Finally hooking up the gauges

[SimonTuffGuy]

Finally getting around to installing my Autometer gauges... I'd like to run the wires as short as possible (that means not having to run them through the engine bay if possible)...

I'm guessing that each of the wires that I need to connect to will be somewhere inside around the ECU.

I'm running volts (which is simple + and -), A/F ratio (again, + and -, and then connects to the O2 wire) and electronic oil pressure (+ and -, then adds a sender where the stock oil pressure sensor goes)... Any suggestions for how to connect that? Can I use the stock wire on my Autometer sender and then connect the wire from the gauge to the wire at the ECU?

I know on the last car, I had 2 wires run into the engine bay, but I'd like to keep it at clean as possible (even if that means running the wires up through the fender and in with the stock harness).

Thanks.

[Festiva_tunner]

Simon did you ever get these hoked up?

[Quickslick4444]

I just got 3 gauges... cheapos but they match my color theme. Volt, oil pres, and water temp. I need to figure out to hook these up. I can prolly just run the water temp to back of the speedo.. where the stock water temp it.. then replace the sensor... or w/e works it.. Im confused about the oil pressure. I'm gonna need some1 to walk me threw it

[festivaWES]

I don't know if your idea on using the autometer sender on the oem wiring will work....The worst thing that could is your car won't start due to the cars ecu reading that there is no oil pressure. If it were me ( like i did ) run a separte wire and get a brass t fitting an a extension so your bulky autometer sender clears the block tolerances.

[SimonTuffGuy]

I got it installed then... I just ran 2 wires up into the engine bay along with the stock wiring harness (through the fender, etc so that it wasn't just 2 wires popping out into the bay.

The oil pressure one, I just removed the stock sender and put the Autometer in it's place. I don't get any warning lights on my cluster for it, so I'm guessing it's fine the way it is! The A/F I just ran and hooked into the O2 wire... From what I read, I could've tapped into the wire right at the ECU, but this works too and the wire is already in the bay.

Quick - I've never run a water temp before... From what I've seen though, they sometimes need to be tapped into the radiator or somewhere in a hose. I'm not sure that your idea (it's basically the same as mine using the stock oil wire) would work or not...

As for oil pressure... Did you get an electronic one? It will have a nice sized oil pressure sender unit... If your kit includes a plastic tube, return it... You wouldn't want to run a line of oil inside the car incase it would bust. My sender unit just fit into the back of the block where the stock piece went... I had to remove the block support (the bracket that connects the block to the back of the intake manifold) to get enough room to work with it... But it went right in, no leaks to speak of to date.

Run a wire in and connect it to the back of the sender... Connect that to the gauge, give it power and you should be good to go.

As said... if you've got a mechanical gauge (one that has a piece of clear tubing with it), take it back and get an electronic one.

[festivaWES]

For the water temp I would try to get i colse to the head or thermostat. Try tapping into the thermostat housing or make a pipe of metal tube that the radiator hose slips into in the upper side and have a 02 bung welded on it. You could go the route of putting it on the bottom of your radiator providiing your stock rad has the temp ensor outlet.

[festivaWES]

Lets get some pictures of the install when your done.

[Festiva_tunner]

I just installed my extra guages the other weekend . . . I used the autometers . . . the volt was simple just follow the instructions . . . the oil was still simple I pulled the oil pressure switch and put in the electric sender . . . I'm looking into a "T" to re install the pressure switch, however I would have to tap the engine to accept the pipe thread since I cant find the correct pitch thread, so I'm holding off for now.


Brian-
All the pressure switch does is: if it sees pressure less than the set point then it grounds itself turning on the dummy light on, once you unplug the switch it can never complete the circuit essentially never turning on the light, if for some reason you puke the oil your pressure guage will show little to no pressure so you have to keep an eye on it once and a while.