Gauges?

[91 LTD]

So Im thinking when I head over to my friend's to do the bearings and front brake pads next week I might install a gauge or two. Would love to hear what everyone's 1st and 2nd choices would be and why. Thanks.

[Archangel]

Oil pressure! Voltmeter is a good choice too. Most people I've noticed use a water temp gauge for the coolant, but you kinda already have that stock, I'd suggest installing that for the tranny - you'll know when your engine runs hotter than supposed to, but there's no way of knowing you're cooking the tranny untill it's usually too late.

[91 LTD]

Tranny cooler install is on the list for next week too. Who makes good qual., not too expensive gauges? How are Summit's? Electrical or mechanical?

[Lincolnmania]

electrical oil pressure gauge and a tempature gauge

[gabegt90]

91 ltd Everyone has there choice personaly for me I like mechanical summit racing sells guadges for cheaper If i had the money I would get autometer but on the budget you can't go wrong sunpro

[Blaze86Vic]

OIl pressure, water temp, voltmeter. Those are the important three. Why? Because if any one of those reads bad, you will be stranded soon. You can see where I installed my water temp and oil pressure gauges in my sig.

[91 LTD]

That was my guess, but I value everyone's opinion here so thanks. This one may have to wait though I forgot I need to to do the valve cover gaskets too.

[mrltd]

Get the metal/rubber gaskets...Fel pro makes some and you can get factory ford ones also. They are a tad more expensive, BUT you will never need to replace them, and they are reusable!

[Tiggie]

I got Summit's cheapo mechanical gauges, oil press and water temp. The water temp isn't right, I know my car should get hotter than 115 degrees on a 100 degree day cruising, even with a stuck thermostat. It also starts symtoms of overheating when you've been in traffic a while and the when temp crests 190, which is way too low, it starts puking coolant and predetonating like crazy. I'd say it's at least 30 degrees cold. The oil pressure works fine, but you can't see either one at night.

Don't cheap out on gauges. I'm getting Autometers next time with the fully lit backround.

I'd recommend a oil pressure and mmmm.... to be different, an air/fuel. It will help you tune since you got a carb. Water temp is covered factory for you, but you can get one if you want. Volts/Amp is also kind of covered with a light, and you can usually tell when your lights are dim that something is wrong, but a volt gauge would be good too.

[LtMercDaddy]

I personally have oil pressure, coolant temp and engine vac. I have a idiot light for my alternator... but ill be installing a volt meter aswell in the future.... I take it you prob already have a tach?

[DuceAnAHalf]

Im running autometer electric oil pressure, water temp, and tranny temp (important if you have a stall converter since they build a lot of heat, espically when you have a 10" converter like me)

Top guages are oil pressure on left, water temp on right, tranny temp guage is lower nest to the tach.


Here is a night shot, they are much brighter than the pic shows.

[85crownHPP]

I went with sunpro styleline white face because they are the cheapest ones I could find (around 30 bucks each) that I knew had lots of different types of gauges (to make a matching set).
I reccomend all electric gauges too.
If I had the money to spend Id have blue cyberdyne digital gauges

[gadget73]

A tach in an automatic car is probably the least neccesary guage. I'll say temp and oil pressure. Not a fan of mechanical oil pressure guages, I just have this huge dislike of plumbing inside the car. Besides, if that plastic line breaks, it'll piss oil everywhere. Copper line is much safer for that reason. Temperature is fine in mechanical form, just you get limited on guage placement because you can't extend the pickup, and you have to drill a larger hole to get the sender through the firewall.

And 115 with a stuck thermostat isn't impossible, though it is a bit cool for a hot day. Where do you have the sender installed exactly? If its not in a location with good water flow, it won't be accurate. I'd recommend replacing the stock idiot light sender on the front corner of the manifold with the temperature gauge sender.

[Tiggie]

And 115 with a stuck thermostat isn't impossible, though it is a bit cool for a hot day. Where do you have the sender installed exactly? If its not in a location with good water flow, it won't be accurate. I'd recommend replacing the stock idiot light sender on the front corner of the manifold with the temperature gauge sender.

That's where it is.

[gadget73]

Hm, must be screwed then. Also, if you kink the "wire" to the thermocouple sender it won't read right. I'm surprised mine works properly, it has a kink right at the end but it seems to be decently accurate.