For temperature it doesn't matter, because no fluids are going into the cockpit. Its just a little thermister, basically small wire. If this was a oil pressure then I would suggest electrical, that way you can leave the oil in the engine bay.
check out prosport gauges (they actually just posted up a thread) I just picked up their electronic boost gauge and it is quite nice, and easy to install
I was looking at Nordskog, but too much money every dealer I look. Most other companies don't do full sweep-style. I'm looking at ISSPRO, see them used alot in kit car builds. http://www.isspro.com/proddetail.php?prod=R5654R for $50 Prosports look real neat, but I dont see an ATF temp gauge from them. Any other suggestions?
A lot of gauges are overpriced, that includes the Defi, HKS, Greddy, and a few others. The only guage I wouldn't go cheap on is an A/F gauge. Since they are fragile and are very important for a good tune. Tranny temp is not a very important gauge to have, since you drive for a little while it just stabilizes and nothing else. I would go with a simple cheap mechanical gauge, since there is less to break on it and tranny temp not being crucial.
cant find Defi for ATF either... I'm adding a tranny cooler shortly and going to flush with synthetic. the ATF temp guage is going to help me monitor it while drag racing mostly.
you dont need an ATF specific gauge. An oil temp gauge will be fine, but really an gauge that reads in the range of WATER TEMP would be best, as ATF temps should not be over 200*F. Anything over that and you are getting premature wear on the peices inside it.
thats what i'm trying to avoid between runs. ;p I'm looking at defi stuff, does it all need that expensive link-stuff to work?
The Defi is basically a cockpit color match for both the STi and WRX, that is why most people buy those guages. Since this is a drag car and not a show car you won't need anything that fancy. Search egauges.com
Defi is overpriced, and jdm bling They're certainly nice. You could look at the Maddad ones or the prosport premium line.
Maddad and prosport are made by the same supplier I think. They look identical minus the logos. Both are very nice and work well.
got my ISSpro gauge yesterday. For $50 it looks reeeely stockish, is fullsweep instead of half, and came with half a dozen adapters along with its sender. Great bargain. Gonna install it at the same time as the cooler. ^_^
Electrical is my favorite since so much of the rest of the car seems to be electric. I can't remember if ECUexplorer can tell you the tranny temp but there's like 85 other things it can read, (off the ECU so obviously other programs and stuff can too).