autometer gauge install

HISSIN50 · 03-15-2004, 04:34 AM

i am a little foggy on how you wired the gauges (sources). are your gauges always "live?" you really dont want more of a drain that a couple hundred mA when the car is dormant. you might want to check the draw with a DMM if you have hard starting issues. i would tap it off of an ignition hot only circuit. 10 amp fuse is huge overkill, but fine.

as for the accuracy of the volt meter.....what do you want to know? remember that there is voltage drop throughout the car. your alternator can put out 15 volts, but if the cable from the alternator to the solenoid is old, you can experience more than 1 volt of voltage drop from there to the solenoid (and more to the battery). everywhere in the car will have different readings (slight, but present). i chose to tap into a key on hot circuit in the cockpit. i did not care. i dont want to see the best voltage scenario, i wanted an average to poor vantage. i like to be realistic.
for lighting, you have/had a couple of options. you could tap into the ISO circuit off the headlight switch. easier, IMHO is to tap it at fuse 13, IIRC (the ISO circuit). this will dim the gauges with the stock dimmer.

for your oil pressure line, some like to full the line with something like 0W-30 oil, as it flows faster and is more instantaneous.

for the senders. you will not trip any CEL's. the ECT controls the puters input for coolant temps. it is on the pass side and has two wires. the gauge sender is on the lower intake behind the dizzy. it only has one wire.
the stock oil gauge does nothing for the puter, and you can retain it anyhow, if you want. the low oil level light (if applicable) is in the sump.
if you wish to retain the stock temp gauge (i dont like dead gauges), you can relocate the stock sender to the rear of the lower intake or to the t-stat housing. i have some detailed info with pics from a write up i did about doing this, but it is from Stangnet, where i normally roam. i dont know if i can post other forums' links in here. let me know or PM me and i can provide more info if you want.

on the oil sender, you have a couple of options. if it is a mechanical gauge, you can either do the Tee fitting or tap the hex tube. for the Tee, parts stores sell 1/8" Tees in the gauge section. you can also get them from the home store. stock sender is 1/4" (IIRC), while many aftermarket gauge senders are 1/8". also, for an electric gauge, i found it easier to use a 1.5" extendsion tube off the hex to get the sender away from the block.
for the mechanical hex tube set up: you can mark the tube inside of the stock sender (between the block and sender), where the little fitting will fit. then pull the hex tube and tap it for the line fitting. your choice.

maybe this helps. i just looked and did not notice how old this thread was, even though it is on the front page. good luck and enjoy knowing what is really going on.

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03-15-2004, 04:34 AM	#10
HISSIN50 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 62	i am a little foggy on how you wired the gauges (sources). are your gauges always "live?" you really dont want more of a drain that a couple hundred mA when the car is dormant. you might want to check the draw with a DMM if you have hard starting issues. i would tap it off of an ignition hot only circuit. 10 amp fuse is huge overkill, but fine. as for the accuracy of the volt meter.....what do you want to know? remember that there is voltage drop throughout the car. your alternator can put out 15 volts, but if the cable from the alternator to the solenoid is old, you can experience more than 1 volt of voltage drop from there to the solenoid (and more to the battery). everywhere in the car will have different readings (slight, but present). i chose to tap into a key on hot circuit in the cockpit. i did not care. i dont want to see the best voltage scenario, i wanted an average to poor vantage. i like to be realistic. for lighting, you have/had a couple of options. you could tap into the ISO circuit off the headlight switch. easier, IMHO is to tap it at fuse 13, IIRC (the ISO circuit). this will dim the gauges with the stock dimmer. for your oil pressure line, some like to full the line with something like 0W-30 oil, as it flows faster and is more instantaneous. for the senders. you will not trip any CEL's. the ECT controls the puters input for coolant temps. it is on the pass side and has two wires. the gauge sender is on the lower intake behind the dizzy. it only has one wire. the stock oil gauge does nothing for the puter, and you can retain it anyhow, if you want. the low oil level light (if applicable) is in the sump. if you wish to retain the stock temp gauge (i dont like dead gauges), you can relocate the stock sender to the rear of the lower intake or to the t-stat housing. i have some detailed info with pics from a write up i did about doing this, but it is from Stangnet, where i normally roam. i dont know if i can post other forums' links in here. let me know or PM me and i can provide more info if you want. on the oil sender, you have a couple of options. if it is a mechanical gauge, you can either do the Tee fitting or tap the hex tube. for the Tee, parts stores sell 1/8" Tees in the gauge section. you can also get them from the home store. stock sender is 1/4" (IIRC), while many aftermarket gauge senders are 1/8". also, for an electric gauge, i found it easier to use a 1.5" extendsion tube off the hex to get the sender away from the block. for the mechanical hex tube set up: you can mark the tube inside of the stock sender (between the block and sender), where the little fitting will fit. then pull the hex tube and tap it for the line fitting. your choice. maybe this helps. i just looked and did not notice how old this thread was, even though it is on the front page. good luck and enjoy knowing what is really going on.