Real Oil Pressure Gauge install

[Svashtar]

I am following Wes' install instructions today for the real OP gauge, and had a couple of questions.

1) He does not mention removing the negative battery terminal, but autometer says to do that in their instructions. Will that reset my PCM to factory? Is this necessary?

2) The instructions say not to remove insulation from the sending wire, but then how will the ring terminal that I attach to the sending unit make a connection?

3) It is very difficult for me to tell the difference between the new real OP gauge and the OEM voltmeter gauge, but everyone says they look different to them. Other than the location of the words Autometer, I really can't tell the difference. From reading a post by Directedby though, it looks as if they will display differently at night as the OEM is backlit. How many of you changed out both gauges (or not) and what are your thoughts?

Thanks to anyone for their help and info!

Regards,

Norm

[fastblackmerc]

I am following Wes' install instructions today for the real OP gauge, and had a couple of questions.

1) He does not mention removing the negative battery terminal, but autometer says to do that in their instructions. Will that reset my PCM to factory? Is this necessary?

2) The instructions say not to remove insulation from the sending wire, but then how will the ring terminal that I attach to the sending unit make a connection?

3) It is very difficult for me to tell the difference between the new real OP gauge and the OEM voltmeter gauge, but everyone says they look different to them. Other than the location of the words Autometer, I really can't tell the difference. From reading a post by Directedby though, it looks as if they will display differently at night as the OEM is backlit. How many of you changed out both gauges (or not) and what are your thoughts?

Thanks to anyone for their help and info!

Regards,

Norm
1. I didn't disconnect the battery. You just have to be careful.

2. I didn't follow Autometers directions. Obviously you have to remove the
insulation from the wire. I did not crimp my connections. I removed the insulator from the ring connector, soldered & heatshrinked the connection. Did the same inside. I used the factory wiring & lights for both gauges.

3. I believe the fonts are smaller on the "real" Autometers. I haven't driven mine at night yet so I haven't seen if there is a difference in lighting.

[RF Overlord]

1. Disconnecting the battery before doing any electrical work is generally a good habit to get into...accidents can happen. Having said that, no, it's not necessary to disco the battery to do the gauge/sender swap. Just don't turn the key on until you're completely finished.

2. Not sure what is meant by not removing the insulation...you HAVE to do so to make electrical contact. I used a similar procedure to the one used by fastblackmerc except I crimped AND soldered the ring terminals at both the sender and the gauge.

3. In daylight there is not a lot of cosmetic difference between the OEM and aftermarket gauges...it's only at night that the difference become apparent. I actually find the aftermarket gauge easier to read than the OEM was.

[FordNut]

3. At night the difference is very apparent.

[Svashtar]

Thanks guys, this helps. I bought some ring terminals that have a heat shrink skirt, but am not sure if a hair dryer would be hot enough to shrink them. I may have to buy a heat gun. Or I could just use the regular plastic skirted ones I guess and crimp them well.

The insulation thing was in Wes directions. I think he was saying to leave as much of the insulation on the sending wire as you could.

I'll play with the bulbs and see what color works best. I mentioned in another thread it beats me how the OEM bulb cover is blue and yet the gauges are backlit and show up green at night.

I did compare the factory gauges to my new OP and tranny temp gauges more carefully and see what you mean. The font on the OEM gauges matches the instrument cluster exactly, and the replacement gauges are not bolded as much. I do want them all to look the same at night, so since I will have the OP gauge out I guess I'll spring for the matching voltmeter gauge as well.

Thanks as always for the information!

Norm

[wchain]

If youre gonna do heat shrink Norm, I used a "Aim & FLame" (long lighter for BBQ Pits) to shrink the tubing. Make sure there's no Oil around! :flamer:

[King Fubar]

I took it a step further and did the Soulriot's gauge face change, I put the OEM face on the Autometer gauge so it matched my volt gauge. But then I deleted my volt gauge for the boost gauge (go figure) so now I'm back to one OEM looking gauge and one solid face gauge.

[Svashtar]

Guys, thanks for the info. I ended up using ring terminals with the longer heat shrink skirts as they seemed to fit better but didn't bother heating them. I know my torches are way too hot, and even the little butane pencil torch, but didn't think of a lighter. (I have a heat gun on my wish list now.) They fit very tightly and protect the wire for a longer length so I think they will be OK.

I misunderstood what Wes meant WRT the insulation and figured it out once I got under there. He meant the large 3-4" black over-insulation on the sender wire, not the insulation on the wire itself. I followed Wes' instructions exactly, and just hand tightened the new sending unit in as far as I could with pipe tape on the threads, and resisted the temptation to put a wrench to it. Seems to be fine. It's great to finally have a working OP gauge!

A couple of questions as a follow up:

1) I went ahead and ordered the matching Voltmeter gauge. There are two wires on that. Does anyone know which wire goes to which post on the new VM gauge or does it matter?

2) I plan on trying to move the lighter to the side like a couple of you have done, but can't figure out how to get the damned thing out. There are a couple of flanges holding the unit very firmly in place. Any suggestions?

3) Dennis sent me a plastic bevel for mounting the tranny temp gauge in the lighter position. That goes with the high side of the bevel towards the passenger, correct? Looks like I'll need to sand it down a bit if that's the case as there is a bit of a gap where it meets the gauge shroud because of curvature to the sides. I was going to buy the charcoal interior paint Valleyman mentioned, but it's $20 for the can and the bezel already looks like a pretty good match to me.

Thanks as always for the good help.

Regards,

Norm

[RF Overlord]

1) Does anyone know which wire goes to which post on the new VM gauge or does it matter?It matters big time. I can't remember what the colors were (I'm old...) but I remember it was fairly obvious...like red and black going to hot and ground, respectively...if it's NOT obvious, then take a VOM and measure which wire is which...the AutoMeter instructions should tell you which post is which...
2) I plan on trying to move the lighter to the side like a couple of you have done, but can't figure out how to get the damned thing out. Mine was a biotch to get apart, too...I just frigged around and bent and twisted and yelled at it until it disassembled out of embarassment...

[valleyman]

Looking at the back of the OEM voltmeter as it sits in front of me, the red/yellow wire into the gauge is the hot wire, the black is the ground wire. I'm assuming the back of the AutoMeter gauge will identify which post or wire is for the hot wire and which for the ground. So, from the MM wire harness that went into the OEM gauge the red/yellow will go to the hot and the black to the ground.

I had the exact same problem trying to figure out the damn lighter. I asked the board and Logan answered. I don't know how to do the linky thing but the thread was started by Logan on 8/26/02 and is "My newest mod -- tranny temp gauge." About ten or so posts into it I asked him how to get the lighter bezel out and he explained it. Sorry I'm ignorant about how to do the link thing, but there's your anwer. :beer:

[Svashtar]

Perfect! Thanks to you both. I'll check the autometer specs and wire the VM correctly, and check the thread on the lighter removal. The new lighter location won't have the nice depression in the plastic, but it should fit flush anyway and I think will look fine.

Once I get it relocated I'll put the bezel ring over the lighter and mark the best location for the tranny temp gauge. I don't want it interfering with the lighter, but I figure with the bezel holding it out it should not go in that far into the shroud. Once I get it marked I'll try the drill press and forstner bit you mentioned.

Thanks as always for your help! I don't what I would have done (other than screwed up a whole PILE of stuff on my car) if it wasn't for this forum!

Regards,

Norm