Autometer Guage Install q's

[xplo89gt]

Got oil pressure and water temp guages to install this weekend.

My main question is about the wires to get. It says in the instructions i need 18-guage twin conductor wire. What does it mean by twin conductor wire?

Also I noticied I need wire to ignition, to sender, to ground, then for light, wire to light switch, and ground. That's a bunch of wires for each guage. Can i just use 1 ground or do I need two?

Also I can't remember if the guage came with anything, but how do I connect the wire to the senders? Does it come with a connector or do I need to get one?

And finally, if anyone has any tips or suggestions on the install, I'd appreciate it. I'm installing 2 guages in the a/c vents on the center console.

 

[krafty]

I just did this install. I just used 14 gauge wire on everything. The lights I hooked together and used one ground for them. The power for lights I hooked together and ran to the dash light fuse along with a 1 amp inline fuse just to be safe. Gauge power and ground were ran together w/ power coming from any wire that comes on w/ignition.
Sender wires I ran thru the firewall to their location. There should be threads on top the sender. Use a ring terminal and attach. I made the mistake of using the factory sender for my coolant so it read high. Be sure to use the ones that come w/ the gauge.

 

[xplo89gt]

Thanks that's very helpful. How do you connect the wire to the dash light fuse? Is that in the fusebox? Also is a 1amp fuse enough to use? Just cause I see mostly greater than 5 everywhere else. And lastly did you drill a hole in the firewall for the wires (i noticied it came with a grommet) or were you able to just put them through an existing wire hole?

 

[HISSIN50]

you can tap dimmer power (circuit is dimmed like your stock cluster lights) from fuse 13, IIRC (ISO circuit).

1 amp fuse should be enough (will power 12 watts). i dont know about the firewall passage. i ran mechanical stuff and made my own holes. i think you can get into a hole under the brake booster....even a 14 AWG wire is small enough to piggyback on an existing harness....if you make your own hole, make sure you use a grommet (i also wrap wires in tape, cuz im anal).

good luck.

 

[xplo89gt]

I actually didn't get a chance to do this last weekend, so I am going to do it this saturday. I have some more questions though, bear with me

How many wires did you run into the engine bay? I read in the instructions you need to run grounds to the engine ground. So can I just run one ground, and the 2 sender wires to the engine bay, and tie the grounds together at the guage?

Also how do you connect a wire into the fuse box? And what do I need to put a 1amp fuse in between the wires? Reason I ask is I went to autozone and didn't find any good connectors, etc.

Lastly, I started assemblying the guage cage with the gauges, there is a brace that looks like a figure 8 that goes over the 2 gauges to keep them from moving. You are supposed to put a screw in between the guages (completes the 8) to make them tight. The screw that came with it isn't long enough. Does that mean my guages aren't tight enough or what?

That last question is probably a dumb one, but I hate when things don't work like the instructions say.

Ok, guess that's it. Thanks guys.

 

[HISSIN50]

you really only need to run one sender wire per gauge. simply running a ground wire to a chassis bolt inside the car should be very much accurate enough - no need to run the wire to the battery (which gets grounded from the chassis, which is what you ground to inside the car).

you can buy fuse taps at the parts stores, Radio Shack, etc. they can be hard to find - when i do, i gobble them up. you can also expose some of the wire on the wire you want to tap, and jamb it in with the fuse, on the dead side. this is not pretty but works in a pinch.

the fuse goes inline on the lighting. somewhere convenient along the wire, cut it and put a fuse in (further from the gauges is better. said another way, closer to the source is best.). you can get inline fuse connectors at AZ, mart, etc. or just use two insulated female spade terminals with a blade fuse inbetween (tape it up really well, so the metal on the top of the fuse, etc does not short out).

i dont know about the cage. good luck.

 

[xplo89gt]

Ok got the gauges installed. They look pretty good.

One last question, the fuse tap I used came with fuses and the smallest was a 3amp, is this gonna be too big for the lights? I can search for a smaller one at the store, but these fuses are tiny ones (small version of the current fuses that are in the fuse box), so im not sure if I will find one.

 

[87'GTstang]

They are known as mini fuses and the ones in the mustang's fuse box I believe are ATC (or is it ACG???) Anyway they make fuse sizes as small as .5 amps, so yes, you should be able to find them in 1 amp ratings.

 

[HISSIN50]

yep, those mini fuses (smaller in physical size are used on newer cars). really, a 3 amper should be fine. you just want something on there, so that if one of your wires shorts out, there is a fuse, or if the circuit you tapped into has a short, you dont fry your gauges waiting for a 30 amp or whatever size fuse to blow.

or if you mean lighting, a 3 amper is still fine, i would guess. should you come across a 1 amper, you can swap it in at a later time.

this is just my two cents worth. glad you like the gauges.

 

[xplo89gt]

And one more follow up.

My water temp now reads very accurately at around 180* which is what my thermostat is. (With the stock it read between 130-160)

My oil pressure reads about 35-40 at idle, and about 50 or so when driving.
Just want to make sure these are ok pressures. The stock guage which was obviously off always read a good bit higher. (even though it was hard to tell, it looked like 45 idle, 60-65 driving)

 

[crazy_canuck999]

just inquiring... did you go with the mechanical or electrical gauges?

 

[xplo89gt]

electrical

 

[r6bullet]

www.autometer.com they have all of the wiring diagrams their

 

[HISSIN50]

And one more follow up.

My water temp now reads very accurately at around 180* which is what my thermostat is. (With the stock it read between 130-160)

My oil pressure reads about 35-40 at idle, and about 50 or so when driving.
Just want to make sure these are ok pressures. The stock guage which was obviously off always read a good bit higher. (even though it was hard to tell, it looked like 45 idle, 60-65 driving)

ditto for me. my stock temp gauge read optimistically cool.

i think your oil pressure sounds fine.