question about fuel pressure guage install

notchnut

Founding Member
Mar 6, 2001
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16
New England
I scored a used Auotmeter Ultralite 2 1/16 electric fuel pressure guage on EBAY for 80 bucks, its like new and came with the sending unit but I'm a noob with this guage and was wondering where I plumb in the sending unit o the fuel system, I'm assuming the fuel rail but I dont know where, anyone have pics of their set up? Thanks.
 
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I scored a used Auotmeter Ultralite 2 1/16 electric fuel pressure guage on EBAY for 80 bucks, its like new and came with the sending unit but I'm a noob with this guage and was wondering where I plumb in the sending unit o the fuel system, I'm assuming the fuel rail but I dont know where, anyone have pics of their set up? Thanks.

see the valve on the passenger side fuel rail towards the front of the car? unscrew that and find a threaded fitting that fits both your sensor and the rail.
 
see the valve on the passenger side fuel rail towards the front of the car? unscrew that and find a threaded fitting that fits both your sensor and the rail.

you need an adapter to fit into the schrader valve - Autometer part # 3280.

OK, is that line under alot of pressure? I was under the assumption if I unscrew that fitting I would release the pressure in the system or is it only when the car is running? thanks man.

Correct - it does have pressure and it's still going to have some stored pressure when the car is off, but just wrap a towel around it and unscrew it slowly - not too much of a mess.

Attached are a couple pics of my setup. I went with Autometer's recommendation and remotely mounted the sensor (the engine vibrations tend to beat up on the sending unit). I made a mount out of scrap aluminum, a small piece of foam, a couple washers epoxied to the back (acting as spacers) and a mini hose clamp.

Now I had a Tee in my setup for nitrous...and you don't need that (I guess?!?!). But see the brass fitting on the bottom of the Tee? That's the adapter #3280 that you'll need to adapt into the fuel rail and then connect AN fittings.

Let me know if I can help...

Chris

55937d1224292925-installing-fuel-pressure-boost-gauges-2-1-kb-pa020008-small-.jpg

55939d1224293716-installing-fuel-pressure-boost-gauges-2-1-kb-pa020010-small-.jpg
 
Chris thanks for your help, that is one trick set up! I may also do the remote mounting, otherwise it looks like I would have the sender atached and pointing straight up with the wire connection comming out of the top, I dont think that will look too good. Thanks for the tips.

Steve
 
Agreed, Steve, it wouldn't look good with the sender pointing straight up. And in reality, these extra parts weren't much money anyway...well worth it IMO.
Now I had multiple Tees on mine that didnt look so hot in the end, but I ended up having an idiot pull out in front of me, totalling my beloved Black GT, so it just doesnt matter now...(but I did recover this and many other parts off of the GT and will be migrating them over to the Mach...and it will be much cleaner this time...)
But, nonetheless, here's a pic...
photo16.jpg
 
yea...my car has the sender on top with the wire pointing up and it looks terrible. :nonono: guy before me did it and i just haven't gotten around to changing it. did you get all those parts off summit? do you remember about how much it cost you to do that setup? thanks! :SNSign:
 
I bought the gauge and fuel rail adapter from Summit, but then went to my local speed shop for the other fittings and braided line...it just seemed to be easier at that point to take my junk into their store and plop it down on their counter and explain what I was trying to do - then they could ensure I bought the right pieces.
That being said, I can give you some insite to what you'll need (brand name doesn't matter, but just to give you some costs, I looked up Earl's stuff):

for the fuel rail:
1X Autometer fuel rail adapter #3280 ($7.95)
1X Earl's 90 degree elbow, AN to pipe (-4 to 1/8") ($7.69) (you'll need 2 total - you could use straight adapters rather than elbows, and I didn't use elbows, but I will the second time around...it makes for a cleaner install and prevents the hose from sticking up in the air so high. It's up to you. The straight adapters are about 1/2 the cost of elbows, but in the end, the cost difference would be about $6.00 overall...minimal coin to make a clean install)

for the sender connection:
1X Earl's 1/8" Female Pipe Coupler ($2.95)
1X Earl's 90 degree elbow, AN to pipe (-4 to 1/8") ($7.69) (you'll need 2 total - see comment above - now on the sender end, after looking at my pic again, I realize that you might not want a 90 degree elbow...it could point it right into the air inlet tube. A 45 degree elbow is also available, or, as I did, just a straight adapter.)

and then the hose in between:
I used a 16" length...you might want it a little longer (like 18" maybe - the 16" works, but there isn't much slack at all)? See my pic above... (cost ? - I don't see pre made SS braided hose with ends in Summit's catalog - figure on paying less than $20 for it.)

All told, you're looking at about $45.00...BUT...you don't have to buy Earl's. In fact, Summit has their own brand of AN fittings and such. Also, look at EBay. I've also bought brand new AN fittings on EBay (do a search for "AN fitting") at great prices. I'd bet you could do this for around $30-35 - which is well worth the money and also insures your sending unit has a long life.