During my ongoing annual, we discovered my oil temp sender bulb had broken off from the capillary tube. It probably happened during the annual, since it worked just fine on the flight before the annual. I probably weakened it with rough handling when I removed the oil pressure screen for cleaning at the last oil change. I had no idea what a capillary tube was, or how fragile it was, especially a 43 year old tube that has probably been removed several dozen times for pressure screen cleaning.
Upon doing research for replacement, I was advised to replace it with an electrical gauge, which has a sender and wires instead of a bulb and capillary tube. I called ACA to get a gauge with screen printed arcs on the face, and ordered the Mitchell gauge from them. Cost is approx $230, which is reasonable as airplane parts go.
That got me thinking about the oil pressure and fuel pressure gauges. They are similarly ancient tech. The oil pressure gauge relies on a flexible tube carrying hot oil to the gauge, while the fuel pressure gauge relies on a tiny steel line carrying pressurized fuel to the gauge. Neither is an appealing thought in the cockpit.
So that begs the question: should I go ahead and replace those two gauges with electrical units also?
Thoughts?
Upon doing research for replacement, I was advised to replace it with an electrical gauge, which has a sender and wires instead of a bulb and capillary tube. I called ACA to get a gauge with screen printed arcs on the face, and ordered the Mitchell gauge from them. Cost is approx $230, which is reasonable as airplane parts go.
That got me thinking about the oil pressure and fuel pressure gauges. They are similarly ancient tech. The oil pressure gauge relies on a flexible tube carrying hot oil to the gauge, while the fuel pressure gauge relies on a tiny steel line carrying pressurized fuel to the gauge. Neither is an appealing thought in the cockpit.
So that begs the question: should I go ahead and replace those two gauges with electrical units also?
Thoughts?