Tech Advice: Electric vs Mechanical Gauges - Roadkill Extra

Spolier alert: this Roadkill Extra will give you a glimpse of the upcoming final installment of the retro makeover of the Crusher Camaro. At the same time, Freiburger will be installing some gauges in the car and giving you some tips you probably have never considered when buying aftermarket instruments.
We’ve provided this free episode on KZbin to give you a taste of Roadkill Extra so you can decide if you'd like to subscribe for more episodes.
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As you watch, cruise over to Facebook.com/RoadkillShow, follow us, and watch for future posts asking for your questions to be answered on the Q&A sessions that are posted every Friday on Roadkill Extra Powered by Dodge.

[@southronjr1570]

You can use copper line instead of the plastic, I was sprayed once by hot oil and stopped at a hardware store in BFE to fix it and found the copper line. One tip, leave at least a good foot or two of the line free to move between the engine and wherever you secure it to the firewall to keep from creating a stress point in the line when the engine moves differently than the chasis

[@ltcfan1979]

That's awesome. I work at Ideal and when you took out the tool, I said, "That looks like a Stripmaster". Made in the US since the 1960s. Almost everything on it is made in Sycamore IL. Yours appears to be missing the handle sleeves.I used to work for Auto Meter back in college. They are just a few miles away. Thanks for the free plug Freiberger. Love the show!

[@kleetus92]

Or you can use copper tubing... Mechanical gauges work all the time, so if you're trying to troubleshoot it, you can see what it does during cranking or after shutdown. Both have there place, it's a matter of personal preference.

[@Stale_Mahoney]

engine masters need to to a flywheel test with a race flywheel and a stock and maybe something in between so we can see if it is like the fans, hit like so they can se :)

[@Blasterxp]

ståle starheim great idea! flywheel must make a difference

[@Frietpan]

hmm faster reving = more hp? or vice versa? heavy flywheel may cost more hp but has more momentum so perhaps more tq? :O yes we need to know :p

[@hommebizzare]

ståle starheim A heavier flywheel is like putting the motor in a heavier car, it will make the engine rev slower but carry more kinetic energy at a given rpm, making the engine less sensitive, but it will not alter performance per se

[@toolman9081]

I would love to see engine masters try to get Diesel torque from a pump gas engine. That would be awesome.

[@Stale_Mahoney]

Martin Fisker: not so sure about that, as a light flywheel will be less mass for the engine to pull around, sure the engine itself will not lose hp but the heavier flywheel will most likely steal some hp compared to a light one, much like radiator fans as the engine need to deal with more resistance hp should be lost, like how a heavy driveline will make a engine have less whp than if the same engine had a lighter driveline, would be interesting, as for me i got a 29 pound flywheel but consider to put on a 14,5 pound one during next clutch change.

[@HigherWisdom]

I once needed a new ferrule for my oil pressure gauge. The first auto parts store I went to wanted $1.39 for that little dinky ring. I thought 'screw that', and went down the road to the next parts place. The second place wanted 8 cents for it. Eight cents! That second store got more of my business from then on! No matter what the part is, it's good to shop around!

[@flinch622]

Those plastic lines are cheap, but if that's installed... better keep a spare kit in the glovebox. The ferrules always crush, and if that line breaks, all new fittings are needed to get back up and running.

[@sienile]

I personally prefer mechanical oil gauges. A charging or ground issue can really screw with your readings and that's not a risk I like taking with something as important as oil pressure. Just take care in routing and securing the hose and you'll be fine.

[@Shane-Singleton]

I'm a fan of electrical gauges too. I bought a 69 malibu from a guy and the plastic oil tube broke right at the gauge and squirted a nice amount of oil all over the transmission hump carpet. I replaced it with an electrical one. Also, as many are, made by Autometer. I think my biggest like is the fact that you can crimp your own wires to the desired length to keep everything nice and tidy. I'm a bit OCD when it comes to stuff like that.

