Why would ya go with anything but digital gauges?????????

[rbattelle]

I use mostly analog gauges. But I also monitor a number of things using the OBD-II system, which gives me max/min/average/instantaneous, plotting, and simulated analog gauges.



And my computer uses punch cards.



-Ryan

 

[JHardwick]

I like my needle sweeps!



In fact I used a trick I learned from racing sprint cars and clocked my EGT gage so that 1300* was straight up 12 o'clock

 

[TBrennan]

Buffalo,



I installed an aircraft grade altimeter in my custom console I built. It's pretty slick but I'll tell you it can vary by 100's of feet on any given day. It's all digiital with an LCD readout. I paid almost $200 for it IFRC, but I also got a RS-232 output option so that one day I could run it into a PC and get realtime altitude readings and log them if I wanted to.



I've been meaning to get a new picture of my console online, because I actually have stuff mounted in it know. Maybe this week.

 

[DPelletier]

I'll throw my lot in with the analog guys. A couple of thoughts;



- Digital works OK for readouts that change slowly i. e. temperature. Nonetheless, the analog gauges are much easier and quicker to read. I'd like to see a professional drag racer watching the numbers changing faster than the human eye can register on a digital tach as the engine races! Haven't seen a digital racing tach before. Wonder why?



- Digital gauges were a novelty a couple of decades ago when lots of cars started using them. Analog is back for a reason.



I think the biggest advantage of digital is space. They take up less room and to use the X monitor example, you can use the same readout for many different functions.



Cheers,

Dave

 

[JHardwick]

Haven't seen a digital racing tach before. Wonder why?



Cheers,

Dave

Actually, we used a digital tach in our sprint cars. About the size of a pack of cigarettes and powered by a small 9 volt battery with a ground and magneto pick-up ... ... ..... it's all about the weight yanno



If you know anything about sprint racing, it's a 30 lap all out race and the tach would record your highest RPM for gearing purposes :-laf You could also use it to set idle.



I think later models recorded like your last 2 laps or something, mine only recorded highest obtained RPM, wanted 'em geared for 8,200-8,400 for most engines.



Slammin Sammy Swindel would turn his Gaertes 9,000 in qualifying, but thats another story

 

[RustyJC]

Yeah, but with 1 gear, you don't have to worry about shifting!



Rusty

 

[Matt400]

Digital works OK for readouts that change slowly i. e. temperature.

Maybe temp on something other than EGT's. I haven't experienced an analog EGT. On my digital if I change pedal position the gauge follows it within 400ms.



I will have to say that analog would be just fine, and maybe even better if the SPA's didn't have the led warning set points to get your attention.

With no warnings I would rather have a needle to glance at.

 

[DPelletier]

Actually, we used a digital tach in our sprint cars. About the size of a pack of cigarettes and powered by a small 9 volt battery with a ground and magneto pick-up ... ... ..... it's all about the weight yanno



If you know anything about sprint racing, it's a 30 lap all out race and the tach would record your highest RPM for gearing purposes :-laf You could also use it to set idle.



I think later models recorded like your last 2 laps or something, mine only recorded highest obtained RPM, wanted 'em geared for 8,200-8,400 for most engines.



Slammin Sammy Swindel would turn his Gaertes 9,000 in qualifying, but thats another story

Sorry, I don't know much about sprint racing. If Rusty is correct and you only have one gear, I guess I'd say that your application is "unique"!

I do know that drag racers use a big analog tach (sometimes with a red light or buzzer at preset shift points). Same with most other forms of motorsports (at least ones where you shift!)



Dave

 

[EBottema]

I guess im one of the few in the under 35 that HATE digitial gauges. Sure they are nice but why? who wants these overcomplicated things? To the original poster, reason people like analog gauges is becuase they are simple and last forever, unlike you digital friends. There is really no way to tell if they are failing quite like a needle gauge.

 

[David Oxland]

Working in an Engine room where there are 50 to 100 parameters displayed; if they were in digital with displays side by side you would be hard pressed to pick or observe trends because they're just numbers; nothing relevant as green/yellow. All those numbers have to be compared to a brain referenced file and that takes time. One of those can start wandering off and you would have to be very alert to pick it up. Analog primary and digital contained within is the ideal in my view. It allows a quick scan and gives you the tool for rapid repeated assessment and accurate diganoses when suspicions arise. IMHO

 

[rbattelle]

who wants these overcomplicated things? To the original poster, reason people like analog gauges is becuase they are simple and last forever,

On what basis are you making the assertion that digital gauges are more complex than analog? I don't understand.



-Ryan

 

[JHardwick]

Whatever gearset is in the quickchange is your gear. Just an in & out box, direct drive.



I used a DRP digital tach that recorded the 3 highest RPM peaks. Seemed to work great, but truthfully I never looked at it during the race.



Never had an engine deal so I needed some gauges; went with AutoMeter Ultra Lite mechanical oil press & water temp.



All 3 units w/ wiring & plumbing probably weigh less than a single big analog drag "tattle tale" tach.



Digital's cool, but being able to see analog readouts with peripheral vision is more important to me.



