Date:         Mon, 31 Oct 2005 23:19:00 EST
Reply-To:     FrankGRUN@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
Subject:      =?UTF-8?Q?Re:=20=C2=A0=20=C2=A0=20=C2=A0=20Re:=20Re:=20?=
              =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=A0=20=E2=80=A0=20=E2=80=A0=20Eight=20Function=20Digita=20?=
              =?UTF-8?Q?l=20Display=20for=20the=20Vanagon?=
Comments: To: SVYOLO@YAHOO.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

In a message dated 10/31/05 6:48:43 PM, SVYOLO@YAHOO.COM writes:


> Sorry Frank,
>    Gotsta dissagree.  But I do like the addtiional instrumentation.  oil
> Temp, pressure, boost, A/F ratio, stuff like that is good to monitor, but
> you don't need a big gauge with a needle like a tach or speedo.  I wiil
> probably use this in my subie conversions.
>     But I will retain the stock speedo and tach.  I like the vanagons
> instument cluster.  For experimental or not quite perfected stuff, some
> additional monitoring is nice.  Once that is perfected, I prefer idiot
> lights.
>      I think a totally perfected engine conversion would have stock idiot
> lights and be totally stealthy.
> 
>      John
> 
John,

We get to disagree then. There are two problems with idiot lights: Lack of a 
progressive signal to warn of a problem before the onset of toast. and the 
need to be sufficiently alert to see the light as soon as needed after the event. 
The movement of a needle gives me a warm feeling of control, especially if I 
can trust it. All digital gauges (and the ones offered by speedhut.com) have 
sense level triggers. For example, trigger a blinking light at 7 psi, turn on 
an internal klaxon horn at 4 psi. 

To each his own, but running digits turn to white noise at times, a gauge 
deflection .. well there is something of engineering and Lionel about it all.

Frank Grunthaner