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Thread: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

  1. #1
    Forum Contributor Domestic Engineer
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    Default gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    In the next few months, I'll be looking to try and graft some aftermarket gauges into my stock MA71 dash. The factory boost gauge is useless when running 1 bar like I am, there is no oil temp gauge, and the factory oil pressure gauge is often said to be less than ideal.

    After speaking to a couple of people, they have stated that mechanical gauges are faster to respond than the electronic ones, though further research has not really turned up anything.
    Obviously response time is pretty critical for things like oil pressure, but has anyone got any idea if there any truth to electronic ones being slower?
    I had always assumed that they would be pretty much the same, though obviously its a shitload easier to run wires than running oil lines into the cabin.
    Thanks for the help.

  2. #2
    C2H5OH Powered Automotive Encyclopaedia George's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    I think it goes mostly to the exact make and model of electronic gauge. Modern stepper motors can show fullscale in a second, I doubt it's much practical to have such fast response for oil pressure. The quickiest gauges ever are LCD-based with pointers displayed on them )
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    Toymods Net Nazi Too Much Toyota river's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    Hi,

    You need accuracy more than you need a fast response for an automotive gauge. It's not like your travelling at the speed of light and every nanosecond of delay means 500kms have passed by.

    You need both the gauge and the sender to be reliable and accurate, and both mechanical and electronic gauges can be bad or good, depending on the model/brand.

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  4. #4
    Junior Member Too Much Toyota oldcorollas's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    both electronic and mechanical can be fast, but depends what for. ie, temp mechanical = slower, but temp changes are slow anyway, so it doesn't matter, but for intake air temps, electronic and even electrical will be faster.

    electrical are often a bit slower than electronic, but it also depends on the senders, and if what you are measuring is faster than the speed of the electrical gauge...
    it also depends if there is an amount of buffering built into the senders or the gauges, to reduce needle flutter


    it is illegal (and a bit silly) to run oil lines into the cabin, and it is a pain in the arse to run mechanical temperature gauge lins into cabin as well. the main benefit these days of mechanical, is that electrical power is not needed, and reliability in terms of wire connections.

    electrical gauges will be fine, and if you want to improve response time of oil pressure, drill out the hole in the sender a little, and bleed it properly.
    if you want faster response, get lectronic gauge, but a good one (ie DEFI etc), not the cheap shitty ones (china copies).
    "I'm a Teaspoon, not a mechanic"
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  5. #5
    Forum Contributor Domestic Engineer
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    Thanks for the replies guys.
    Oldcorollas: that info is great, though apparently I've given you too much rep loving lately.

  6. #6
    Hopefully soon a 5S-GTE Chief Engine Builder MWP's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    I bought a Innovate LC-1 + G2 wideband EGO kit.
    The G2 gauge is a dial type, but is electronic (servo based) like many gauges are these days.

    The gauge is hopeless, it takes about 1-sec to go from a full lean to a full rich reading.
    With EGO, you do want a fast response, so it really is a problem.

    So do be careful what you buy...

  7. #7
    Junior Member Too Much Toyota oldcorollas's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    is it averaging over a large number of samples? or just crap gauge?
    have you asked innovate if it is normal?
    "I'm a Teaspoon, not a mechanic"
    "There is hardly anything in the world that a man can not make a little worse and sell a little cheaper" - John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

    AU$TRALIA... come and stay and PAY and PAY!!! The moral high horse of the world!

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    Hopefully soon a 5S-GTE Chief Engine Builder MWP's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    Its just a crap gauge.
    Readings on the laptop via the serial cable are almost fast enough to see individual cyl readings.

  9. #9
    Junior Member Too Much Toyota oldcorollas's Avatar
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    Default Re: gauge accuracy and response - electronic vs mechanical?

    some LC1's have had dud firmware resulting in crappy analogue outputs etc.. still worth asking innovate the question
    "I'm a Teaspoon, not a mechanic"
    "There is hardly anything in the world that a man can not make a little worse and sell a little cheaper" - John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

    AU$TRALIA... come and stay and PAY and PAY!!! The moral high horse of the world!

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