[Michael Pliska]

Disclosure notice: I am the engineering manager for a gauge manufacturer (ISSPRO, Inc).

That said, I have been hard-pressed to do away with old-school mechanical gauges. I pulled my old bracket car out of mothballs last year, and continue running the 30 year old mechanical oil pressure and coolant temp gauges, but I have added modern electronic gauges (actually prototype test units from work) in parallel (hooked to a tee on oil pressure, and the other head for coolant temp). The modern sensors have come a long way, and I trust them as much as the mechanical gauges. My mechanical coolant temp gauge still sticks occasionally, and the electric one tells me what I'm really running for temperature.

If your electric oil pressure sensor uses only two wires, then it is an electromechanical potentiometer based unit and not very reliable. If it is a 3-wire unit then it is likely a solid-state capacitance based unit, and these are typically reliable.

The electronic temperature sensors are typically thermistor-based. While this general technology has not evolved in decades, the mechanical design of the units have changed a bit (providing better thermal conductivity for quick response, and better mechanical durability of the electronic components). Typically the newer (and more durable) designs of sensors have integral electrical connectors and an isolated ground (2 wires running to it).

I am in the process of returning my Super-Gas car to the track after a 15 year hiatus. I will start out with the old mechanical gauges in it, but will probably convert it to electronic gauges when I have the spare time.

Regards,