need some help with gauge install!!

[LXstang5.0]

so first i should of did some research before i start buying stuff but anyways i just got my new gauges (mechanical water temp, oil press and trans temp) and got them routed threw the firewall but have no clue where they go haha. i no where the oil sender is but not sure how to hook it up.. ive also heard/seen people hook up the trans temp and oil press into there drain plugs. will that work? so if anyone can school me on how to install these 3 gauges that would be excellent..

 

[jgfiveoh]

if they are all mechanical then it depends if you want your stock gauges to work also. if not it will be easier but if u do ur going to need some brass fittings.

the mech. oil pressure gauge is hooked to the where your oil pressure sending unit is down by the oil filter. 1/8" NPT fitting that is included with the gauge. if you want to keep your stock oil pressure you'll need to get a 1/8" (male, female, femaleT fitting)

don't forget to use teflon tape and teflon thread sealant on ALL connections during the project!!

for the mech. water temp you will need to get autometer brass adapter fitting (part #2268 i think) to get it to fit into a ford lower intake manifold. i guess the red AN fitting that comes with the gauge is for a chevy or something whatever it wont work. you want to put the adapter fitting in place of the water temp gauge sending unit. and then make the ether tube connection.

the sending unit itself is on the front part of the lower manifold near the driver side head. it is a single wire that goes to the water temp sending unit so it should be easy to identify. you just don't want to use the Engine Coolant Temp sensor that goes to the computer...but its on the heater rail on the other side so not to worry.

again its up to u if u want to keep the stocker. if so u'll need to remove one of the pipe plugs towards the back of the lower intake and put your stock sensor there. you'll prob have to remove the upper intake to get to it so the pain is far greater than the payoff. you'll also have to extend the wiring harness to reach that far.

as far as the trans temp gauge i don't have any experience so i won't lead u astray. hopefully someone else can answer that.

hope this helps. there is also a great write up in the tech thread sticky. it shows u how to wire it up

good luck

 

[HISSIN50]

Nice stuff above by JG.

For adapter reference on the OP gauge (if not mentioned), the stocker has 1/4" NPT threads. You'll need to adapt this to a 1/8" Tee (or adapt a 1/4" tee for the 1/8" sender. Either way works).

For the trans temp gauge, you can use a manifold adapter from AM if it would work for you. Tapping the pan and using a decent bung would be another method. If AOD's have a service port, I wonder why that wouldn't work too (the auto trans guys can help there). The limiting factor on location will be your length of capillary tubing (you might have to run the probe down the shifter tunnel instead of through the firewall).

For the water temp gauge:
If you decide to use the plugged port on the rear of the lower intake, post up and I have a tip or two.

You can also buy a new t-stat housing for 10 bucks at the parts store. It has a 3/8" plug in it. The stock sender could go there. NOTE that if the t-stat sticks closed, that gauge will be useless, but you probably wont look at the stocker much.

JRichker has a nifty write-up for adding a sending unit via a tee in a cooling system hose. That could work though it might be more work than it's worth for that useless stock gauge.

Random thoughts.
Good luck.

 

[Foxfan88]

sorry to but in here but i am wondering how to hook up a mech oil pressure guage to a vortech supercharged car. i have to add new stuff where the stock sender was is there a way i can hook up the oil pressure guage also.

 

[88GT17MA]

sorry to but in here but i am wondering how to hook up a mech oil pressure guage to a vortech supercharged car. i have to add new stuff where the stock sender was is there a way i can hook up the oil pressure guage also.

Use a T fitting in the stock sender location.

 

[jgfiveoh]

thanks for the correction hissin on the 1/4 inch tee and 1/4 to 1/8 bushing.

hissin i'd like to know your tips on relocating the stock temp sender to the rear of the manifold...just curious

 

[HISSIN50]

The tip isnt anything big but very few do it and it can save removing the upper. If you have a half-inch drive socket (the socket size matters not), you turn it upside down and put an extension through it. Tape the extension into the 1/2" drive receptacle so it's about 1/2 way into the receptacle. Now you can set the socket (which is upside down of how they normally are) on the square brass plug and unbolt it with a ratchet wrench.

Sometimes the plugs are really fiesty and need the upper removed anyhow, but this is real quick and if it works, it saves time.

 

[millhouse]

The tip isnt anything big but very few do it and it can save removing the upper. If you have a half-inch drive socket (the socket size matters not), you turn it upside down and put an extension through it. Tape the extension into the 1/2" drive receptacle so it's about 1/2 way into the receptacle. Now you can set the socket (which is upside down of how they normally are) on the square brass plug and unbolt it with a ratchet wrench.

Sometimes the plugs are really fiesty and need the upper removed anyhow, but this is real quick and if it works, it saves time.

Or just grab the appropriate sized 12pt socket and go to town like normal.