[@ourv9603]

DAVID, RE : Alternate Gauge Mounting. Have you ever heard of the Richard Petty gauge skew ? Richard would have his mechanics rotate all his gauges so the needles would point UP when normal. Makes sense. He didn't have to READ the gauges, just look at the needles. Pretty sharp !

[@GMdrivingMOPARguy]

That's a pretty common racing thing to do. I've never done it with ancillary gauges like water temp, oil pressure ect. But I always mount my tach so the shift point is straight up.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

OURv Yea , I always set up my tach so the needle is somewhere I like it at redline, I usually make it the 3:00 position. that way you see a level needle and you shift.

[@KyleP133]

This is common in racing, it's also relatively common in general. You may notice in most cars, at least older ones before gauges were more about function than style, if everything is in normal operating ranges, the needles should mostly be pointing straight up. The main difference with racing is the orientation of the tach.

[@jeffleblanc8850]

Very common it’s like your tach I set it in the middle so you shift in the middle of tach same if you know were your oil pressure runs you set the gauges so the needle points strait up it’s nothing new been doing for years

[@sebastianpadilla6045]

The way Freiburger gets tired just by talking about the work needed to place a mechanical gauge 😂

[@moeshouse575]

great info on the oil gauge line. i went to brake line tubing. a little harder to run , BUT you only have to do it once.

[@Mosin-lf7wl]

DF, Not a collet. The brass compression ring is called a ferrule.They do make soft copper tubing in the same size, 1/8". Had a plastic one break-you're right, quite a mess!

[@Reckec]

You didn't mention the one major advantage to mechanical gauges ; the full sweep design allows you to see the system being sampled in smaller increments. Longer sweep let you see say 51, 52, 53, 54 etc... Versus 50, 55, 60, 65... Tends to be more precise (not necessarily more accurate).

[@StrapMerf]

you can do that with electric, just not over as large a range, just over a small operating range, with too low or too high on either side.. ultimately do you need that precision or accuracy, for everyday cruising I say no(seriously, how much time do you spend looking at gauges and how much time looking at the road??) Best setup would be to have your gauges, (what ever flavour you want) and have fast acting switches(high temp, low oil, low alternator output... all the critical ones) wired to a buzzer.. buzzer sounds, check gauges and shutdown.. buzzer can even be hidden to keep the oil classic looking stock and original..

[@zogmontanastyle7348]

I have the same wire stripper, given to me by my dad back in the 80's. they work awesome. he got them while in the Navy in the 60's, so they have been around for a while. good ones to have

[@moeshouse575]

great job on the plastic oil line. i had one split and kicked out a oil mist that felt cool. and reg copper will fatigue. i find steel or nickel / copper brake line work very good.

[@demonic4774]

I worked construction for 30 years so I had excess to heavy equipment gauge clusters I always ran stewart and warner gauges they are super accurate and super heavy duty and come in any and all configurations you could want and they are american made and still in business they however are mecanical but the equipment gauges come with copper oil lines so no melting on a manifold the water gauge has heavy duty sending unit with a spring wrap so no kinking god I love those gauges.

[@mikes9939]

I first used the wire stripper you have back in 1970 when I had my first job after the USAF. I was working for a large German company and we sold and I installed medical X-ray equipment to hospitals. At the time all point to point wiring was done with multiconductor cables and had to be soldered. This required a lot of stripping and we used the very tool that you are holding in your hand. It is not new but works super good and is fast and reproduces the same cut time after time. This saves a lot of wear and tear on you hand.

[@RedfishCarolina]

"90 degree sweep like this one", points to a 180 degree sweep. Love ya Friberger! This is actually very helpful. I have several aging Chevy trucks with wonky dash gauges.

[@thestonedhedge77]

Best video I've watched so far, Thanks for ALL THE INFORMATION. Very Well Explained

[@stevenmorris3181]

Installed mech gauges in early '70s. Oil press tubing was copper

[@texarcana2002]

When you set up your gauges, make sure that, when operational at nominal readings, they all point UP. That way, you don't have to actually READ the gauges: you can glance at them and see that everything is alright, and know at a glance if something is wrong.

