Mechanical or electronic gauges

[Jgard]

I was leaning to mechanical just because that's what I used when I raced. As far as accuracy and ease of installation what would you recommend?

[mike wade]

I am like you old school on mechanical but after installing 3 or 4 electronic sets that is the only way to go..Easier to install and calibrate.......... May be a bit more costly but by far better I think......I even have a satellite speedometer that works pretty good....No more Mechanical for me.......

Mike

[Jgard]

I appreciate the feedback. Thanks.

[GTS225]

Gotta agree with Mike. Put electronics on mine, and it is sooo much easier to get the speedo right. It's also great that one can even get a GPS pulse generator for the speedos. I did have to add a resistor to my temp guage, as it was reading a bit high compared to actual temp. One also has to ground the dash panel well, as the temp and oil pressure guages work through voltage drop that is regulated through the sensor. A bad ground will cause a voltage drop as other electrical loads increase, giving inaccurate readings on the guages.

Roger

[Jgard]

I appreciate the feedback I ordered my electric 6 gage set last night. Where did you go about getting a good ground with just fiberglass and wood in dash?

[Orville Duncan]

I grounded everything to the frame. For under dash grounds I daisy chained it all into a termination strip and then grounded the strip to the frame.

[Lee in KC]

All of my electrical loads have dedicated ground wires back to a ground buss connected directly to the battery. The instruments are daisy-chained like Orville's, but the common wire goes back to the ground buss. I didn't use my frame for any ground connections, although the frame itself is grounded.

[Jgard]

Did you ground your engine to your frame or run wire from your engine back to the ground bus on battery?

[Lee in KC]

I have a dedicated ground cable from a starter bolt on the motor directly to the battery. If I remember correctly, this was recommended by MSD... or maybe it was Ron Francis. There is also a grounding strap from the motor to the frame. But nothing else is using the frame for ground. It just seemed like a good thing to do.

[GTS225]

And don't scrimp on the wire gauge. Everything electrical in that dash panel has to share the one common ground back to the battery. Put a 14 gauge wire back to the battery, and have the headlights, stereo, dash lights, etc. running, it's not hard to exceed the 15amp rating of 14 gauge wire.

Roger