ScaryFast

I need a new oil temp guage. The digital ones look easy to read, but I'm wondering two things:

1. Is the number big enough that it's easy to read with just a quick glimpse?
2. Does the sun wash it out on a sunny day?

And in general, do you guys like electronic or mechanical temp senders?

Thanks...

gkmccready

I like analog sweep gauges better than digital gauges -- but if the digital has a sweep as well as the raw number I find them even better. On my AIM MXL Pista I rarely read the numbers on track, but I've hooked up the idiot lights to watch for some maxes (or minimums). It's much easier to see where a needle is positioned on the "sweep" than it is to try and parse a bunch of numbers. IMO.

Kubs

I prefer analog gauges myself. At a glance I dont know if I can read a digital readout, unless maybe it changed colors when it go over a certain temp. I like to rotate the gauges so the optimum number is in the 12 o'clock position and then at a glace if the needle isnt straight up and down something is wrong.

I also prefer mechanical sending units. Its probably just a personal preference thing but both my oil pressure and oil temp are mechanical.

Bill Dearborn

I prefer digital readouts on things that don't change fast. Digital readouts can give an indication of an issue that an analog gauge would average out. Once you know the normal range of digital data on an instrument it is quite easy to glance and understand it is where it should be. Not so much a matter of reading the gauge as understanding.

It may be because I have been used to reading digital instruments on test set ups and range instrumentation for close to 50 years.

Bill

gkmccready

As for senders, I use whatever keeps hot/nasty fluids out of the cockpit... electrical is fine by me, or mechanical with an isolator...

TheSkunkWorks

I've raced with Stack and Pi digital panels and IMOE it just takes fewer brain cells away from your driving when in the heat of battle to register info from an analog dial, especially if clocked. My $.02

ScaryFast

Interesting thought. Maybe I'll try one with an idiot light so that if I'm missing the temp number I'll still have a warning when they get too hot.

I'm clocked, but slow enough that I have lots of time to check guages

Falcon

I have the gages that came in the C5, which as both digital and analog for the coolant, but only digital for the oil.

I installed an additional analog for the coolant tapped into the passenger side head because the factory coolant gage gives up sometimes and I shift my attention to the additional analog. That's been a race saver a few times.

GettReal

I have a digital oil pressure and water temp on my A-pillar. I went with the AEM Digital Cobalt Blue so I can take a very quick look and just see a number. I didnt want anything too "in your face" that glow like a Honda rice rocket or that I had to spend more than a second on figuring out where the needle was at and was ok not going with a mechanical set up for these 2 gauges, as mentioned, no hot fluids next to my face thank you. Oil pressure for me on the a-pillar was important for those left hand sweepers as my eye is right there anyway, seemed the only other time I really had a chance to look at gauges was on straights which wasnt very helpful to me.