[@MechInvent]

Good tip

[@ItsZake]

hell yeah! IDEAL!! I worked there for years, great company.

[@ph33lix]

Good swap-meet find! I use the Ideal Stripmaster wire strippers in the 10awg - 22awg size a lot in marine electrical work. I love them because they always get the job done and the blades are replaceable... I believe you can use blades of different size ranges as well especially if you find yourself stripping more of the small 22awg - 30awg control wire sizes, or 8awg - 12awg power cable applications.

[@ShawnD1027]

It's not "ironic" that the wire stripper is made in the same vicinity as Auto Meter -- it's coincidence. :P

[@TheDavidFreiburger]

ShawnD1027 Correct. These things are not scripted, I'm just winging it and sometimes misspeak.

[@ShawnD1027]

Gotcha. Sometimes I can't hold back my language zealotry. ;)

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

Hey ShawnD1027, if you put the word ironic inside quotation marks you mean something not quite ironic or other and he did say exactly that word. My humble opinion is that you did a lingo boo-boo yourself. You better smack yourself as well as Mr F 😁

[@FishFind3000]

There’s also the first company to make spray paint is in sycamore also.

[@cartmanrlsusall]

in 7 minutes the equivalent of a week of automotive tradeschool

[@79tazman]

Mechanical Gauges is my preference and Stewart Warner is my brand

[@13Razgriz37]

I almost ended up getting a job at Auto Meter a year ago. Their HQ is about 15 min away from my house. Toured the "factory" and everything is hand assembled. Pretty awesome stuff. found another job making twice as much a week later though.

[@805RC]

I use Autometer Pro Comp liquid filled mechanical gauges in my car. The oil pressure and fuel pressure gauges are adapted to -4AN braided teflon hose. They're 23 years old and still work great.

[@moyadapne968]

**Mosin1929. DF, Not a collet. The brass compression ring is called a ferrule.**** In the trade, we call that thing an Olive.

[@jeremyplc2380]

Never going with plastic tubing again it just always break!! and when it happens a 800km from your house you just feel SOOOOO Roadkill trying to fix it ^^ Just Love the show and even if i already watched this episode on mtod i watched it again just because Freiburger just explains things so clearly that even if i'm French I can understand it and work on my own car So thank you David !!

[@axemastersinc3269]

S&W gauges and that collet as you called it is a ferrule part of the compression fitting. Oil pressure gauges go out side of the windshield. You have the best job on the planet. 1. A cone-shaped sleeve used for holding circular or rodlike pieces in a lathe or other machine. 2. A metal collar used in watchmaking to join one end of a balance spring to the balance staff. 3. A circular flange or rim, as in a ring, into which a gem is set.

[@MattC87]

+1 for electrical. My last car had all mechanical gauges. I used the soft copper (or brass?) metal line instead of the plastic stuff but what killed it for me was the capillary tube for the engine and trans temp. I couldn't mount the engine temp where I wanted because it was too short and the trans temp I bent the tube too much (apparently) when I was changing the pan once and it quit working. It is ridiculous how much more and electric full sweep is over the short sweep through autometer so I am trying speedhut gauges on the truck I'm building now.

[@buddylight2191]

Those wire strippers have been out for years in one form or another. This 61 year old mechanic prefers the mechanical gauges.

[@kleetus92]

Although more expensive, they also make gauge isolators for things like gasoline and so on, so the nasty stuff stays under the hood, and you're relatively safe in the cab.

[@kevinblair3647]

Love that tee shirt I too find electrical gauges to be much easier to work with and install. I like full digital ones but the cost needs to come down but they are sweet as they can be programmed to your preferences

[@MrJoeGarner]

I have had one of the plastic lines melt, so if you go to your local autoparts store you can get a copper line to replace it.

[@MrMonkeykiller1996]

I always use mechanical gauges for oil pressure and boost because it's too important to trust to a gauge that if looses connection or something stupid wouldn't work at all but for everything thing else electrical is easier or good enough

[@johnwilburn]

I learned the hard way not to use the garbage plastic tubing to install oil pressure gauges. I went copper from gauge to firewall, then a braided stainless line to the engine. Solved the breaking problem.

