gauge install questions!

[mootang]

I bought an autometer ultra lite II electrical fuel pressure gauge and a mechanical vacume/boost gauge. I have some questions for those who have installed these before.

first on the electrical fuel pressure gauge, should I mount the sending unit on the fuel rail or run a line and mount it closer to the firewall like they suggest for race engines that vibrate a lot?

second where exactly did you hook up your wires? I'm a little unclear on the ground wire. should it splice into something like the negative battery cable or be grounded on something?

now on the mechanical vacume/boost gauge I'm confused on the T fitting, is that only for if you have a factory vacume/boost gauge or do I need to use it and connect to two different places? I thought you just hooked one line up to the intake but maybe that is only for boost only gauges.

also where did you run the wires for the light on your mechanical gauges?



thanks for the help! I can do nuts and bolts but I'm retarded when it comes to electrical stuff.

thanks,
scott

 

[bigap15]

i know about the wires for the light on the gauges. What you do, is take your speedo bezel off, then take off the light switch and there is wires back there, use a test light and ground it and probe each wire until you find a wire that only lights the light when the switch is on. This is the wire you splice into. I think its blue/white but u might wanna check.

 

[WhiteCobra95]

Remote mount the sending unit! Do not mount it on the fuel rail!!!!

The transducer will probably vibrate loose over time. If the instrucitons ask you to remove the valve and this happens, you're in trouble! I've seen this scenario play out on several test cars. Even if they don't go up in flames, you're engine compartment will never be the same!!!

 

[HISSIN50]

I would add that if you want the gauge lighting to dim via the dimmer, when you find a wire that's hot with the parking lights on, run the dimmer up and down to make sure you have the dimmed circuit and not the parking light output (both work, but the latter doesnt allow for dimming).

I'd tap in at the vac tree for vac.

Grounds: I use a super clean ground in the metal bracing in the pillar area.

Good luck.

 

[The Green GT]

Dont cut into wires behind your cluster unless you KNOW what they are for. I have had tons of trouble even though I had connected them all back properly. Try splicing into the wires on the actual switch for the headlights.

 

[HGFireHazard]

If we are talking about the same electrical fuel pressure gauge then you have the one I have. I bought the additional fitting and put mine into the fuel rail where the schrader valve is. I don't see why this would be a problem, they make the fitting specifically for Ford cars with our setup. Where else are you going to hook it up, are you going to cut a fuel line and put a fitting in? Also, for my vacuum I put my vacuum tee in the vacuum line on the fuel pressure regulator.

 

[mootang]

so if I put the tee in a vacume line is it going to sense boost?

whitecobra, where did you mount the sending unit?

and on the ground wires I should be fine just mounting them on a good metal ground? I don't need to hook it up to the negative battery cable then?

thanks for the imput,

scott

 

[95cobraguy]

i put the sending unit for my electrical fuel pressure gauge where the schrader valve went and have had absolutely no problems.

 

[HGFireHazard]

so if I put the tee in a vacume line is it going to sense boost?

whitecobra, where did you mount the sending unit?

and on the ground wires I should be fine just mounting them on a good metal ground? I don't need to hook it up to the negative battery cable then?

thanks for the imput,

scott

Yep. There weren't too many vacuum lines that fit the vacuum tee I was supplied with my S/C kit, but the one on the FPR worked just fine for me, mine see boost quite frequently

On ground wires anything mounted to a nice clean piece of metal will work just fine. Some people even gripe about people grounding on the negative terminal of the battery.

 

[mootang]

sweet! thanks for all the help guys.

now as far as splicing what would be the cleanest way to splice the wires? I'm a noob when it comes to electronics.

thanks again,
scott

 

[The Green GT]

sweet! thanks for all the help guys.

now as far as splicing what would be the cleanest way to splice the wires? I'm a noob when it comes to electronics.

thanks again,
scott

Butt splicers. Safest and best looking way, Then for a little extra caution, wrap the splices in tape and to make it look better cove the wires in the black plastic tube that cut down the middle. I dont remember what its called but its the same thing as what all the wires in our cars are already wrapped up in.

 

[HISSIN50]

I actually think soldering is the best method of circuit tapping, but I dont think I would have a guy who isnt decent at soldering doing so (a well-done crimp is better than a sorta crappy solder joint).

That said, for tapping into existing circuits, T-taps work very well and are quite easy to use, IMHO. This is an alternative to baring wire in the middle and adding a leg of new wire to the gauge.

TGGT - wire loom might be what you're thinking of.

 

[The Green GT]

I actually think soldering is the best method of circuit tapping, but I dont think I would have a guy who isnt decent at soldering doing so (a well-done crimp is better than a sorta crappy solder joint).

That said, for tapping into existing circuits, T-taps work very well and are quite easy to use, IMHO. This is an alternative to baring wire in the middle and adding a leg of new wire to the gauge.

TGGT - wire loom might be what you're thinking of.

Yes, I forgot about soldering for some reason. I usually just use but splicers, unless its something really small like on my gauges when a wire popped off.

And yes, wire loom. Thanks

 

[mootang]

what is a t tap? can you post a picture of it.

and i do have a soldering gun but I don't trust my soldering skills very much.

 

[bigap15]

Thats what i was meaning, the wires on the light switch itself. And yes, if im not mistakin, the blue and white wire is the wire that dims when u turn ure interior light dimmer

 

[HISSIN50]

what is a t tap? can you post a picture of it.

and i do have a soldering gun but I don't trust my soldering skills very much.

Here is a common style that you can get at the parts store.

Here is another style. These you might not find at the parts store, but they are more compact and seem to hold better.

In case it works, here is a page of different styles. Look at the bottom half of the page.



Good luck.

 

[mootang]

thanks hissin!