Replacing all original gauges with modern ones

[Jlogue88]

Sent: 7/12/2004 9:50 PM

I dont' know bout you but I didn't trust the 30 yaer old Factory ones. Also they were very non descriptive {ex. temp gauge hot/cold }so I now have 6 auto meter white faced gauges[vacume,volts,oil presser,water temp,oil tempand transmission temp]

[melyash]

Sent: 7/18/2004 7:53 PM

Yea, I agree on the gauge issue, I put in an oil pressure and Water Temp gauge, will soon throw in Vacum, Oil and Tranny Temp. I am using a cheap sunpro manual gauge series right now, but will probably go with a complete set of Cyberdyne gauges as soon as I can come up with the bucks.  They are digital and completely black out when the ignition is off. I am also looking at a Tachometer probably a small 2 1/8th gauge mounted one, but it is over a hundred bucks so I will have to wait on it as well.


There are alot of posts on the internet on where to mount your tranny temp gauge, either brazed into the tranny pan, on the output side of the tranny fluid line, etc. What I heard is that the pan is only an average temp and is slow to respond to temp changes, and the output side while important in seeing that your tranny is working harder, (looking out the window may do just as well) but does not give you a good idea of how well your tranny cooler is doing its job. I heard the argument that the only place that matters is on the intake side of the tranny, (output of the cooler) since that is the temp the fluid is coming back into the Tranny since that is what it will be using next. I guess we could put in two gauges, or a switch to bounce back and forth between two sensors...

Any opinons on this?

Matt

[440charlie]

Sent: 7/22/2004 6:18 PM

HI RVdude   I have a Question??  Can you hook up gas gages directly to gas tank sending unit  Mine  Is a Dodge 440-3  Selictor is on a tago switch just off and on type [BUT] my gas gages don"t work --Wireing Has not been hooked up after new eng. by last owner  its 78 allergo  I want to use all new gages  and would like to know if I can come right off fuel tank senders to new gas gages                       THANKS  Charlie P.

[Jlogue88]

Sent: 7/22/2004 11:02 PM

I would assume that you would be able to hook up dirctly to the sending unit, as long as they are compatable.

[54PrairieSchooner]

Sent: 7/24/2004 8:45 PM

One option, if you want to stay with a stock look, is to hit E-bay and find new-old-stock Stewart-Warner Gages.   My battery gage is a SW and was Original equipment. I have my eye on a Stewart Warner Vacuum Gage that will match exactly and will go in the slot on the instrument panel where the extra fuel gage would have gone... 

[melyash]

Sent: 7/25/2004 11:21 AM

There are several gauge resistance ranges depending on what chassis you had your vehicle built on. I read up on it on Egauges.com   Some are 0-90ohm others are other are like 240ohm etc. They give a breakdown on what senders work with what gauges and what senders replace what stock senders. 

Did you say you have two gauges or just one?  If you have two gauges then you can obvously just wire direct gauge to sender on each. Otherwise a switch in the circuit is a good idea. Check with someone who works on fuel systems like an RV repair house to make sure that whatever you do with a switch is safe. Dumping the wrong voltage into a large tank of flamable liquid sounds as bad as it is.

Good luck!

Matt

[440charlie]

Sent: 7/25/2004 12:21 PM

Thanks Matt  Ill call egauges monday as they should know what gages go to my dodge 440 gastanks  compatable to my sending units  my dodge book doesent say anything about the sending unit voltage  ill try to get someone to test it, or hopefully egauges might know [1978 allergo 26ft on dodge chassie]   thanks again  Charlie P.

[newrvguy]

I have a 454 P30 chassis and purchased Equus gauges and want to know it I can wire the new Equus fuel gauge up to the new gauge, or do I need to buy a new sending unit.. The sending unit that is on the tank now has the outputs one for the generator one for the engine a vent for the tank..Help please

[LJ-TJ]

This is how my new gauge package turned out. It is two fuel gauges a fuel pressure gauge a vacum gauge,volt gauge,a water temp,oil temp oil pressure,trans temp and a tach.

[LJ-TJ]

   
• http://www.egauges.com/
• As I couldn't afford to out right buy Autometer Gauges new. I bough 90% of them off Craigs List. I got my complete gauge set for $400.00. I have a 727 Trans and here's where I put my Trans Temp sending unit and it seems to work well.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

It will depend on the Fuel Guage you purchased.  GM uses a 0 to 90 ohm gauge.

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,9077.msg46210.html#msg46210

Dave

[LJ-TJ]

   
• I don't know if this thread will be of any use to you or not.

   
• http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,7201.0.html

[LJ-TJ]

Well just had my first couple of runs with the new gauges. Well do you need all those gauges? I can tell you it is awful sweet running down the interstate and casually scanning the gauges and seeing everything in the green. Ran into an interesting situation in that the alternator packed up about 20 miles out on the trip. Was at 14 volts when we left the house but when I glanced down it was on 12 volts. I pulled over and check the batteries and I was only getting 12 volts at the battery. I checked at the alternator and found I was only getting 12 volts at the alternator. So I headed back home. I'm sure I wouldn't have caught it on the old stock gauge on the instrurment panel. Anyway it saved me from braking down on the interstate because I would have been running on battery power and would have never been able to diagnose the problem.. So has it been worth the investment. Yep! Would I do it again? Yep.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

It is called peace of mind. 

Dave

[LJ-TJ]

Hey Dave I got to thank you guys because with out your encouragement and guidance I would have never attempted a project of this size. Patients allowed me to find the majority of my Autometer gauges at 1/3 the normal price. Your right piece of mine. According to the tack she runs sweet at 2,500 RPM at 55 mph. Eeeeeha.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Glad it all worked out.  I expect I speak for many that once you understand how something works, you discover it was not that hard at all and you can put together a plan to make it happen.

Enjoy your travels
Dave

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOVE the gauge panel, LJ-TJ!!!  That looks awesome!!!

Kev