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New Cluster Gauges Selection

H

hivewax

Member
I have a new gauge cluster planned to be installed in the future with four 2-1/8" and two 3-3/8" holes, but haven't bought any gauges as of yet. I'm set on AutoMeter Ultra-Lite full sweep electric ones and just started looking for bargains on eBay.

For the six cluster gauges, I'm thinking of going with fuel level, oil pressure, speedo, tach, oil temp, and water temp. Do you think my gauge selection is good? I think the voltmeter is useless. Or, not? Is there an advantage of going mechanical or liquid filled on certain gauges?

Later on, I would love to get gauges for fuel pressure, pyrometer EGT, and AFR analog.
 
A volt meter is only important when you are losing volts.....or gaining volts.....most days it just sits there.

Why oil temp?

Liquid vs elec. for a street car, elec. is cleaner all around. For accuracy, I think the liquid powered ones are better.
 
I've heard the oil temperature goes up before the water temperature, so you get a better safety precaution.
 
I used to run liquid filled in my 83 drag car. To my understanding all they really do is keep the needles from bouncing. A voltage meter would be much more beneficial long term than an oil temp gauge, in my opinion. You've already got one engine temp gauge in the dash to monitor as a routine function. Do you really want to find out your alternator has failed when the car just dies somewhere? Me, I'd liek to see it coming so I can take appropriate steps. Think about it.

If this is really a high performance car and not just a street car, I would put the requisite temp gauges in a pod down by the trans hump or similar. More important than an oil temp gauge would be a trans temp if an automatic set-up.

My 2 cents
 
When running efi, volt gauges are definitely handy to have. If mine wouldn't have been hiding behind my tach, I would have realized that I forgot to plug in the alt wire harness. When the battery got down under 11 volts, the computer shuts down...and i was stranded by the side of the road. and to add insult to injury...I also forgot to plug in my cell phone, and it's battery was dead. There was still enough juice to crank the car, but no spark. Had a nice ride home in the tow truck and found my stupidity. I did learn one thing...I can get about 1/2 way to work!!!
 
I agree that the voltage gauge is far more important than oil temperature, when you already have a water temp gauge.

The Autometer oil pressure gauge in my '66 is mechanical, but the other AutoMeter gauges and all the gauges in the '69 now (also AutoMeter now) are all electrical. Electrical speedometers are more accurate than mechanical ones, and with mechanical gauges, you run the risk of a leak in the line.

Long time ago, I nicked the hose going to the oil pressure gauge, and didn't realize I'd put a tiny hole in it. It made a HUGE mess in the engine bay when I fired it up. I was fortunate the hole was in the engine bay, and not inside the car.
 
"johnpro" said:
Long time ago, I nicked the hose going to the oil pressure gauge, and didn't realize I'd put a tiny hole in it. It made a HUGE mess in the engine bay when I fired it up. I was fortunate the hole was in the engine bay, and not inside the car.
Click to expand...

That's why I heard you don't want to run any type of fluid inside the car. The idea getting sprayed with hot oil doesn't appeal to me too much.
 
I slipped a vacuum line over my mechanical gauge lines. It provides a little bit of abrasion resistance and prevents it from getting kinked.
 
Back from the dead. I'm planning to buy ULTRA-LITE gauges for the 6-gauge cluster in the coming days and would like any feedback and/or other recommendations from the list below:

1. FUEL - AutoMeter 4310 - electric full sweep, 0-280ohm adjustable scale w/ 5 preset ranges for common vehicle types
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=3470&sid=11

2. SPEEDO - AutoMeter 4486 - resettable trip odometer, sender required, see model 5291 or 5292
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=3117&sid=11

3. OIL PRESSURE - AutoMeter 4352 - electric full sweep, stepper motor meter movement, includes 1/8" NPT sender, peak recall/memory, user programmable warning function
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=3781&sid=11

4. TACHOMETER - AutoMeter 4497 - operates on 4-8 cylinder engines w/ points, electronic, and most 12V high performance racing ignitions
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=3139&sid=11

5. VOLTMETER - AutoMeter 4383 - electric full sweep, stepper motor meter movement, includes 4 ft. tubing or wiring harness, peak recall/memory, user programmable warning function
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=3783&sid=11

6. WATER TEMP - AutoMeter 4354 - electric full sweep, stepper motor meter movement, includes 4 ft. tubing or wiring harness, peak recall/memory, user programmable warning function
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugedetail.aspx?gid=3785&sid=11

This could get quite expensive, so I'm bargain hunting on eBay and to see if the local stores can price match.

I know I don't need the peak recall/memory, warning function, and full sweep, so I can save a little there.
 
I wouldn't buy anything off E-Bay unless it is new from an online retailer. The possible minimal savings is not worth the potential problems, IMHO. I've bought a number of gauges off the site, egauges.com. They usually have the best prices and ship almost immediately every time (mfg direct shipment most times has been my experience). You should be able to put together a nice 6 gauge set-up in the neighborhood of 5 bills.

Some of the fancy stuff you have listed is really just wasted cash. You'll never use the features.
 
I have the Ultra-lite electrics and like them a lot... I think the features they have in the new guages are pretty nice. I got both the speedo and tach off of eBay a few years ago but could never find the fuel, oil, water, elec or clock for a good deal. Ended up buying those from summit.
 
I'll know the quality of this one in a few days. Got it off ebay for $30.

mustang6podbezel.jpg
 
I just bought all the gauges from R&E Racing. I also recommend eBay seller, ihavethebestpriceperformance, named Tony, as he had the lowest prices and combined the shipping... you'll have to contact him for a deal. He didn't have 1 gauge... I'd have to wait. I spent a little more to get it all sooner.
 
"hbar" said:
I'll know the quality of this one in a few days. Got it off ebay for $30.

mustang6podbezel.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks like the same one my gauges came with. From MP Products in Az. It is a good piece after the gauges are mounted.
 
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