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The NTBA TECH pages
Gauges tell the whole story!
Dash mounted Gauges...
ENGINE Mounted...
| Gauges are an intregal part of hotrodding. They not only look great,
but keep you informed as to what your hotrod is doing at any given
time. A full complement of gauges should include Water Temperature,
Oil Pressure, Volts (or AMPS), Speedometer, Tachometer, and
Fuel Level. An added bonus would include Manifold Vacuum, Fuel Pressure,
and Mechanical Temperature Gauge directly mounted on the engine.
It is important to be sure that ALL of your gauges are reading correctly! There's nothing more worthless than gauges that provide un-reliable information! When setting up your dash layout, be sure to make your gauges visible, especially those that need to be looked at often, IE: Speedometer, & Water Temperature. Mechanical gauges are generally more accurate than electronic gauges but are more difficult to install. Electronic gauges can be very reliable if installed properly and calibrated where needed. I use both, with a full complement of electronic gauges in the dash and mechanical gauges mounted on the engine. Always follow the manufacturers recommendations in setting up your instrument cluster. OK, now you have a full set of gauges installed. But what good are they if you don't know their purpose is? Get to know what "noramal" readings you should expect from your gauges. LIKELY READINGS: VOLTS: nominal will be around 14 volts OIL PRESSURE: 35 to 45 at idle VACUUM: 12 to 16 In.Hg. stock engine 5 to 10 on a cammed engine WATER TEMP: 180 to 200 would be acceptable SPEEDOMETER: up to you TACHOMETER: up to you FUEL PRESSURE: typically, 6 to 7.5 lbs for stock carbs, Webers around 4.5, Fuel Injection 60lbs. FUEL LEVEL: empty is more important than full, so make sure "empty" is accurate Always use high-quality gauges! It will be worth the extra dollars to insure that your gauges are durable, accurate, functional, and attractive.
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