the $200 ballpark bracket today. VDO I don't know about, never used them and the only time I came across them was in foreign cars.
Almost missed that last, I have used the T setup, I had a 73 vega that had an electric fuel pump, after the 2nd slicone aluminum 4 banger bit the dust I put a Motion Minicar phase III 350/425hp V8 in it with a B&M built T400, used the T to keep the electronic sender in place to keep the fuel pump happy and used the T to supply my 6" SW oil pressure gauge that was mounted on top of the dash board where most 'racers' put a tach which kept me happy... If you know WTF your doing and know your engine you don't need the tach in front of your eyes and thats why the oil pressure gauge had two big assed lights on it, yellow and red, yellow for 'gettn close' to redline, red for 'you're there and are about to buy a new engine'.

 

[outlawjeep]

Cool thanks a lot! I just found my cluster today and will be installing it probably next weekend. Thanks for the info on the sensor though. I will have to be careful when installing things.

 

[XTrmXJ]

Hey Ray just get the set up from another junker that has everything, It should hook up fine, Nice to see you on here

 

[outlawjeep]

Thanks John. Been on here from time to time. Just don't get on here as much as I would like. Oh and I got the new cluster and a tilt colum from a place up in Richmond. I should be picking them up next week.