Installing Water temp/Oil press. gauges, some q's.

[fox racer]

ok, i bought auto meter phantome oil press/water temp gauges and i had some q's.

is everyhting included with these gauges? wiring etc? summit said the sending units are included, are there any additional parts i need?

Im ditching the stock oil pressure gauge completely since it stopped working anyway, can i just remove the stock sending unit and replace it with the auto meter one?do i have to watch out for spilling oil?

Also, im usign the gauge cage (dual), how do i go about running the wires?

Thanks alot guys!

 

[Grn92LX]

You'll need to pick up the wires and connectors to splice. $5 at the parts store. You'll have to snake the wires through, but its pretty simple.

No oil will spill from the sending unit fitting.

 

[RYC CUKR]

I just put a set of autometer ultralite gauges in my stang and here are the issues that I ran into. The guages come with just about everthing that you need but there are a few things they don't come with. For the temp guage I had to get a different fitting for where the sending unit screws into the intake. I believe that it is ATM 2370. The fitting that comes with the gauge is 1/2" npt and you need one that is 3/8" npt. My only other change was that I didn't like the nylon tubing that came with oil pressure gauge and I got some stainless steel braided hose for the oil pressure line.

I popped two holes through the firewall and put grommets in them and hooked up all of the mechanical connections.

For hooking up the lights I just tapped into the dashlight feed for the radio and it works like a champ.

 

[fox racer]

i dont have to worry bout the feed lines, i got electrical gauges.

Waht gauge wire should i pick up?

Can i get that different fitting at a hardware store or like a home depot? or is a specialty item?

 

[HISSIN50]

You might be able to get the water temp gauge adapter at the parts store in the guage aisle.

18 AWG wire should work for the sending units - but check the instuctions to see what they recommend (it was 18 AWG last time I did mine).

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Srothfuss

And then look up threads he started. He recently did a nice write up on installing gauges. Though your locations differ, much of the wiring he did would work for you.

You wont need to cut new holes in the firewall unless you want to since you only need to snake two wires into the engine compartment.

Good luck.

 

[Grn92LX]

If you need a different fitting, home depot or lowes should have it. When I did mine they came with the proper fittings. Use 16-18G wire and O ring connectors.

 

[fox racer]

thanks alot guys! ill get the stuff hopefully tomorow or wed. deending on when i get time/money

 

[HISSIN50]

Mike, the fitting/adapter needed has a receptacle at the top as I recall. Does that ring a bell (the receptacle helps sandwich the actual probe's top lip). for that reason, I am not sure if a parts store adapter from the plumbing section will work.

 

[Grn92LX]

Its been years since I did my gauges. I don't remember to be honest. I thought it was just a fitting with different sizes on it. None the less, when I did my electrical gauges, they came with the needed stuff.

 

[srothfuss]

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...Srothfuss

Here is my thread that I made about my recent gauge install (DUW)

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=602481

There are a few things that I would like to mention that I didn't cover in the write up I did...

1) Passing the wires through the steering colunm boot can be done by punching a small hole in the rubber boot (leave the punch in the hole so you know where it is). Take paper clip and unfold it. At one end make a small hook. Feed the hooked end through your hole in the boot. Secure the wires in the hook and pull the paper clip back through with the wires.

2) The temperature sender will need a 1/4 to 1/8 adaptor. It should be included in the Autometer kit. If not, I found tons of brass fittings at my local Ace Hardware store

3) The oil pressure sender will also need an adaptpr. I believe this one was 3/8 to 1/8. (?) It's been a week and I have already forgotten.

 

[fox racer]

srothfuss, nice write up. I have a few wiring questions still:

instead of runing 2 power, 2 ground, and 2 dimmer wires for both gauges, can i just wire the 2 gauges together, then run 1 ground, 1 power, and 1 dimmer? like a circuit or watever?

also, i already have insulated o ring connectors (the look silver, not gold) the are 16-14 AWG #10 stud, will these work? thanks alot guys!

 

[srothfuss]

srothfuss, nice write up. I have a few wiring questions still:

can i just wire the 2 gauges together

also, i already have insulated o ring connectors (the look silver, not gold) the are 16-14 AWG #10 stud, will these work?

You can call me Steve for short.... It's easier than typing out my screen name.

1) Yes. In fact, I did that exact same thing. For the lights, grounds, and power leads I only had 1 wire hookups during installation. The backs of the gauges were all bridged together (minus the sender wires of course)

2) As long as you test fit the ring terminal on the sending units / gauges and they fit, they will be fine. I used some smaller pieces on the backs of my gauges and then some larger ones in the engine bay. I did have to open up the smaller ring terminals to fit the posts on the gauges.

 

[fox racer]

thanks alot steve... ill pickup some 16 gauge wire (red/black/and wat 2 other colors? green/blue?) and ill get to work on wiring them up.

I can wire all the wires (except the ones to the sensors obviously) from the radio correct? i mean i have a ground, ign 12v, and dimmer wire all splice for my new headunit, i can use thses right? thats what you did correct?

 

[HISSIN50]

Whoops my bad. I missed the part in post 4 about it being an electric gauge. Mike, Steve, et al, you are right. For a mechanical gauge and the lip the sender has, a dedicated fitting is needed. For an elec sender, there is no lip on the probe and a regular brass NPT adapter from the home store works.

Sorry guys.

 

[fox racer]

Sorry guys.

no need to be, you have helped me enough!

 

[srothfuss]

thanks alot steve...
I can wire all the wires (except the ones to the sensors obviously) from the radio correct? i mean i have a ground, ign 12v, and dimmer wire all splice for my new headunit, i can use thses right? thats what you did correct?

That is why were are here.

Yeah, I just taped into the aftermarket harness for my head unit. I have tought about running another seperate ground, but so far everything is working just like it should. Don't forget to wire in a fuse for your 12v IGN source just in case. And use the Powerdimmer wire to tap into your dimmer wires.

 

[fox racer]

That is why were are here.

Yeah, I just taped into the aftermarket harness for my head unit. I have tought about running another seperate ground, but so far everything is working just like it should. Don't forget to wire in a fuse for your 12v IGN source just in case. And use the Powerdimmer wire to tap into your dimmer wires.

thats the other dark blue wire correct? there are 2 dark blue wires for the radio: one is illumination and a dimmmer one. i used the illumation on my headunit, so i should use the other wire on my gauge? or no? thanks alot! i wont forget that fuse.

 

[jerryD]

2) The temperature sender will need a 1/4 to 1/8 adaptor. It should be included in the Autometer kit. If not, I found tons of brass fittings at my local Ace Hardware store

3) The oil pressure sender will also need an adaptpr. I believe this one was 3/8 to 1/8. (?) It's been a week and I have already forgotten.

the oil sender will need the 1/4 to 1/8 adaptor.
the water sender will need the 3/8 to 1/8 bung. should come in package with the gauge.

 

[srothfuss]

thats the other dark blue wire correct? there are 2 dark blue wires for the radio: one is illumination and a dimmmer one. i used the illumation on my headunit, so i should use the other wire on my gauge? or no? thanks alot! i wont forget that fuse.

On my wire harness it was actually an orange color. Granted they might be different, the best way to tell is to hook it up and test the dimmer out. I'll guess that the dimmer lead wire is the one to use....

the oil sender will need the 1/4 to 1/8 adaptor.
the water sender will need the 3/8 to 1/8 bung. should come in package with the gauge.

Thanks!

 

[mustangGT85]

where can i mount the water temp sender unit. i read on the intake manifold but i dont really see where. maybe a pic or a detailed location. thanks guys.

~Steve