K back on topic.

RustyJC is correct, no shifting, or transmission for that matter :-laf



Dl5treez,



Honestly, did you ever look at the oil or water gages except for caution laps? Digital or analog :-laf



A friend of mine was driving for a guy when he tuliped some valves, warped a head etc etc ... ... ..... the owner fired him for not watching the gages :-laf :-laf



I agree that he probably felt a shudder or loss of power, but if he was racing he never looked at the gages and was being paid to put the car up front ... ... ... ... not baby equipment.



The big boys on the engine deals run 'em til they puke, no matter what the gages say Oo.

 

[Luke Warmwater]

The nicest thing IMHO about digital gauges is the fact they can record readings at high or low bounds. Seriously, if you're spend time watching a needle or a digital readout bounce around, you have a slow turd of a truck. Drag racers don't watch big needles bounce around, they shift when lights light up on the gauge. About the only thing I watch on my X-Mon on an occasional basis is fuel presssure, just to make sure my LP hasn't taken a crap. I will on occasion after a WFO run reach over and check max boost and egt limits. Now if someone would come out with a slick stand alone LCD with the functionality of the X-Mon, they would sell a ton of them.

 

[JHardwick]

Rarely. Mostly on yellow laps or a quick glance after pulling a tear-off, but I owned my own deal & would much rather shut it off with 2 to go than toss the rods in my only decent engine... . unless I was out front, then I'd say a lil prayer & deal with the carnage later. :-laf



I just got used to the needle position & mostly saw them out of the bottom of my eyes.

Amen Brother, Amen, I owned my own deal and shut 'er down a couple of times and only needed pistons and bearings, way better than chunking a block ... ... ... ..... blocks can be fixed, cranks and rods can be replaced, but a shudder in the seat means pull to the infield for us po' boys unless your on the edge, hangin it out an leadin the pack Oo.



I've raced Eldora and have KC (the little Elodora) in my back yard. KC is an 11 second (Kenny Jacobs) 3/8 mile high banked track ... ... ... ... . your lucky to do a tear-off ... ... ... ... ... ... man, I still get a rush of adrenaline thinking about it, crack is nothing compared to that addiction Oo.



For you 1/4 mile guys ... ... ... ... 11 seconds in 3/8 sounds slow, but remember, there are four corners involved in the roundy-round :-laf

 

[DMcK]

When I look at a clock that with a digital display of 08:45 I see 08:45. When I look at an analog clock showing the short hand between 8 and 9 and the long hand on 9 I see a quarter to 9. To each their own. With digital gauges was that an 8 or a 3 or an 8 or a 9 with one segment missing from the 8? To each their own. Personally analog gauges give more immediate information with just a glance.

 

[Opie366]

While I have no problem with analog gauges at all, I would like several gauge readings placed in the smallest package possible. It would appear that the digital gauges are going to be able to do that (EGT, Water, transmission).



Do any of the various digital gauges work (accuracy) better than the others. I've looked at X-Monitor, Dakota, Outlook Monitor... . preferences anyone?



Also on the Outlook Monitor... . it looks like it is made to be used with one of their performances boxes. Can it be used alone with a pure factory setup just as a gauge package? What about the Edge Attitude?



I'm on a learning curve with all of this so bear with me. My only goal is to prevent burning up the transmission, motor, turbo, etc... ... .

 

[Fireman]

The guys that are say 40 and above absolutely hate digital, with the exception of a few.



When you get "over 40" you will understand. Us "old guys" don't see as well as we used to. I can't read the numbers, but I can still see the needle and I can see the red hash marks in the danger zone.



What I like, and do it every time, is when at the track with my friends who have analog gauges, ask them what their boost and EGTs were after a run. "I don’t know. Didn’t have time to look. " Then run over and hit the recall feature on my digital and show them everything that happened during a run on my truck. I love it (heee…. . heee)

Well if you have to hit the "recall" you're not looking at your gauges either. I'll admit it is a good tool for racing. When you fry something, you can hit recall and then you'll know why it fried (hee... . heee).



Fireman

 

[Matt400]

Well if you have to hit the "recall" you're not looking at your gauges either.

I don't feel I "have" to use that function but it is handy to see what other members of the family have been running the truck at.

 

[Tony T.]

I don't feel I "have" to use that function but it is handy to see what other members of the family have been running the truck at.

Ha! Matt I had not thought of that. Of course my son is only thirteen now, but that would be something if you ask them if they had been "hot rodding" your truck, and the answer was no. Well lets check the recall and see right quick. :-laf



Reminds me of my daughter about five years ago when she was stoped by a cop here in town, just happened to have my scanner on at the time, and I heard him call in her name. When she got home later on that night I said well did the cop give you a ticket, "her eyes bugged out", and said how did you know about that, I said parents just get a 7th sense when they have kids, and know everything they do so watch out when you think of doing something wrong. :-laf



Tony

 

[Matt400]

parents just get a 7th sense when they have kids, and know everything they do so watch out when you think of doing something wrong.

Oh. . thats good! I gotta remember that one :-laf