What type of gauge is better?
- Thread starter OldManSTI
- Start date
I would say mechanical for things like boost, speed, rpm and afr. Digital for everything else
Well, I guess accuracy and reliability. There seems to be such a huge swing in price between mechanical and electronic that I wonder what that means for the quality of the product.
Spamby
Meat Product Toy
Both have advantages as well as disadvantages.
A mechanical gauge, you'll need to route the source or substance directly to the gauge to get a reading. So in the case of oil pressure or boost, you'll need to run tubing to the gauge itself. If the tubing were to crack or fail at our near the gauge, or the gauge fail itself, or anywhere for that matter, you'll have oil or gas or noxious engine air escaping into the drivers compartment or wherever the leak occurs.
The electrical setup, typically has a sending unit in some cases so the plumbing is either short or non existent. However, you have more failure points in the case of sending units and other electrical issues. And you have the headache of more wiring.
I tend to stay away from mechanical gauges now just because cleaning up things like oil in the car sucks or smelling the crankcase while the failed boost line is venting under the dash. Been there and done that. Lol
As for accuracy, I dunno what's better? But I'd pick electric any day.
A mechanical gauge, you'll need to route the source or substance directly to the gauge to get a reading. So in the case of oil pressure or boost, you'll need to run tubing to the gauge itself. If the tubing were to crack or fail at our near the gauge, or the gauge fail itself, or anywhere for that matter, you'll have oil or gas or noxious engine air escaping into the drivers compartment or wherever the leak occurs.
The electrical setup, typically has a sending unit in some cases so the plumbing is either short or non existent. However, you have more failure points in the case of sending units and other electrical issues. And you have the headache of more wiring.
I tend to stay away from mechanical gauges now just because cleaning up things like oil in the car sucks or smelling the crankcase while the failed boost line is venting under the dash. Been there and done that. Lol
As for accuracy, I dunno what's better? But I'd pick electric any day.
HolyCrapItsFast
Drinks beer!
Accuracy is arbitrary anyway. It totally depends on the manufacturers calibration procedures and wild discrepancies can be seen in either mechanical or electrical gauges. Quality and source has allot to do with it. Just buy your gauges from a reliable manufacturer and you probably won't go wrong. As Spamby suggests, the electronic gauges are better for the reasons he pointed out.
Grinder34
Track Monkey
Electronic.
I have the MadDad gauge that matches the interior pretty well. Not super impressed with aspects of it, but I do like the 3-in-1 form factor.
You do have to consider if you'll want to use it for logging or just visual monitoring--that could lead you in different directions.
I have the MadDad gauge that matches the interior pretty well. Not super impressed with aspects of it, but I do like the 3-in-1 form factor.
You do have to consider if you'll want to use it for logging or just visual monitoring--that could lead you in different directions.
Thats my setup:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6zn_kRV08vAaUdfTktXWndWWjg/edit?usp=docslist_api
All these gauges are being logged by the computer
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6zn_kRV08vAaUdfTktXWndWWjg/edit?usp=docslist_api
All these gauges are being logged by the computer
Grinder34
Track Monkey
I think it's ok for some things.
But it's only as good as its sources. There's no wideband for it to display, no EGT, I dont recall an oil temp/pressure signal, etc...
Alin
Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Air/fuel gauge. Also called a wideband. There is a narrow band but i dont know about them to give you an explanation. Someone else can chime in and describe them in detail. If i can ill find out the info and add here.
so from my understanding, the accessport is a narrow band and an aem with a separate o2 and bung in your downpipe is a wideband. Wider range of volts to monitor specific afr.
http://www.infinitegarage.com/the-difference-between-a-wideband-and-narrowband-air-fuel-gauge/
Spamby
Meat Product Toy
I understand the front sensor, the AFR sensor, pre turbo, to be a wideband. The fact that it is limited to 11.1 AFR and the resulting exhaust pressure at the pre turbo location limits its ability to be accurate during things like WOT monitoring or tuning.
The rear is an O2 sensor and narrowband.
Technically, the Cobb AP is monitoring a wideband sensor.
Someone correct me if I'm drunk and high again.
The rear is an O2 sensor and narrowband.
Technically, the Cobb AP is monitoring a wideband sensor.
Someone correct me if I'm drunk and high again.
Alin
Diehard Car Enthusiast!
The accessport is limited to a certain range with the afr reading thats why i assumed its considered a narrowband.
[MENTION=4577]TK-421[/MENTION] [MENTION=9]HolyCrapItsFast[/MENTION]
I guess we will wait and see what the experts say. :tup:
Where is the o2 sensor that the ap reads located? (Is it the headers?)
[MENTION=4577]TK-421[/MENTION] [MENTION=9]HolyCrapItsFast[/MENTION]
I guess we will wait and see what the experts say. :tup:
Where is the o2 sensor that the ap reads located? (Is it the headers?)
Spamby
Meat Product Toy
Accessport reads what the ECU reads, nothing more. It doesn't make up its own logic.
I'd think you could move and recalibrate the sensor do some ECU magic and you'd have a more accurate wideband from the factory piece. But good luck with the ECU part lol
Grinder34
Track Monkey
IIRC with something like an LC-1 you can calibrate an output to replace the OEM o2 signal, and have a true wideband signal to monitor as well. But for the LC-1 the magic is in the LC-1 controller, not the ecu.
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