Gauges.

I'd like to know which you all prefer, mechanical or electrical? Also which ones are more accurate?

 

I prefer to keep the coolant and oil out of the cabin and don't see any problem with accuracy of electrical gauges.

 

ive always liked the mechanical due to the fact that they have less factors to mess with there accuracy. also they usually are full sweep.
i do like the electric for the fact as stated that you dont have to rout any oil or bulky temp tube into the interior of your car. they do have some nice expensive full sweep electric gauges now that i think compensate for the voltage variances that effect the cheaper gauges.

 

Mechanical....Pretty much last forever and probably more accurate

 

Except when my mechanical oil gauge leaked and shot hot oil all over the carpet... Not the tube, the gauge itself Came right out the hole for the gauge backlight.

 

Was it an El Cheapo brand?.....Can't imagine that with a Stewart Warner or Autometer although anything is possible

 

I've gone full electric... summit brand so the quality is unknown, I've had them about 6 months now.... just changed to an electric speedo too...

 

Tried them both....electrical all the way. Like was said, good to keep the fluids out of the passenger compartment. Also, one less line to leak, at the most inopportune time!

 

I went Stewart Warner, all electric. I will also leave my idiot lights hooked and working properly. That gives two feedback systems.

 

Nascar uses a combo of both....Oil pressure/temp, water temp/pressure-mechanical.....Fuel pressure, Tach- electrical

 

I personnally like electrical for the same previously stated reasons. You can enhance the accuracy by grounding the gauges to the engine block for single wire senders.

 

IIRC, they were Dixco. Back in the 70s Stewart Warner would've been out of my price range and I don't even remember Autometer being around then. Had some Sun gauges around then, too.

 

Thanks to all of you! This is just what I was looking for! The pros and cons of each. I haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards electric. " injectedmav " has a really good idea about a direct return ground. There are so many stray currents that go through the chassis and body. The return ground would eliminate most of that in the gauges. I had a 69 Chevy pickup that the oil gauge line broke on. I'd forgotten about that until it was brought up in your posts. Yeah, it made a hell of a mess! By the time I realized what was happening, oil was pouring out of the dash and all over me and the floor!