attatching mechanical gauges

jahen65 · Sep 29, 2004

i recently purchased a triple gauge set that reads coolant temp, oil pressure, and voltage. i got the voltage hooked up, but the temp and oil requires taking out a drain plug of each. does anyone know where i can locate both kind of plugs, or at least were i can find the oil pressure sending unit. its for a 289 engine for a 65 stang, it only has a oil warning light, not a stock gauge. can anyone help?

golf4283 · Sep 29, 2004

the oil pressure i believe is on the driver side of the block right around the timing cover area. The water temperature should be on the intake(at least it was on my edelbrock)

jahen65 · Sep 29, 2004

thanks man, yeah that temp plug is on mine too but i was wondering where the one on the block is located so i dont have to disconnect the stock temp gauge, anyone know where they are located?

MustangPaul · Sep 30, 2004

Yeah, I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has figured out an easy way to run stock AND aftermarket gauges. I'd like to know just exactly what my oil pressure is.

Where did you mount your gauges?

--P

gp001 · Sep 30, 2004

You could always drill and tap your oil sender extension tube. I did this to add an oil pressure switch. For water temp you could drill and tap you thermostat housing.

crushnut · Sep 30, 2004

Or buy a T-fitting from any local auto parts store, so you can run both at the same time.

MustangPaul · Sep 30, 2004

Crush--Just tap the aftermarket gauge into the wiring from the sender to the new gauge? Will the new gauge get a correct signal off of the Ford sender?

I like the idea of adding new gauges to an old instrument cluster, but that is too much wiring/electrical work for me. Electricity is the land of magic for me! What I need is a way to get an accurate oil pressure reading in my car. However, I show it and I don't want to have one odd ball gauge in the cluster. I figure that a single gauge, in a simple holder, could easily be stashed for the more "hard core" shows, but I'd know more than "Well, the needle is between the I and the L in OIL on the gauge.

Anyway, hope that I'm not asking dumb questions. Strike that: I KNOW I'm asking dumb questions!

jahen65 · Sep 30, 2004

where is the oil pressure sender and a usable coolant plug that i can use though, they are mechanical gauges all i need is both of those plugs to get the gauges to work, they are not hard to install at all i got them for like ten bucks at harbor freight.

crushnut · Sep 30, 2004

MustangPaul said:
Crush--Just tap the aftermarket gauge into the wiring from the sender to the new gauge? Will the new gauge get a correct signal off of the Ford sender?

So you are talking about electric guages, not mechanical eh? Im not an electrician either, that is why i chose mechanical guages. Maybe its just me, but there is just something about a mechanical guage that seems more manly than a electric one.

Oh, and to answer your question i dont think you can do what you describe, doesnt seem like it would be accurate to me

crushnut · Sep 30, 2004

jahen65 said:
where is the oil pressure sender and a usable coolant plug that i can use though, they are mechanical gauges all i need is both of those plugs to get the gauges to work, they are not hard to install at all i got them for like ten bucks at harbor freight.

Do you want to use your stock oil guage too? If not, then just take out the Ford sending unit (located left of the oil filter) and install the mechanical guage there. If you do want to use both then you will have to get a T-fitting from an auto parts store, so you can put both units in the same hole. As for a coolant plug source you can do what gp001 said or buy a new thermostat housing that already has the threaded hole for a mechanical temp guage, thats what i did Also you might be able to use one of the drain plugs on either side of the block, i may be wrong about that, but i dont see why you couldnt Someone else care to chime in on why you couldnt?

MustangPaul · Sep 30, 2004

crushnut said:
Do you want to use your stock oil guage too? If not, then just take out the Ford sending unit (located left of the oil filter) and install the mechanical guage there. If you do want to use both then you will have to get a T-fitting from an auto parts store, so you can put both units in the same hole.

AH! A T to instal BOTH. Put a C on my head for clueless. Is there enough room up there for both?

As for the thermo housing with the threaded hole, where did you get yours?

Mechanical gauges are more manly. I plan to get one of those Calvins peeing on a chevy bowtie to offset my wimpy elec gauges.

--P

66HertzClone · Sep 30, 2004

I am not sure that a T will allow the temp senders to read the coolant temp accuately. The T will be a "dead end" no circulation of coolant thru or past the sensors. A mechanical gauge has a fairly long sensor tip, you will need to take that in consideration when you put this together. While using a modified or different thermostat housing with a hole for the additional sensor solves one problem, it also may give false readings. The new sensor would be on the radiator side of the thermostat, so when the stat is closed or stuck closed, the gauge will show only the temp of the coolant in the hose. Although the bypass hose will allow some coolant to pass into the housing, the accuracy would still be suspect. IMO, use one gauge or the other, having both seems to be overkill.

The easiest way to use both oil pressure gauges is to drill and tap the extension. But, again it seems to be overkill.

crushnut · Oct 1, 2004

MustangPaul said:
AH! A T to instal BOTH. Put a C on my head for clueless. Is there enough room up there for both?

As for the thermo housing with the threaded hole, where did you get yours?

Mechanical gauges are more manly. I plan to get one of those Calvins peeing on a chevy bowtie to offset my wimpy elec gauges.

--P

The t-fitting is only for the oil pressure guage, it allows you to use your stock unit and the aftermarket one. I got my thermostat housing a GI Joes, but i would think that any auto parts store would have them too, it just might take a few tries till you find one that carries them.

Good luck

69 302/351c · Oct 1, 2004

I used the 't" fitting at the side of the block for the oil pressure, and the intake manifold and the water outlet with a threaded hole ( about $10. at your local parts store) for the water temp. This way the mechanical gage (intake) shows water temp before the thermostat opens and the stock electrical in the neck shows afterwards.

red65stang · Jul 7, 2005

ok on an I6 where the temp. sending unit is at, if you take the original out and put the aftermarket back in, its too big meaning the hole on the cylinder head is too small, anyone know a way around this?

im also lost on the oil temp gauge. i think i have to do the t fitting trick with that, i donno.

corpse · Jul 8, 2005

I dunno about mechanical gauges being more manly.. To me, I see it as simply a source for something to eventually leak, under the dashboard - safety reasons even. I can't imagine I would want boiling water or hot oil sprayin my nuts while I'm driving on the expressway. And electric gauge setups can be run a little cleaner, since the wires can be routed much more easily than tubing. Although, mechanical gauges can be more accurate - since sending units or wires could, I suppose, could have a change in resistance or something and alter the reading

My speedo is electric too with a sender mounted on the trans.

attatching mechanical gauges

jahen65

New Member

golf4283

Active Member

jahen65

New Member

MustangPaul

gp001

crushnut

New Member

MustangPaul

jahen65

New Member

crushnut

New Member

crushnut

New Member

MustangPaul

66HertzClone

New Member

crushnut

New Member

69 302/351c

red65stang

New Member

corpse

Similar threads

attatching mechanical gauges

New Member

Active Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency