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Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by elohim1 on Nov 5, 2006, 5:48pm
I was looking into some autometer gauges for the M715 and see they offer electrical and mechanical. I see the electrical are twice as much $.
Are they twice as good? Please give me the scoop.
Chris
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by robertcowan on Nov 5, 2006, 6:08pm
I LIKE MECHANICAL MYSELF. YOU CANT GO WRONG WITH AUTOMETER. ALSO STEWART WARNER MAKES SUPER NICE GAUGES STILL. AND WOULD LOOK MORE ORIGINAL IN THE TRUCK.
BOB
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by compexp on Nov 5, 2006, 6:54pm
I used all electrical except for the speedo - and now I wish I had done the speedo as well. The reason for that is that the electric speedo can be re-calibrated for different tires/gear ratios.
Mechanical gauges require hard tube hookups to the back of the dash units. Everything today is electrical sending units to the dash. Easier to do.
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by robertcowan on Nov 5, 2006, 8:24pm
MECHANICAL IS LESS TROUBLE PRONE, WATER PROOF-MUD PROOF SHOCK RESISTANT ETC. THE SPEEDO IS TOTALLY CALABRATABLE WITH THE LITTLE GEAR BOX FOR IT. JUST MY OPINION. WATER IN ELECTRICAL = NON-WORKING GAUGE I.E. CONVERTABLE M715
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by tacomainoh on Nov 5, 2006, 8:32pm
Break the tube to your oil pressure gauge and tell me which one you like better... hahahah
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by luckypabst on Nov 5, 2006, 10:06pm
Quote: <TABLE class=bordercolor cellSpacing=1 width="90%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"><TABLE class=quote cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">Break the tube to your oil pressure gauge and tell me which one you like better... hahahah
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Exactly, dude. It's nice not having pressure lines and capillary tubes into the driver's compartment. Mechanical gauges are technology from the good'ol days.
Chris
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by robertcowan on Nov 5, 2006, 11:50pm
RUN GOOD LINES THEY DONT BREAK. AT LEAST IN MY SEMI TRUCKS WITH (HOT ) -OIL PRESSURE, ( HOT ) FUEL PRESSURE ( 300+ PSI ) TURBO BOOST50-65 PSI , AIR PRESSURE125-130 PSI . IN OVER A MILLION MILES NEVER HAD A FAILURE....... I BUILD + FIX EQUIPMENT RIGHT !!!!!!
Re: Mechanical Vs. Electrical Gauge
Post by barrman on Nov 6, 2006, 9:29am
Chris,
I have a set of Auto Meter Sport Comp gauges in my M715. This is the 3rd vehicle these gauges have been in. 1937 Packard 120 hot rod, 1953 Studebaker hot rod truck and now this truck for the last 5 years. I bought them in 1992. Mechanical oil psi, engine temp, fuel psi and speddo. Electric tach, fuel level and volts.
I love the simplicity and implied reliability of the mechanical gauges. But, as pointed out above. My speedo is off and I can't fix it without spending a good bit of money. Plus, when I was painting my cab a few months ago, I decided to leave the gauges in because I was still needing the truck as a daily driver and didn't want to chance the temp sender probe getting broken off while threading it through the firewall twice to remove and reinstall it. That meant the gauge panel had to stay in the dash as well. I just painted it all and I love the looks. But, it makes the gauge wiring a hassle since it can't be removed without draining the radiator.
It all boils down to what you want to do. I have the same basic gauges in 3 current vehicles right now. I regret not going electric on all the gauges I put in my Mini a few years ago. Electric gauges take up less space and a Mini doesn't really have any space to spare.
Here is a picture of my gauges in the M715 all painted up.
http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/3...bpaint3hd3.jpg