Mechanical or electrical gauges???
12-09-2002, 05:16 PM
#1
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Mechanical or electrical gauges???
I want an Oil Pressure Autometer gauge and a water temp gauge for my 2002Z. But I don't know which to get Mechanical or electrical???
Plz help.
Plz help.
12-09-2002, 06:16 PM
#2
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I don't know which is better really, but a cool thing to get are the fluid filled ones. Check them out, I put a temp gauge on my GTO that is fluid filled and I like it.
12-09-2002, 09:59 PM
#3
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It depends on what guages you are doing... really you should use electrical for all of them and either tie into the PCM or buy a sending unit. This way you dont have to run any sort of vacuum/oil/nitrous/etc from the engine bay into your face...
for both oil and water temp you should be able to tie into the PCMs output to the guage cluster, right?
Someone back me up here, the only real experience I have with guages was on my 99 v6 which had a different setup for the guages ( hehe, no tach output to the guage cluster?!?! what kind of crap is that... )
Really there is no reason for fluid filled guages ( unless of course you like the look and dont mind paying the money ). They are for use in drag cars and race cars that vibrate constantly ( bad idle, dirt track, etc... ) . The liquid stops the needle from jumping around.
~Brian
for both oil and water temp you should be able to tie into the PCMs output to the guage cluster, right?
Someone back me up here, the only real experience I have with guages was on my 99 v6 which had a different setup for the guages ( hehe, no tach output to the guage cluster?!?! what kind of crap is that... )
Really there is no reason for fluid filled guages ( unless of course you like the look and dont mind paying the money ). They are for use in drag cars and race cars that vibrate constantly ( bad idle, dirt track, etc... ) . The liquid stops the needle from jumping around.
~Brian
12-10-2002, 08:00 AM
#4
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For the temp guage, don't go off the PCM output signal if you have a '99-'02 F-Body. We have (what I call) Idiot gauges. 
In the old days, the mchanical gauges were more accurate, but very dangerous. Now, the electrical guages are just as accurate and safe. (for reason posted by DeathBuzzz). Best bet would be to use a seperate sender for the oil/water gauges.
In the old days, the mchanical gauges were more accurate, but very dangerous. Now, the electrical guages are just as accurate and safe. (for reason posted by DeathBuzzz). Best bet would be to use a seperate sender for the oil/water gauges.
12-10-2002, 11:00 AM
#5
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Originally posted by MRZ28HO
For the temp guage, don't go off the PCM output signal if you have a '99-'02 F-Body. We have (what I call) Idiot gauges. In the old days, the mchanical gauges were more accurate, but very dangerous. Now, the electrical guages are just as accurate and safe. (for reason posted by DeathBuzzz). Best bet would be to use a seperate sender for the oil/water gauges.
For the temp guage, don't go off the PCM output signal if you have a '99-'02 F-Body. We have (what I call) Idiot gauges.
In the old days, the mchanical gauges were more accurate, but very dangerous. Now, the electrical guages are just as accurate and safe. (for reason posted by DeathBuzzz). Best bet would be to use a seperate sender for the oil/water gauges.
And it sounds like you guys are for electrical gauges
12-10-2002, 11:24 AM
#6
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what MRZ28HO was saying is that for a water temp guage, buy a sending unit for it. The temperature guages in F-bodys are not very accurate and as opposed to using the non-accurate feed from the PCM to the guage cluster, just use a completely seperate system ( i.e. buy a sending unit and guage from autometer, install the sending unit, and connect the guage to it ). This would make if waaaay more accurate and it would be autonomous from the rest of the car. I mean, if you are just doing this for looks, then you can tap the PCM wire, but the guage will be just like the stock guage in the cluster. If you want it to read correctly what the temp is, then pay the money for a sending unit ( an actual sensor that reads the temp, converts the info to an electrical signal and sends it to the guage ).
hope that helps,
~Brian
hope that helps,
~Brian
12-10-2002, 01:12 PM
#7
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Thanks Brian, that does help. So after I install the "stand alone" sending unit, does that kill the stock temp gauge? Or is it because its a "stand alone" the stock one will still function? I don't suppose you know off the top of your head how much the sending modual is
This is not just for looks also. I really want to know what the car is running on both the oil pressure and the h20 temp.
It also sounds like the h20 gauge I need is a mechanical one???
This is not just for looks also. I really want to know what the car is running on both the oil pressure and the h20 temp.
It also sounds like the h20 gauge I need is a mechanical one???
12-10-2002, 02:26 PM
#8
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Hmmmmmm...
I am not really sure which guages come with sending units. I know for a fact that electrical fuel pressure guages come with their own sending unit. I have no idea how a mechanical H2O guage works so you will have to do some research on that. ( again, i would use electrical for them all ).
I would call autometer or see if anyone else replies about the sending units and if they come with the guages. You should find someone on the board that has these guages and ask them how they set them up ( i would bet that a lot of turbo/sc/stroker guys would have the oil pressure guages ). As far as temp guage, i dont know how the PCM interacts with its unit or how it sends the signal to the cluster. If the only problem with the stock guage is the guage itself being inaccurate and the sender/thermistor is reasonably accurate ( and the right volt/amp/wave is sent from the computer to the cluster ) for the autometer, then you should jsut tap the PCM wire. Again, find someone with this guage and ask them how they did it. That would be the best way to do it.