[@Stolencamaro]

He is so right my mechanic oil line broke and spited oil all over. Then again goong to electric wasnt easy as space tight sender couldn’t be fited on a block so had to run separate oil pressure line frm block to sender then to gauge, again mr fedburger is helpful as always love this guy

[@darcybowyer5743]

Exactly why I went with electrical partial sweep VDO electric gauges in a Defender I am working on, no oil pressure line running to the dashboard what will inevitably fall off when offroading and spray oil everywhere!

[@gasratzcustoms]

Thanks for the great tips!!!!

[@iananderson4897]

Toledo Tools do/did have a combination wire stripper and terminal crimper, works great. Autometer does a fuel pressure isolator kit, which iirc can also be used for oil pressure, for mechanical gauges. Only problem is it's only rated to 100psi, when I was looking at it I needed a minimum 120 psi for the mechanical injection I was going to run, Lucas PI for a Triumph TR6.

[@dwaggs01]

i live right near sycamore, they have a sweet dirt track there and its always fun to go watch races

[@scootergeorge9576]

Seems like a full sweep would be even more important with the volt meter. Even with an expanded scale, the voltage you want is between 13.8 and 14.2 with the engine running. I have a partial sweep unit and the calibration is not too good.

[@chipmunk449]

We use those in aviation espically for soldering as the lay of the wire when you remove the coating stays intact.

[@allenmckinney9533]

If anybody wants to know, those wire strippers are $25 at lowes in the electrical department. There is a kobalt version in the tool section if anyone wants the lifetime warranty.

[@Maples01]

Those are made in China

[@Fr3ddyz1]

Great info thanks!

[@markwilliams7037]

thanks for the explanation about mechanical vs Electrical

[@FanelliRestorations]

or as a happy medium David you can use copper line to run to the mechanical oil pressure gauge..not very pricey and stronger than the plastic!

[@bradclarke6016]

built a 73 3/4 chevy out of misc junk I had laying around. the best parts I had on hand. best carpet, best captains chairs. electric door panels and dash trim from late 80s suburban. sound system ect. Cadillac of square bodies. middle of the night snow storm drift busting the copper line I used got a hole rubbed in it after coming in contact with a briaded steel grounding wire. ran it till the engine coolant temp started to get warm. no of course right about the time the dome light came on I noticed the 3 quarts of oil all over the floor, my feet, ect. didn't have to wonder why the engine was getting warm at that point.

[@EvilED08]

But HELLO! That wire stripper is good for stripping a wire in the middle of it as well. Without cutting it (so that you can hook up to signal currents or whatever). Didn't you know? Now you know. ;) This is if you want to solder the connection in case you REALLY take your wireing seriously ;P Thanks for awesome videos!

[@Jarod1941]

Damn good timing Freiburger. 🤘 I was going to explore gauges for my LJ stretch build tomorrow. You just made my job a whole lot easier. Thanks champ! 🤙

[@sterlingarcher8441]

Had to run a 6" extension to fit the oil pressure sender on my olds 455 running electric gauges .

[@harrymaharaj8189]

I installed mechanical auto meter phantom 3/58 water, trans temperature oil pressure 6 years ago on my rig works everyday

[@ridingthemidwest1222]

really like the tech roadkill extras

[@workingguy6666]

Invaluable for any young hot rodder. For the rest of us... where was this video, KZbin, and the internet 30 years ago?! Would have saved a lot of pain.

[@nathangresell1534]

Brutal truth from a man who has lived the pain himself

[@bootyman234]

I was hoping to hear something about a significant difference in their accuracy...is there one? I am a die hard for the mechanical because I feel/felt like they are superior in that respect.

[@frankdavidson9675]

have you used a reed switch fuel sender its magnetic very accurate

[@bootyman234]

@@frankdavidson9675 Am only aware of them now from you. I will definitely check them out.

[@stevelangworthy9553]

That vice is a beast!

[@spazda_mx5]

I think unless you have a very good reason (a car with no electrical system for example) then electric is the way to go, nobody wants to have engine temp/pressure oil or coolant spraying around inside their vehicle.

[@79tazman]

The only thing that could leak is if the nylon line breaks there will never be coolant because the sending unit goes into the engine with no coolant going to the meter

[@Blasterxp]

agentbob100 I agree! signals go inside, not hi temp of high pressure

[@johnbecay6887]

i replaced the plastic tubing on my auto meter oil pressure gauge with copper tubing....i've had it for years in a street/strip car and never had an issue....i don't know about now...but mechanical gauges used to be considered more accurate than electrical....

[@888johnmac]

@ agentbob100... I had a mechanical oil pressure gauge ( I thought it would be more accurate & quicker to react ).. the tubing olive failed & you would be amazed how much hot high pressure oil can spray from that tiny tube.. next weekend electrical gauges & 20 years later won't even consider Mech

[@MrRyan6616]

John Becay hmm

[@Horton91]

Have the same wire stripper it rocks!

[@michaelnorris7237]

Just a little heads up to anybody trying to installing these eqqus gauges! These are geared towards older american vehicles. It's possible, for oil I had to buy an adapter, for coolant I had to drill a hole in my radiator because the thermometer didn't fit in the existing water temperature sensor hole. Volt meter was straight forward. They work great once I got them on! Good luck to anyone who's installing them!

[@RMphy89]

I have the capillary tube temp gauge and the copper tube oil gauge on my Edsel. They weren't such a PITA but I also had tons of room to work with. Still afraid that I'm going to have oil shooting at me when day when cruising down the road.

[@fairlanephantom]

I used to want red interior in my 56. Once the gauge side of the oil line leaked a steady stream on my carpet. Glad I stayed with brown carpets or I would have been fuming mad. Besides that, the mechanical setup has been pretty reliable for 8 years.

[@Akasnacker]

Love that guy he tells you like it is!

[@CrazyPetez]

Good info David👍.

[@hvy1ton]

I hit my knee on a mechanical gauge pod in a dentside ford. Sprayed me and the rest of the cab with hot oil.

[@kadenwatt2033]

We were cutting firewood in an old dump truck (was years ago - don't remember what kind) and when we loaded the chainsaw back into the cab the blade caught on the oil line and sprayed oil EVERYWHERE. I know your pain.

[@jacobaguilar6756]

i have a 77 dent side ford and had the same thing happen but it filled my boot up with extreme hot oil still got burn scares!!!

[@jacobaguilar6756]

Chris Jacobs nah just life experiences and storys about them not behind the computer stories lol

[@gixxer1000rr]

Happened to me in my cessna, the gauge sits right above your left thigh, passenger and I both wore it that day since the airport was still Twenty minutes out...

[@shaneohara201]

Chris Jacobs say's the guy with his mother's car

[@reelsurvival2606]

love the explination of what happens when a line breaks in your car! lol

[@619films5]

My electric Autometer oil pressure sensor failed 3 times in 2 years before I stopped buying new ones. Oddly enough it would work at WOT every now and then

[@stevenbauer8033]

My dad had a pair of very similar wire strippers (same basic design/function, don't remember the brand) back in the 60's. They look like Rock'em Sock'em robots.

[@kevinbowers512]

It's not automatic wire strippers. It's assault wire strippers.

[@SC457A]

Had some fun with 60 psi and a nylon oil pressure line. Little fire, and huge mess during a nitrous pass.

[@votekyle3000]

Just saw the 200th episode of RKE. You guys should do more behind the scenes on the Engine Masters set.

[@o2boutdoors]

Informative video...thanks! Comments section? Not so much. Had to scroll a long ways down to find any relevant discussion on the video topic.

[@michaelnaisbitt1639]

I like Smites gauges that are fitted to my car. They always give me a thrill when the work. which is not often. It's a real lottery pick each day

[@GearScar]

Electric is the only way to go. The mechanical water temp is not a big deal to connect, but the mechanical oil pressure setup can quickly cost you a whole engine if it leaks, and that little plastic line is prone to breaking/melting/leaking, and besides electric oil pressure gauges aren't that expensive anymore.

[@SmithBrandon2724]

The manual gauges I ran on my truck had a copper line for the oil and the water line was wrapped in like a spring material so they were pretty good. Unfortunately the truck sat for like 6 months and the needle got stuck on the temp gauge so I had to replace it. Not fun.

[@san379]

very good info

[@grumblyone3334]

Good to know.

[@damon0099]

volksworld and streetmachine magazines did tests on electric gauges and autometer and vdo where in the bottom 3 for accuracy (out of 10). digital dakota and apexi where the top 2 . some of the autometer gauges where way way out

[@Hadamona]

I'm just subscribed for Engine Masters, and RK vs MCM. :D

[@areyouyo]

irwin i think is how its spelled but just got a set on amazon auto wire stripers they are really nice u dont even have to line up any holes just insert and strip! one of the top sellers on amazon get a pair worth every cent

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Oil guages can come with a 1/8 ID or 1/16. The 1/8 is by far the best as they react very quickly. And never fail. Electric guages never react quite a quick though are simpler generally to fit and mount. Ditto with temp guages. And are effected by poor earths and voltage drop. Many OEM guages have that problem.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

5:27 best line ever.

[@acharyajamesoermannspeaker6563]

excellent.

[@DaveHiggoHiggins]

That style of wire stripper is older than I am. The bloody best things ever

[@lewisbaldwin3696]

Another neat wire stripper is the thermal wire stripper.

[@MrShine602]

I never liked electric gauges myself, I've tried them in my car and when I put the turn signal on the gauges start going nuts. The voltage dip isn't something I could see when I checked with a meter but the gauges sure detected it. Never found the cause of the issue so mechanical is all I use anymore. They're cheaper anyway

[@FishFind3000]

Could be a bad ground

[@SUPERSORNO]

Which style of gauge is more accurate? I would think mechanical since it is a more direct link to the gauge and not another electrical device to alter the accuracy.

[@heathroush5343]

My sister's ex installed one of those oil pressure lines in his car. It melted and the engine compartment caught fire. Luckily we were already stopped and a 2L of mountain dew was able to douse the flame. He crimped the line and we continued on our way.

[@livemeyer]

Great video. Hey, I'm working on restoring/rewiring an old '51 Chevy Advance Design 3100 truck. I'd love to use the old, original factory instrument cluster that has amperage/water temp/oil pressure/fuel gauge all in one round pod. Clearly this is all old, mechanical stuff. The water temp lead has been cut off, just a 4-inch stub remains at the back of the cluster. Can this be reused? If so, how?

[@Blasterxp]

is roadkill motortrend now avaible on Netflix?

[@laned8418]

I heard you say electronic gauges have one wire... does the three gauge cluster like you have need separate 12volt power or does the sending unit just convert mechanical pressure to an electrical voltage?

[@zacharycanright3021]

All in one take, not bad.

[@jimmydionne2699]

replace the plastic tubing for copper no melting or braking and the little fitting you had is a nut and ferril compression fitting

[@1860CarolinaRebel]

They do make copper tubing for the oil pressure gauge. It’s a permanent fix from then on.

[@vvaldez0221]

If I need to instal a water temp gauge and don't want to remove/disable the factory unit, what difference does make installing the sensor/sending unit before or after the thermostat?

[@gordonlawrence3537]

Along with the gages it's a good idea to get high quality ratchet crimpers rather then juat the cheap plier type as they give you a better connection both electrically and physically.

[@kellismith4329]

Solder and heat shrink. 👍

[@isaiahvlogs20]

and i loved this video

[@willk3807]

So can I use my factory sensors with aftermarket electric gauges?

[@ivxkai]

Ayy I used to live in Sycamore, Illinois. But now I moved to DeKalb :/ lol