89gtufc3s

is there as big difference between electical and mechanical oil pressure gauges in accuracy? I know there is foor boost gauges, but i was wondering about the oil...

iceblue

Same thing. The electrical gauges tend to be just a split slower reacting. The ups on this are if you are going to run a gauge in cabin or not. For in cabin uses fluid gauges should all be electrical.

jacobcartmill

iTrader: (6)

wtf?

electrical gauges are more accurate and they dont react slower than mechanical gauges... how did you come up with that?

trainwreck517

iTrader: (1)

Accuracy will depend on quialty of the calibration.. A cheapy eltrical verises a well calibrate mechanical.. and the mechanical will be more accurate.. same thing other way around. Responce should be the same, if not the mechanical may lag by a few miliseconds.. nothing noticable. Only advantage from eletrical is that you don't have a risk the the oil line cracking and leaking into the cabin.

So just buy a good brand guage and you should be fine as far as accuracy goes.

iceblue

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

ditto, the stock gauge seems to be a bit on the less dependable side however because of it's location due to oil runoff from the filter, crap in the connector and the hokey external capacitor.

NZConvertible

That's a huge assumption that's just as likely to be wrong as right. Accuracy depends far more of quality of design and manufacture rather than how the signal is sent. An expensive, quality mechanical gauge is going to be more accurate than a cheap, nasty electrical one.

Personally I think 1/4-sweep gauges are practically useless, and since the affordable 3/4-sweep gauges are all mechanical, that's what I use.

RETed

You cannot make a blanket statement saying "mechanical gauges are more accurate than electronic gauges" - that's just pure bunk.
A cheapie mechanical gauge is going to have accuracy worth crap - look at Autometer boost gauges.

The advantage was the large sweep - mechanicals used be almost always 3/4-dial or 270-degree sweep, while electronic gauges were mostly 1/4-dial or 90-degree sweep.
Recently, most of the expensive (i.e. Japan) gauges are 270-degree sweep and electronic.
Thus resolution is not an issue anymore.

I rather install wires than a capillary tube.
No matter how the pro-mechanical-gauge group is going to argue, a cut in the line can possibly leak fluid in the cockpit.
This is why fuel pressure gauges are BANNED from the cockpit in top racing sanctions unless you're using an isolator.

Another advantage to electronic is that if the sensor goes bad or fails, you can just replace the sender most of the time.
If a mechanical gauge fails, you need to replace the entire gauge.

There are also certain gauges that you just cannot get in "mechanical" configuration.
There is no such thing as a "mechanical AFR gauge".
There is also no such thing as a "mechanical EGT gauge".


-Ted

NZConvertible

Just for the record, I don't think anybody did.

I did once. Never again...

But cost still is, which is why I specifically used the word "affordable". 3/4-sweep electrical gauges are still way more expensive than 1/4-sweep electrical gauges, which are more expensive again than mechanical ones. Not everyone's got a ton of money to sink into gauges.

It can, which is why you take simple steps to prevent that happening. Using strong quality line, making sure it's not rubbing on anything, etc. A broken line inside the cabin can usually be attributed to poor installation. Personally I've never had a problem, probably because I'm very careful with the install.

True, but I would say an electrical gauge is a lot more likely to "go bad" than a mechanical one. Not likely, just more likely. Quality mechancial gauges are very reliable.

O2 sensors and thermocouples are electrical devices, so I'm pretty sure most people realise you don't attach a mechanical gauge to them. Plus the topic is oil pressure gauges.

fcdrifter13

Am I the only one who runs 2 gauges one on turbo inlet pressure and one for the block pressure.

RETed

Quote bomb!


hahah yeah, I was just pulling **** out of the air - it wasn't directed towards anyone in particular.


Some of those high calibrated mechanical gauges can get expensive too!
Cyberdyne / Nordskog / Intellitronix makes nice *digital* electronic gauges, but those senders always go bad.


Well, I'm talking in extremes here...
Clutch blowing out...
Collision of accident...


Hmmm...that's an interesting statement...
I've got a set of VDO electronic gauges for oil temp, oil pressure, and voltmeter.
I've had them for almost 10 years now without any problems; that's not a bad lifetime for something that was about $50 for sender and gauge!


Not everyone knows that...


-Ted

RETed

Turbo inlet pressure?
You mean you run a boost gauge at the inlet of the turbo compressor?
Wouldn't that either be "0" or slight vacuum, depending on your air filter system?

"Block pressure"?
You mean like a normal boost gauge?


-Ted

fcdrifter13

no im talkin about oil pressure aint that what we are talking about here.