Yes, any guage on the guage cluster will function normally when you add another ( unless you disconnect it, but there is no reason to ).
Summary: Just find someone on the board with these guages and ask them about their setup.
~Brian
I am not really sure which guages come with sending units. I know for a fact that electrical fuel pressure guages come with their own sending unit. I have no idea how a mechanical H2O guage works so you will have to do some research on that. ( again, i would use electrical for them all ).
I would call autometer or see if anyone else replies about the sending units and if they come with the guages. You should find someone on the board that has these guages and ask them how they set them up ( i would bet that a lot of turbo/sc/stroker guys would have the oil pressure guages ). As far as temp guage, i dont know how the PCM interacts with its unit or how it sends the signal to the cluster. If the only problem with the stock guage is the guage itself being inaccurate and the sender/thermistor is reasonably accurate ( and the right volt/amp/wave is sent from the computer to the cluster ) for the autometer, then you should jsut tap the PCM wire. Again, find someone with this guage and ask them how they did it. That would be the best way to do it.
Yes, any guage on the guage cluster will function normally when you add another ( unless you disconnect it, but there is no reason to ).
Summary: Just find someone on the board with these guages and ask them about their setup.
~Brian
12-10-2002, 02:37 PM
#9
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Ok, i did some looking around:
Most Autometer electrical guages come with the sending unit. look at these #3337 and #3327.
Sport Comp Guage List
On jegs.com you have to buy a $9 wiring kit for them... $9, no big deal... Jegs Guages
Heh, so there you go...
~Brian
Most Autometer electrical guages come with the sending unit. look at these #3337 and #3327.
Sport Comp Guage List
On jegs.com you have to buy a $9 wiring kit for them... $9, no big deal... Jegs Guages
Heh, so there you go...
~Brian
Last edited by DeathBuzzz; 12-10-2002 at 02:41 PM.
12-10-2002, 03:06 PM
#10
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Why not to tap into the output signal of the PCM to the guage cluster ... It has been varified by many on LS1.com and LS1Tech.com that the PCM receives the proper signal from the sender, but the PCM just gives a bogus value to the cluster ... that is why you don't want to tap into the guage cluster wiring. Also, I don't know if the resistance value of the OEM sender is the same as (say) Autometer's guages (typically not). I would highly recommend getting electrical guages, unless you don't mind running the risk of hot coolant/oil being accidentialy spilled (due to the lines going to the back of the guage breaking) at you or your interior. 
Who cares if the OEM still functions, you have an accurate aftermarket guage. 
It won't affect it if you use a seperate sender. 
Who cares if the OEM still functions, you have an accurate aftermarket guage. It won't affect it if you use a seperate sender.
12-10-2002, 04:07 PM
#11
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Originally posted by MRZ28HO
Why not to tap into the output signal of the PCM to the guage cluster ... It has been varified by many on LS1.com and LS1Tech.com that the PCM receives the proper signal from the sender, but the PCM just gives a bogus value to the cluster ... that is why you don't want to tap into the guage cluster wiring. Also, I don't know if the resistance value of the OEM sender is the same as (say) Autometer's guages (typically not). I would highly recommend getting electrical guages, unless you don't mind running the risk of hot coolant/oil being accidentialy spilled (due to the lines going to the back of the guage breaking) at you or your interior. Who cares if the OEM still functions, you have an accurate aftermarket guage. It won't affect it if you use a seperate sender.
Why not to tap into the output signal of the PCM to the guage cluster ... It has been varified by many on LS1.com and LS1Tech.com that the PCM receives the proper signal from the sender, but the PCM just gives a bogus value to the cluster ... that is why you don't want to tap into the guage cluster wiring. Also, I don't know if the resistance value of the OEM sender is the same as (say) Autometer's guages (typically not). I would highly recommend getting electrical guages, unless you don't mind running the risk of hot coolant/oil being accidentialy spilled (due to the lines going to the back of the guage breaking) at you or your interior.
Who cares if the OEM still functions, you have an accurate aftermarket guage. It won't affect it if you use a seperate sender.
~~Brian, your right about the oil and water in my interior, NOT A GOOD THING!!!
Thanks again guys
12-10-2002, 04:32 PM
#12
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Run electrical guages. Mechanical gauges are typically installed outside the car (i.e. below the rear vent of a cowl hood outside the windshield). Most mechanical gauges require you to run hoses from the particular location your gauge reads. These gauges are installed outside for safety reasons (i.e. hose blowing etc).
12-10-2002, 04:45 PM
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94B&RZ-28
you spelled Matt Harlan's name wrong in your sig
you spelled Matt Harlan's name wrong in your sig
12-10-2002, 04:46 PM
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12-10-2002, 05:14 PM
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Originally posted by PhantomTA
94B&RZ-28
you spelled Matt Harlan's name wrong in your sig
94B&RZ-28
you spelled Matt Harlan's name wrong in your sig